The slate PC is more for the work place and serves a very specific function. It is commonly seen used by waiters or nurses both of whom have to input notes into their computer while on their feet. The lighter design of the slate PC compared to the convertible makes it more portable and the extra couple of pounds difference will be important after carrying it around in your arms all day. These are more like tablets in that almost the entire side of the device is one big screen. This way it is easier to make handwritten notes on the screen. The input is completely through the touch screen and there is often a stylus used especially when using applications such as a word processor to input notes.

The convertible laptop is what most people would think of when it comes to laptops with touch screens. A popular model like the Dell touch screen laptop is one example of these computers. They are very useful for the common home computer user because it allows the familiar interface of a typical laptop and has the same keyboard and touch pad interface. But it also has the versatility to swivel the screen 180 degrees and fold down into tablet mode. When in this mode the computer now can function just like the slate PC or tablet PC. It can be interfaced completely through just the touch screen and the user is free to write or draw on the screen like a pen and paper notebook.