Article -> Article Details

If you walk into any café in Delhi, Bangalore, Pune—you’ll notice something odd. The old sight of students and freelancers typing away on bulky laptops is slowly fading. Instead, you see sleek tablets propped up with little keyboards or sometimes just people tapping away on the screen like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Yeah, Gen Z Indians are moving on. Laptops are becoming “dad tech.” Tablets are the new flex.

Convenience is king (or queen… whatever)

Gen Z doesn’t have patience. They don’t want to carry a heavy backpack, wait for a laptop to boot up, deal with updates every other day. Tablets? Tap, swipe, boom—you’re online. Watching reels, attending online classes, even making presentations. One device for everything.

Also let’s not forget—battery life. Tablets easily last a day; laptops gasp for breath after a few hours. Who wants to carry a charger everywhere? Not this generation.

The price factor nobody talks about

Here’s the thing; not everyone is buying a MacBook. Those are still dream machines for many. But when you compare mid-range laptops (40-50k) vs tablets (20-30k) with a detachable keyboard—you see why Gen Z is tempted. For basic stuff like notes, streaming, classes, even Canva designs—tablets are cheaper, lighter, cooler.

And Indian parents love cheaper alternatives. So when their kid says, “I need a device for online classes,” a tablet suddenly looks like a smart buy.

Social flex; let’s be real

Try pulling out a five-year-old laptop in college; it’s not exactly a vibe. But whip out an iPad with an Apple Pencil—suddenly everyone wants to peek at your notes. Tablets have become part utility, part social status. For Gen Z, devices aren’t just tools; they’re accessories. Like shoes, bags, headphones—gadgets are identity markers.

Do tablets actually replace laptops?

Not always. Coding? Nope. Heavy editing on Premiere Pro? Forget it. Big spreadsheets? Painful. But here’s the catch—most Gen Z students don’t need all that. They’re editing reels, writing assignments, watching Netflix, attending Zoom lectures. For that stuff, tablets aren’t just good enough—they’re perfect.

Plus, the app ecosystem is smoother. Touch interface feels natural for a generation raised on phones. Switching between Instagram and a notes app is second nature.

The bigger shift; lifestyle change

Gen Z in India doesn’t want “work device” vs “fun device.” They want one gadget that does both. Laptops still feel like work machines; tablets feel more fluid. Do homework, then draw a doodle, then stream K-dramas—all on one screen. That’s why this switch feels less about tech specs and more about lifestyle.

But wait—don’t bury laptops yet

The untold truth is, tablets are rising but laptops still rule in serious work. College projects, internships, coding bootcamps, design jobs—eventually most people need one. But for now, tablets are winning in everyday battles because they’re cheaper, lighter, faster, cooler.

So maybe it’s not “laptops are dead.” It’s more like—Gen Z is in a tablet phase and laptops are becoming that boring uncle you only call when you need tax advice.