They can work well. You want a wireless remote touchscreen with it. I've used models with Panasonic Toughbook as the main computer, and a wireless touchscreen for input, but I think one of the newer small netbooks, with solid-state drive, would actually work better, at a fraction of the cost. The toughbook is expensive.
They can connect into the satellite tracking system, if one is in use, and send flight plans, receive messages, keep track of flights, generate all the necessary manifests and paperwork at the end of the day, and send all the necessary reports to a central record-keeping system. They take a little getting used to, but soon become easier to use than paper. Look at using Linux instead of Windows if you don't want to experience computer crashes at inconvenient times. Linux is far more stable and reliable.