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Now that we have a 2 in 1 device like Samsung Fold which is a phone/tablet. Microsoft Surface is a tablet that can replace your laptop. So in the future we'll get 3 in 1 device a phone/tablet/laptop that can replace your PC/laptop.
Surface Pro is up to a 12.3" display for a reason. There's not a large market for the 10" laptops, which is why you don't see very many of them anymore. They didn't sell. Partly that was in the past it was just hard to pack acceptable performance in something that small. That's not a problem nowadays though. They don't sell in large numbers because the screens are too small for most people.
Then you look at the Fold. No exact specs yet, but weight will probably be more than a phablet which typically have 6.3-6.5" displays nowadays. The Fold has a 7.3" display. That's really too big for a phablet so it's something, but it's much too small for a laptop. Foot print on the Fold will likely be similar, maybe a bit bigger, than something like an iPhone SE. Easier to use one handed than a phablet, but then also significantly heavier. That's really its advantage. Footprint of a 4.5" phone which is easier to use one-handed than a 6.5" phablet with the option of folding it out to use as a small 7" tablet.
Now let's say you wanted to make it a 3-in-1. First you need to go bigger, which means heavier. You're looking at something the size of a phablet and even heavier, maybe 6.5 front screen and 10" flipped out. That's probably going to push the weight up around 300 grams, all the problems of a phablet plus extra weight. Next you need a keyboard. There's really only two options. One would be a projection laser keyboard. They're funky and really too bulky to incorporate in a phone though. Which means just your old folding keyboard is realistically the best option, another thing to carry around and unpack.
Now if you're just trying to replace a desktop PC, that's easier. I can't see the Fold not supporting DeX which means it will already sort of do that, limited by software.
Surface Pro is up to a 12.3" display for a reason. There's not a large market for the 10" laptops, which is why you don't see very many of them anymore. They didn't sell. Partly that was in the past it was just hard to pack acceptable performance in something that small. That's not a problem nowadays though. They don't sell in large numbers because the screens are too small for most people.
Then you look at the Fold. No exact specs yet, but weight will probably be more than a phablet which typically have 6.3-6.5" displays nowadays. The Fold has a 7.3" display. That's really too big for a phablet so it's something, but it's much too small for a laptop. Foot print on the Fold will likely be similar, maybe a bit bigger, than something like an iPhone SE. Easier to use one handed than a phablet, but then also significantly heavier. That's really its advantage. Footprint of a 4.5" phone which is easier to use one-handed than a 6.5" phablet with the option of folding it out to use as a small 7" tablet.
Now let's say you wanted to make it a 3-in-1. First you need to go bigger, which means heavier. You're looking at something the size of a phablet and even heavier, maybe 6.5 front screen and 10" flipped out. That's probably going to push the weight up around 300 grams, all the problems of a phablet plus extra weight. Next you need a keyboard. There's really only two options. One would be a projection laser keyboard. They're funky and really too bulky to incorporate in a phone though. Which means just your old folding keyboard is realistically the best option, another thing to carry around and unpack.
Now if you're just trying to replace a desktop PC, that's easier. I can't see the Fold not supporting DeX which means it will already sort of do that, limited by software.
I see your points. Weight-wise it might not make sense to be that big. But I'm saying like it'd be a mini-PC/mini-laptop as well as a phone and tablet.
I see your points. Weight-wise it might not make sense to be that big. But I'm saying like it'd be a mini-PC/mini-laptop as well as a phone and tablet.
Yes, which is what a 10" laptop is. In order to fold out to 10" it's going to need be phablet sized foot print but with the extra weight and thickness. So basically Note 9 size, thicker, and heavier. Then you still need an external keyboard. Dropping down from 10" to 7" you go from most people not being interested to just about nobody being interested. It's okay for a small tablet you hold a foot from your face. It's not fine for a laptop. It's way too small.
Now as a mini-PC, that's more software limitations. You can already connect a smartphone to a monitor and keyboard. There's just not a whole lot of reason to do so as there's not much you can do with it. DeX works fine to turn a phone into a mini-PC with the S8/S9 and Note8/9. I don't see Samsung not including DeX compatability with the S10/Note10 and Fold. Almost nobody will use it because it's pretty useless on the software side.
As long as you're okay with the very poor value, you'll probably like it. Pentium Y, 64 GB eMMC, 4 GB RAM is fine for a netbook. They just usually don't cost $500. It's just whether the screen, build quality and 2-in-1 is worth the price to you. I quite like my Surface Book. It's likewise very poor value. A generic laptop with similar performance would cost roughly half as much, same as with the Surface Go. But then I like the better screen, 12+ hour battery life, build quality, weight, and do frequently use it as a tablet so worthwhile to me. For a lot of people spending an extra $1,300 for what really are side benefits would just be ridiculous which I completely get.
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