Make the most of commuting with a 2-in-1 laptop

Working while commuting comes with its own set of challenges: getting a data connection, a lack of space, and the need to be able to set up and pack up quickly. They’re all things that a 2-in-1 such as the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S can deal with more efficiently than a separate laptop and keyboard. At just over 1kg with the keyboard cover, the TabPro S is certainly light, but it’s also exceptionally quick to get running.

I know I can whip it out of my bag and have it clipped into the keyboard dock in a matter of seconds, with Windows 10 resuming almost instantly. No matter how little time I’ve got, I know the computer is ready and waiting so I can snatch a few minutes’ work whenever I like.

Packing up is just as important. I’m pretty terrible for getting engrossed in my current task, and only spot my stop at the last second. As a result, I’m often just dashing off a train when my stop comes around.

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The beauty of the TabPro S’s tablet form is that I can quickly fold it back into its case, stand up and move quickly. With a laptop, the bigger bulk tends to make these quick actions that little bit harder, and I don’t find it as easy to carry a laptop.

No room to move

Space is typically a big issue on a commute, with people often sitting close side by side and not much space between you and the seat in front. While laptops let you adjustment screen angle, their relative bulk can make them hard to position comfortably. Switching to a tablet, you get a nice and light device, but most keyboard docks aren’t designed particularly well for enclosed spaces. The TabPro S’s keyboard gives two comfortable positions to type on (I prefer the second, flatter position on my lap, and the taller position for a table), and it doesn’t take up much room.

Getting a seat on public transport isn’t something I can ever rely on, but that doesn’t mean the TabPro S is useless if I don’t get one. In fact, I can just undock it and use it in tablet mode, as it’s designed to be used one-handed: try that with a laptop. Now, I can’t bash out a huge document like this using the onscreen keyboard, but reading emails and longer documents is a cinch.

Always online

Of course, there are plenty of times when I have a much longer journey or I’m just sitting in a café between meetings. In both of these situations, the primary pain is trying to get an internet connection. Wi-Fi hotspots are either too slow, too unreliable or I can’t find one. Using my phone as a hotspot is okay, but it eats into my data allowance and drains the battery like nobody’s business. Fortunately, I have a TabPro S with a built-in SIM slot, so I can buy a nano-SIM on contract or pay-as-you-go and get 4G practically wherever I want. Windows 10 puts the data connection in the same menu as Wi-Fi connections, so getting connected is never more than a click away.

Truth be told, I’ve never been a fan of shelling out for a second data connection, as I’d typically need one for my phone, tablet and laptop (potentially via a Wi-Fi modem), and I wouldn’t use any to its max. With the TabPro S, it makes a lot more sense, as it’s my laptop, desktop and tablet all in one: I need it to have data, and having its own means less hassle and a better connection.

Longer battery, smarter charging

Battery life of up to 10.5 hours easily gets me through a day of work, but there are times when I need more power. Lugging around a power adapter has never been particularly fun, thanks to the giant British three-pin plug, but Samsung has had the foresight to redesign this.

With the TabPro S, the third pin slides down into the body of the USB charger, so it’s smaller, lighter and more convenient to carry. Hats off to Samsung for this: it makes travelling more pleasant and means that I can get away with a smaller bag.

For fun

I can’t work all of the time, which is why I’d often carry a tablet too, loaded up with TV shows and films. I don’t have to worry about this with the TabPro S, as I have a top tablet (with a headphone port, so I don’t have to annoy other passengers). Either sitting the 2-in-1 at an angle on its case or holding the tablet part in my hand, I can watch whatever I like and tune out from the journey.

Travelling and commuting are about being flexible and having the power to do what you want when you want. With the TabPro S, I achieve all of those goals with less weight and less hassle than carrying multiple devices.