What are Lapdocks, and What Can They Do for You?

Tech keeps improving and for good reason; innovation is constantly ongoing. Once there were computers that filled an entire room and now we have those that just go in our bag. Desktops, laptops, smartphones — the relationship between size and speed is fast becoming an inverse one. 

To shed light on the lapdock, we would have to come from the angle of the smartphone. We carry around smartphones with incredible processor speeds that are (safe to say) getting faster by the day. 

But one feature that many users have started to crave again is an increase in screen size. However, the best that most of the top-notch smartphones can offer is a 6.7-inch OLED display. 

Over the years, computers have tried to include phone-like features like the touchscreen and 360-degree hinge in a bid to sway the market. This has definitely improved sales, but it doesn’t change the fact that smartphones still account for over half of web traffic. 

Users want a combination of three main features, a super-fast processor, significant screen size, and ease of use, all in one device. Now, one device may not be able to give this, but a combination of two might just make it work even better than imagined. 

Enter the Lapdock. 

What are Lapdocks?

Lapdocks are not a form of computer. Rather, they can be aptly described as a dock that transforms your smartphone into a computer. Picture the regular docking stations or docks that allow laptops to connect to various monitors and then expand their I/O ports. 

Unlike your laptop that allows for an all-in-one experience, featuring an operating system, CPU, RAM, GPU, and hard drive, amongst others, the lapdock is a shell with just physical features. It comes with a screen, keyboard, USB board, but no CPU, RAM, or operating system. It relies on your smartphone for this. 

The concept behind the lapdock is that it is fluid and takes the form of whatever is connected to it. Hooking up a Raspberry Pi device gives you a Linux-based gadget, and hooking up an Android smartphone implies that you get an Android-based laptop. Conversely, you can get a dual-display iPad OS laptop easily by connecting an iPad. 

When the smartphone is connected to the lapdock, the lapdock’s screen is activated and it can now be used as a laptop. The limits of the Lapdock are not within sight.  

This versatility is one of the selling points of Lapdocks, and if you care about the environment (as you staunchly should), then they get a green tick in your book. How so? 

People constantly upgrade their laptops from time to time and most of the outdated models end up in the trash. A lapdock eliminates the need to constantly upgrade. 

Given that the lapdock is a shell, you could go on using it with each extra-powerful smartphone that you purchase over a period spanning years. 

Since smartphones are getting way more advanced, all you need is an interface to enjoy the larger screen axis and other benefits, and the lapdock gives you this. 

Lapdocks are basically the midline between the worlds of the smartphone and laptops, the connector. 

What Can Lapdocks Do for You?

We find ourselves spending less and less time on our computers and of course, smartphone usage fills up this time. So, why should you consider a lapdock when you have a perfectly fine laptop? 

For starters, your smartphone is definitely your go-to buddy for basic research, quick messaging, and accessing files is way easier there as well. 

Apart from high processor laptops mainly used by individuals in the hi-tech space, regular laptops have low RAMs and get slow over time. 

You can definitely picture sitting in front of your PC, waiting for a document to open up, and unfortunately, there is no easy way to upgrade your laptop. 

Smartphones on the other hand keep improving in terms of processing power, and at some point in time, (just like a reference to earlier), all we would need to do is upgrade our phones. 

However, some tasks are not very much suited to the mobile interface namely because of the size factor. 

Here are a couple of benefits, itemized that Lapdocks provide you with:

• Enhanced User Experience  

Owning a lapdock allows you to enjoy the fast-paced operation of your smartphone on a larger screen. It practically transforms your phone into a laptop including features like increased screen size, a physical keyboard for typing and a mouse. 

• Affordable

Lapdocks are relatively cheaper than traditional laptops, and they can be used for longer as well. So, this helps you save a pretty penny in the long term. 

• Lightweight and Durable 

They are lightweight and durable, an incredible combination. You don’t have to lug around some annoying extra weight, and they are portable, so you can pull them out anywhere. 

• No Potential for Files Loss 

One major advantage of owning a Lapdock is that you can be confident that your files are never going missing. 

Given that the device doesn’t have storage memory, all of your work remains on your smartphone. 

In other words, you’re carrying around a laptop-like device, but without the risk of losing all of your files in one swoop, if the lapdock ever goes missing. 

• Rapid Usage, Zero Updates 

One of the most annoying waits ever is having to wait out some OS update on your laptop. Once you update your smartphone from time to time (which is automatic most of the time and fast), you’re good to go. 

Your smartphone rapidly updates once it’s connected to the internet. But your laptop on the other hand goes through the time-wasting process of synchronizing with your other devices, else, it won’t be up to date. 

A Lapdock doesn’t require any form of synchronization or OS maintenance and helps you skip the waste of time that could have been. 

Similarly, you save money on software purchases (typical to PCs and expensive too) and save time that PC manual updating would have taken. The bottom line, it eliminates some of the major inconveniences that laptops force on us. 

Upsides of Owning a Lapdock 

• Painless Typing 

This is one of the benefits that users love the most. If your line of work involves a significant amount of typing; blogging, typing emails, or other work involving your browser, hooking up your device to a secondary screen attached to a keyboard makes for an incredible experience. 

This is especially useful for you if you don’t have a laptop, but your smartphone is ‘really smart’. You wouldn’t have to buy a laptop, and this saves you money and avails you of other benefits discussed previously.  

• Improved Gaming Experience 

Mobile gaming has become a pretty commonplace activity, but of course, the bigger the screen, the more sublime the experience. Gaming on a screen up to 14 inches while using attached controllers or even your phone as controller is not an experience to miss out on. 

• Efficient Secondary Screen 

A Lapdock can serve as a secondary screen efficiency, playing the role of a portable display. You don’t have to purchase a separate portable display if you have a lapdock. And just like the portable monitor, you can hook it up to your laptop or desktop without hassle. 

Furthermore, monitor-less desktops like a NAS server or home web server can be set up with a Lapdock and this saves the stress of constantly mixing these units. 

What is the Best Lapdock? 

‘The bigger the better’ usually has a limit, but an impressive 15.6 inches display from the UPERFECT X Pro UDock is a tad more than perfect. 

Impressive display for seeing movies or getting some work done. 4K and 1080p resolutions (optional) displays guarantee that images are crystal clear. The gaming experience is absolutely amazing. 

The 10-point touch screen is quick to respond and boosts the convenience and ease of use of the X Pro UDock. This way, you can carry it all around the house with no hassle at all. 

The detachable magnetic keyboard is the icing on this cake and pretty much reduces the slim gadget to extra slim when detached. Welcome painless typing. 

It is compatible with most of the advanced android smartphones out there, and laptops too. 

Furthermore, the slim and elegant design gives the lapdock an exquisite and eye-catching appearance, this is one gadget you would be proud to own.  

The Bottomline

The lapdock is one innovation that is bound to be around for a long time. Given that smartphones cannot go too overboard in terms of screen size, a Lapdock is your next best bet for enjoying your smartphone with a screen size of up to 15.6 inches. 

Lapdocks offer a range of other benefits which we have detailed in this piece and we are confident that you know just what owning one does for you. 

Now, it’s your call to make, and we’re confident that you would make the right one. Enjoy in advance!