Exciting news! Gartner is predicting that hybrid ultramobile PCs will be the fastest growing segment of the mobile PC market in 2015, will represent 12 percent of total mobile PC sales and is on target to reach 21.5 million device sales.
58 million units predicted sales in 2019 will represent an estimated 26% of the mobile PC market. The Ultramobile PC is here!
Gartner breaks the Hybrid Ultramobile PC market and figures down like this.
- Hybrid ultramobile PCs: hybrids and tablets with screens of 10-14 inches.
- 8 million: Ultramobile tablets (tablet-first devices including devices with keyboard add-ons like the Surface)
- 13.5 million: Hybrid Ultramobiles (two-in-one detachable and convertible like the ASUS Transformer Book)
But why are the 2-in-1 devices, that have been around for a few years now, taking-off?
“The combination of portability, productivity and flexibility of touch and a keyboard in one device is attracting some notebook and tablet users to replace their devices with hybrid form factors,” said Ms. Tsai. “PC vendors are expanding into this segment with a value proposition to compete with Apple and Android-based tablet vendors. Sales of hybrid devices have not stopped growing since 2012, totaling 12.6 million units in 2014 and expected to reach 58 million units in 2019.” [source]
The combination of portability, productivity and flexibility of touch and keyboard was always there but the difference now is that it’s attractive in terms of style, power and price. Atom has matured well and Core M is doing a great job at providing high-power fanless experiences. With Atom X5 and X7 and the Skylake Core M due later this year things will only get better. The ASUS Transformer Book T100HA and the HP Pavilion 10 X2 with Cherry Trail CPUs are just a few examples of devices to watch out for.
Note that 7, 8 and 9-inch hybrid ultramobiles are not covered by the report which leads us to question where they fit in Gartners’ definition. Where does the Toshiba Satellite Click Mini fit?
Yes, I’ve been really WANTING the perfect hybrid for years but it’s never really been perfect. The Surface seems to nail the combination perfectly for me but at times I have really wanted a more traditional clam-shell convertible. That said, my biggest issue with screens that detach from physical keyboards is now you have this useless appendage you need to put somewhere which means I generally just leave the thing attached.
Hence: my preferred hybrid style is now the Yoga type device. The reason? I rarely want a table to hold. Coming from a Surface I’ve become accustomed to a kickstand. The Yoga style allows me to flip the keyboard back and use the tablet in stand mode which is far more useful than holding it in my hands. Really, a large stand mode table is more enjoyable for me than a thin/light super expensive iPad. The bonus is I can quickly flip the keyboard back in front when I need to type something then flip it back when I’m done.
I’m a missive fan of flip-backs for 11.6-inches and above where the weight of a tablet-only is too much anyway. Around the house I use my Lenovo N20p – cheap Chromebook with 270-degree flip back. The SP3 is more of a hot-desk solution for me with occasional event use.
I share the exact same experience and conclusions. It is just too much of a chore to try to keep a detached keyboard constantly in reach with a portable device, and it is annoying to have to detach and reattach it. If you buy a hybrid you obviously want a keyboard with your machine – making the keyboard detachable doesn’t ultimately make it lighter, you still need to carry the keyboard around, it just makes it more ungainly to move two relatively delicate electronic devices around instead of one.
Rarely am I supporting a tablet solely in a single unsupported hand anyway, so ultra lightweight just isn’t that important – it is almost always held with my elbow at least rested on my lap, a table etc. The ability of the keyboard to work as a stand with the convertible flip style hybrids adds a lot of value too and further reduces the need for an ultra lightweight device. Always having the keyboard just a flip away transforms the device into a truly hybrid machine with real productivity capabilities.
Most of the detachables also try to cram the heart of the machine into the tablet/screen section which can lead to unfortunate compromises, like reduced battery capacity, more limited upgrade options, top heavy devices with limited screen opening angles etc.
I want to see the focus move to 360 flip hybrids and away from detachables. I think it would be better to just let people buy add on keyboards for tablets for those who want the ultralight tablet experience with optional keyboard.