Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet

These days, convertible tablet PCs are showing up as more than just a blip on the radar. They've been widely adopted in the vertical markets, and students are embracing them. Lenovo (formerly IBM) has long been a leader in the convertible tablet PC space. In the ThinkPad X61 Tablet ($1,934 direct) Lenovo continues to fuse the design of its darling X-Series ultraportable (see ThinkPad X60s) with the tablet's functionality. With the best keyboard in the industry, very good performance scores, and a sturdy design, the X61 Tablet earns an Editors' Choice award to set beside Lenovo's previous one in this space, the ThinkPad X41 Tablet.

While it's clear that convertible tablets are picking up traction, the penetration hasn't been at the level of some of the more popular laptops. It could be that consumers haven't yet grasped the idea of using a digitizer pen on a laptop. Maybe the price premium is putting off potential customers. And perhaps the fact that two of the top three laptop vendors, Dell and Apple, haven't officially announced any tablet PCs of their own has limited their growth. Regardless, Lenovo has made significant progress with the ThinkPad X61 Tablet, making the adjustment easy for many would-be tablet converts.

Lenovo's overall tablet design hasn't changed since the ThinkPad X41 Tablet first launched in 2005. The magnesium alloy–backed frame and the pitch-black ID are no different from those of the rest of the ThinkPad line. The frame guards against wear and tear, and the conservative black trim lets people know that this machine means business. The X41 Tablet was one of the lightest tablets around, but lately, the competition has been growing fierce. The X61's 66-Wh extended battery boosts the weight to 4.4 pounds. Meanwhile, the Fujitsu Lifebook T2010 is able to keep things under 4 pounds with its 93-Wh extended battery. Opting for a 4-cell battery and saving $50 can get the X61 Tablet under 4 pounds, but it would leave you with appallingly short battery life. On the other hand, the HP Compaq 2710p (3.9 lbs) can get away with its 44-Wh battery, since it's using extremely low-powered components.

The trend in laptops is toward widescreens, even on tablets. Lenovo, however, is holding firm with the X61's standard screen. You have one choice for screen resolution—1,024-by-768. (Lenovo used to offer an SXGA resolution (1,400-by-1,050) on its non-tablet ultraportable, but font sizes became too small to read.) The standard 12-inch screen is better for writers like me, because there's less vertical scrolling. The Fujitsu T2010, the HP Compaq 2710p, and the Gateway C-120X have 12-inch widescreens optimized for multimedia tasks, while the standard-screen X61 is geared toward office work. The matte screen on the X61 Tablet offsets a lot of the glare coming from external lighting directed at the screen. In contrast, the intensely bright glossy screen on the Fujitsu T2010 is great for color-rich projects, but does little to minimize glare.

Hands down, the ThinkPad X61 Tablet provides the best typing experience in the business. Its full-size keyboard is unmatched, and the TrackPoint pointing stick technology is one of a kind. The HP 2710p comes close, but its pointing stick is too stiff for my taste. The Fujitsu T2010 has a responsive pointing stick, but its keyboard doesn't give the satisfying resistance provided by the X61 Tablet's keyboard. Rotating the screen to write on these convertible tablets makes them more equal. A good portion of the writing experience is dependent on the operating system; all of the above mentioned tablets load Windows Vista Business , which has an optimized tablet interface built in. On all of them, the writing recognition is terrific and can be further improved by Vista's Tablet PC Pen Training application. The pen-on-screen feel and the feel of the digitizer pen in your hand are what distinguish the tablets from one another. Writing on the X61, as on most tablets, involves light strokes. You don't have to press as hard as when writing on a piece of paper, so your hands don't tire as fast. The digitizer pen has a rubber grip in the middle that increases the comfort level, though I wish the pen had a little more girth, like the one found on the Motion Computing LE1700.

As for features, the only thing missing on the ThinkPad X61 Tablet is a built-in optical drive. But every convertible tablet is a compromise: You either want the lightest system possible, or opt for a heavier system with the ability to watch DVDs and install software. For example, the Gateway C-120X approaches 5 pounds with its built-in dual-layer DVD burner. Lenovo offers a 2-pound docking station ($200) that has a built-in optical drive, but carrying an extra piece does strain the shoulders. As an alternative, the HP 2710p's docking station is a lot lighter (1.5 pounds) and also integrates a dual-layer DVD burner. Like the Fujitsu T2010, the X61 Tablet has three USB ports and one FireWire port, but it also adds mobile broadband. You can choose between Cingular's HSDPA and Verizon's EV-DO services, as indicated by the antenna bump on top of the screen.

I'm still scratching my head, wondering if I'll ever see a sub-4-pound convertible tablet with a standard-voltage processor. The ThinkPad X61 Tablet loads a low-voltage 1.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 CPU. It could be worse: You could be using an ultra-low-voltage (ULV) processor like the ones found on the Fujitsu T2010, HP 2710p, and the Gateway C-120X. Even with 2GB of RAM, ULV processors have a tough time keeping up with Windows Vista. Over time, Vista will hog precious space and slow down your system. You can get away with a ULV processor by running Windows XP, but Microsoft will make you switch eventually. That said, the L7500 is a good choice if you want the best of both worlds: performance and battery life. If you don't mind the heft, the Fujitsu Lifebook T4210, the Toshiba Portégé M400, and the Gateway M285-E, with their Core 2 Duo T7000 series CPUs, can get you the power you need on a tablet, but there's a price to pay in battery life.

What you do get with low-voltage processors is all-day battery life. The X61 Tablet managed to rack up 5 hours and 17 minutes on MobileMark 2007, thanks to its low-voltage processor and 66-Wh battery. By contrast, the Fujitsu and HP tablets have the potential for longer battery life because of their lower-powered processors. The HP 2710p achieved 4 hours 45 minutes on MobileMark 2007—an astonishing feat with its smaller, 44-Wh battery.

Despite a slew of impressive convertible tablet entries—namely from HP, Fujitsu, and Gateway— the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet is standing up to the competition with its solid features, key components, and a great keyboard and writing experience. One could argue that battery life needs to be in the 7-hour range, trendier designs are needed, and an integrated optical drive could be added. Eventually, someone else may step in and make a better tablet if Lenovo doesn't take the lead. At the moment, the time-honored design that the X61 has inherited is still the winning formula for the best tablet in the market.

Company

Lenovo

http://www.lenovo.com
Spec Data
* Type: Ultraportable, Tablet, Business, Small Business
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo L7500
* Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
* RAM: 2 GB
* Weight: 4.4 lb
* Screen Size: 12.1 inches
* Screen Size Type: standard
* Graphics Card: Intel GMA X3100
* Storage Capacity: 100 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11n
* Primary Optical Drive: External

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Fujitsu Lifebook S6510B

More and more laptop manufacturers are adding the Tablet OS and hinged swivel screen to thin-and-light systems. Fujitsu 's latest offering is a 12.1-inch convertible tablet that weighs just 4.6 pounds and has an internal optical drive. If you're looking for a laptop that has some tablet functionality, the Fujitsu LifeBook T4020D ($2,149 direct) hits the mark.

The gray exterior is business casual, neither too flashy nor too plain. The 12.1-inch screen is equipped with Fujitsu's indoor/outdoor display. The screen seems a little grainy indoors because of the special screen. Fujitsu uses what it calls a "casual outdoor" screen, a glass screen with a special coating that lets light pass through more uniformly in outdoor situations. A true outdoor screen uses a mirror, which replaces the fluorescent backlight normally found on indoor screens, to maximize the reflection of sunlight. (Of course, true outdoor screens are much harder to see indoors.)

The swivel screen reveals a full-size keyboard and a very responsive touchpad. The 4.6-pound frame weighs exactly the same as the HP Compaq tc4200's, but includes a built-in optical drive that's lacking in the tc4200.

Using the pen for fast note-taking with Microsoft Windows Journal was smooth, and we didn't see any drag latency using OneNote 2003. The writing experience is on a par with that found on the Lenovo ThinkPad X41 Tablet, our current Editors' Choice. The T4020D's pen is a little thicker and feels more substantial, though both pens are fine for extensive writing.

The T4020D's display has very good viewing angles from all sides, but is not ideal for pictures and movies; it is better suited for reading and writing, especially in outdoor situations. The X41 has a similar screen, but because it lacks an internal optical drive it is over a pound lighter, and its quad metal swivel hinge feels a bit sturdier that the T4020D's. The T4020D has five programmable quick-launch keys on the screen and dual microphone arrays for voice recognition.

The built-in DVD/RW combo drive is a modular drive, so you can swap it out with a weight saver or a DVD±RW drive ($300). The system has two USB ports, an S-Video port, and a three-in-one card reader (SD, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro). Wireless devices include an integrated Bluetooth adapter and an Intel 802.11a/g wireless module. The T4020D comes with a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip and a smart-card reader, but no security software at all.

We weren't able to run our performance and battery tests because of problems running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 on SYSmark 2004 SE and MobileMark 2005. But we ran multiple applications like Acrobat Reader, OneNote 2003, and InterVideo's WinDVD, and thanks to the Pentium M 740 (1.73 GHz), they did not tax the system too much. As for battery life, Fujitsu is claiming as much as five hours with the 56-Wh battery.

There are very few convertible notebooks out there that integrate an optical drive in such a small frame. The Fujitsu LifeBook T4020D manages to do so, making it a fine system for everyday computing.

Company
Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation
http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com

Spec Data
* Type: General Purpose, Tablet, Business
* Operating System: MS Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
* Processor Name: Intel Pentium M 740
* Processor Speed: 1.73 GHz
* RAM: 512 MB
* Weight: 4.6 lb
* Screen Size: 12.1 inches
* Screen Size Type: standard
* Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 GM
* Storage Capacity: 60 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11a/g
* Primary Optical Drive: DVD-ROM/CD-RW

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Sony VAIO VGN-FZ485U

Once Blu-ray triumphed over HD DVD in the high-def format war, Sony had an opportunity to emerge as the good guys in the cutthroat laptop market. But instead of focusing on a swift adoption of Blu-ray in the PC space, the company still seems obsessed with hitting profit margins. A good example is the Sony VAIO VGN-FZ485U, a mainstream multimedia laptop that doesn't wow you with performance or features. Its one redeeming quality is that it bundles a Blu-ray burner. Given that Sony is the strongest voice in the Blu-ray Consortium, which developed the format, the $2,199 (direct) price tag should've been a lot cheaper. Cramming excessive "bloatware" into this laptop was equally egregious, if not more so.

In a world where fancy metals and glossy finishes are beginning to take shape in laptop designs, the FZ485U's plastic frame lacks any of these things, which is, depending on your point of view, either satisfyingly minimalist or plain Jane boring. The FZ485U takes an Apple approach: The silver lid is clean, free of any artistic splashes or flashy colors. You can, however, have Sony customize it with patterns and colors (or even engrave the lid with meaningful statements of your choosing) to match your personality. My lid design was subtle, which is how I like it. But the unit's look is deceptive, because its dimensions (10 by 14 by 1.3 inches) might lead you to believe that it weighs as little as the 5.3-pound Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn). Instead, the FZ485U's 6-pound frame puts it more in line with the Dell XPS M1530 (6.2 pounds) and the HP Pavilion dv6500t (5.8 pounds).
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The laptop's interior somewhat clashes with its silver exterior. Still, the full-size keyboard is comfortable and even a little mushy for those whose fingers are sensitive to hard surfaces. The Dell M1530 and the HP dv6500t have keyboards that offer more resistance and make hard clicking sounds when you type, which I prefer, since I tend to like background noises. The bright, 15.4-inch widescreen is superb for photos and videos, though I thought the resolution could have been higher than 1,280-by-800, given that the system bundles a Blu-ray drive. (The Apple MacBook Pro [Penryn] and the Dell M1530 come with 1,440-by-900 resolution).

The features are well balanced for a media laptop. The three USB ports and one FireWire port aren't head-turners, but they aren't the main attraction. For those who are starting their Blu-ray collection, the FZ485U comes with a BD-RE drive, better known as a Blu-ray burner, that also functions as a dual-layer burner for regular DVDs. While the combination of the BD-RE drive and InterVideo's WinDVD BD software make for a wonderful Blu-ray experience, the drive itself is very expensive. Beyond that, the HDMI port, the ExpressCard 34 slot, the 1.3-megapixel webcam, and separate SD and Memory Stick card readers are solid.

I found the 300GB hard drive's inclusion questionable, not because of the capacity but because the drive spins at only 4,200 rpm, which can slow down performance. I recommend switching to a 250GB drive that spins at 5,400 rpm or more. Another annoying habit of Sony's is its excessive bundling of proprietary and trial software, or "bloatware." Not counting third-party software like Norton 360 and InterVideo's WinDVD, there were at least 35 VAIO utilities in the Program Features of Windows Vista Ultimate. Luckily, the FZ485U's performance parts were fast enough to handle this software overload.

As for green credentials, the FZ485U doesn't meet the necessary criteria for EPEAT and Energy Star certifications. It does, however, comply with RoHS, a European consortium set up to eliminate hazardous byproducts from the manufacturing process. According to my own tests, using a PS3 International Kill A Watt meter, the 33 watts consumed while the laptop was idle came in above Energy Star's 19W ceiling (14W is the limit for laptops with integrated graphics). By contrast, both the Apple MacBook Pro and the HP Pavilion dv6500t passed my tests with a reading of 19W.

Although the FZ485U integrates the latest Intel Penryn core technology, its 2.1-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 is considered middle of the pack. For about the same price or less, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn) and the Dell M1530 start with T9000 series processors, which pack a bigger wallop, as evidenced on our performance tests.

On the other hand, the 4GB of RAM that the system incorporates is impressive, especially if you're an Adobe Photoshop guru or a database programmer. The FZ485U's Photoshop scores kept pace with those of the Apple MacBook Pro, but due to its slower processor, the FZ485U lagged behind the Apple MacBook Pro on the SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score by 15 percent. Nor could it beat the ASUS M50Sa-A1—a $1,300 laptop—trailing it by 18 percent on SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall.

The FZ485U does use discrete graphics, but mainly to enhance the Blu-ray experience rather than for 3D gaming. Still, the nVidia GeForce 8400GT graphics delivered performance results on 3DMark06, Crysis, and World in Conflict benchmark tests that are above average—but don't surpass the 3D gaming scores of the Apple (running Boot Camp and Windows), the Dell, and the ASUS laptops. While discrete graphics is a welcome addition, it takes a toll on battery life. I'd be more forgiving if this were a desktop-replacement laptop, but a score of 2 hours 16 minutes on MobileMark 2007 tests, which barely gets you through a Blu-ray movie or a third of a coast-to-coast flight, is simply inexcusable. A mainstream laptop's battery life has to be in the 3- to 4-hour range; furthermore, the optional extended battery costs $250.

My biggest complaint about the Sony VAIO VGN-FZ485U is that it's too expensive for a mainstream laptop that does merely above-average (rather than extraordinary) things—my attitude would be dramatically different if the price were $1,600. But I have other issues as well. The FZ485U crams in software which users don't need and which bogs down performance. And the 2 hours of battery life makes it hard to recommend over systems like the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn), the Dell XPS M1530, the HP Pavilion dv6500t, and the Asus M50Sa-A1.

Company
Sony Corporation
http://www.sonystyle.com

Spec Data
* Type: Media
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T8100
* Processor Speed: 2.1 GHz
* RAM: 4 GB
* Screen Size: 15.4 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8400M GT
* Storage Capacity: 300 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11n
* Primary Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW DL with Blu-Ray

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Sony VAIO VGN-SZ791N

When Sony kicked off its SZ series of ultraportables with the VAIO VGN-SZ170P, the company showed that it was the first to understand how important discrete graphics and an optical drive were to performance-seeking world travelers. Battery life was the only element that stood in the way of an SZ-series laptop overtaking the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet. The Sony VAIO VGN-SZ791N ($2,499 direct) is the latest refresh. It keeps intact the successful compact design while providing a compelling performance boost with one of Intel 's new Penryn processors, a 2.5-GHz Core 2 Duo T9300. In addition to tallying improved performance scores, the SZ791N sustained over 5 hours of battery life, enough to earn it an Editor's Choice in the ultraportable category.

The SZ791N has a svelte, appealing look. The carbon fiber lid is beautifully made: Look at it closely and you can make out the fiber strands and subtle sparkles embedded in the coffee-brown exterior. The 13-inch LED screen is amazingly thin—not to mention bright—but the way the lid flexes raises some concerns about possible damage to the LCD. By contrast, Apple has figured out how to limit the bending in its MacBook Air while maintaining its thinness. The keyboard, unlike the one in the Fujitsu LifeBook P8010, is full-size, but Sony needs to work on the resistance of the keys in order to make them top-notch, like those in the perfectly crafted keyboard of the Lenovo ThinkPad X61.

An optical drive is not an absolute requirement—at least, Apple, which didn't include one in the MacBook Air, would like you to believe that it's optional—but kudos to the SZ791N for integrating one in case you want to drop in a DVD movie during that long flight. In fact, the Acer Ferrari 1100, the Fujitsu LifeBook P8010, and the ASUS U6S all have built-in optical drives. The two USB ports are scant compared with the four on the ASUS U6S, though better than the lone USB port on the MacBook Air. The U6S and the Dell XPS M1330 go as far as integrating an HDMI-out port for those who want to hook up their laptops to a modern big screen. For storage, the SZ791N throws in a voluminous (250GB) hard drive, a huge asset to video and audiophiles. The SZ791N integrates a Sprint EV-DO Rev A cellular modem, so you can get broadband connectivity wherever there's a cell phone signal. Many ultraportables still don't have these modems built-in. Among the others that do are the Lenovo X61, the Panasonic Toughbook W5, the Fujitsu LifeBook T2010, and the Dell XPS M1330.

The SZ791N is the first ultraportable to show up on our bench with an Intel Penryn processor, the 2.5-GHz Core 2 Duo T9300. The processor alone helped propel the SZ791N above the competition, delivering outstanding benchmark test scores. It outperformed the ASUS U6S and its Merom processor by 13 percent on SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall, where its performance was boosted by the 4GB of RAM. (Memory prices are apparently low enough now for vendors to be willing to put in the maximum amount. Acer also maxed out the RAM in its Ferrari 1100.) The SZ791N produced the fastest Adobe Photoshop CS3 scores to date, besting the U6S by 19 percent and the MacBook Air by 41 percent. Heavy-duty tasks such as photo rendering and video encoding will be a lot faster on this ultraportable than on the MacBook Air or the ASUS U6S. In all fairness, the MacBook Air and the Fujitsu P8010 use low-powered processors; this explains why the SZ791N was able to run away with top video-encoding and 3D-rendering (CineBench R10) scores as well.

The SZ791N continues to be one of the few ultraportables that run discrete graphics. The nVidia GeForce 8400M GS chipset lets you run many current 3D gaming titles, although you'll need a much better card to run games like Crysis and World in Conflict. Even so, the SZ791N delivered the best gaming numbers among ultraportables with discrete graphics, which include the ASUS U6S and the Dell M1330. The SZ791N runs two separate graphics systems, an arrangement unique to the SZ series. A physical switch above the keyboard lets you choose between the nVidia chipset and the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, otherwise known as integrated graphics. (You have to reboot for the change to take effect.) Performance, particularly with games and 3D applications, is better with discrete graphics, but when you want to save on battery life and aren't doing any heavy-duty tasks you can switch to the integrated graphics.

MobileMark 2007 tests tallied 3 hours 49 minutes of battery life with its 63-Wh battery. The previous model, the Sony VAIO VGN-SZ370P, scored only 2:43. The improvement in battery life results from the Penryn processor core's greater energy efficiency. If you select the integrated graphics, battery life gets an additional hour and 17 minutes, for a total of 5 hours 6 minutes, according to MobileMark 2007—though you get a performance hit on 3D content.

Understandably, with all its power, the SZ791N cannot possibly adhere to Energy Star 4.0 requirements. It's not EPEAT-certified either, but Sony is adamant about not using hazardous materials in the production of its laptops, so it is RoHS-compliant. On our own energy usage tests with a Kill A Watt meter, the system recorded 23 watts in idle mode and 1W in sleep mode. Obviously, it's not as energy-efficient as the low-powered processors in the MacBook Air and the Fujitsu P8010, but it consumed less wattage than its standard-voltage counterparts: The ASUS U6S recorded 26 watts in idle mode, the Acer Ferrari 110034 watts.

Since its inception, the Sony SZ series has vied with the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 and its predecessors for the top spot as an all-around ultraportable. With the VAIO VGN-SZ791N, Sony has finally pulled past the X61 by being the first to deliver a system with the new Penryn processor. Intel's latest CPU helped the SZ791N deliver a blend of performance and battery life that tops the competition's. For that, it earns our coveted Editors' Choice.

Company
Sony Corporation
http://www.sonystyle.com

Spec Data
* Type: Gaming, Media, Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T9300
* Processor Speed: 2.5 GHz
* RAM: 4 GB
* Weight: 3.9 lb
* Screen Size: 13.3 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8400M GS
* Storage Capacity: 250 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11n
* Primary Optical Drive: DVD+R DL

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Toshiba Portege M700-S7002

Although its tablet PC lineup may not be as impressive as Fujitsu 's, Toshiba has put together a solid and diverse array of convertible tablets over the past several years. The Toshiba Portégé M700-S7002 ($1,799 direct) is a convertible tablet that competes with the Fujitsu LifeBook T4000 Series and the ASUS R1, offering a wide selection of bred-for-performance, standard-voltage processors. Although not the lightest model by tablet standards, the M700 has a built-in optical drive to soothe some of the grumbling over its weight.

The M700-S7002 measures 9.5 by 11.8 by 1.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.5 pounds. You can't tell at first glance, but the system has received a considerable makeover from its predecessor, the Portégé M400-S4032. It retains a boxy look, absent any visual eye-candy that might make it look less like a business machine and more like its prettier sibling, the Portégé R400-S4931. But it adds a new hinge design, a widescreen, and a webcam. The optical drive is essentially the reason why tablets like the Fujitsu LifeBook T4210 and the ASUS R1 are thicker and less attractive than those that forgo the drive. It doesn't help either that the Wacom-enabled screens—the technology that drives handwriting recognition—have sensors beneath the tablet's surface that thicken the screen and thus increase the tablet's overall dimensions. So even though the M700 now has a widescreen format and an LED backlight, usually signaling a thinner screen, the Wacom technology counteracts that effect.

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The M700's built-in optical drive, a rarity in the tablet space, gives you the ability to burn DVDs, watch DVD flicks, and install software. In shopping for a tablet, you have to ask yourself how important these capabilities are to you. If you decide to opt out of a built-in optical drive, there is a wealth of other options. The Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet and the Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 start at 3.5 pounds and 3.9 pounds, respectively. Devices like the HTC Shift and the OQO model 02 bring an alternative method of tablet computing, with their ultra-mobile platforms.

The best part about convertible tablets is their ability to expose a keyboard with one swivel of the screen. In the M700's case, the full-size keyboard is very pleasant to type on. As for other not-so-conspicuous enhancements, the Portégé R400's latchless design is carried over to the M700. The rotating screen is locked into position by two pegs near the hinge, in place of a locking mechanism in the front bezel. According to Toshiba, this design will beef up the hinge by 35 percent, holding the screen steady at multiple angles.

In addition to the Wacom digitized screen, the M700 also incorporates touch-screen capabilities. If whipping out the digitized pen (stored near the system's base, on the left side) is too much of a chore, your fingers can take its place. For pen input, the combination of Vista's tablet platform and Wacom technology is unmatched. Touch sensitivity on the screen is terrific for navigating, but the handwriting recognition and the pen-on-paper feel take advantage of the digitized screen and pen. The two different functions don't interfere with one another, either: Once you place the pen against the tablet's surface, touch capabilities instantaneously take a back seat. Other convertible tablets that integrate both touch and Wacom technology include the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet and the HP Pavilion tx2000z.

Various buttons alongside the screen are useful when operating in tablet mode. You can find a miniature joystick for scrolling, a Windows security button, a display rotation button, and several customizable application keys. The dual-layer DVD burner is also modular, which means you can substitute an extra hard drive for it (but not an extra battery). A built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam gives you face time with family members and business associates, while three USB ports and the FireWire port should be enough for other peripherals. The one thing I would like to see is 3G support, either from Sprint's or Verizon's EV-DO Rev A or AT&T's HSDPA technology. While the M700 comes with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, adding a cellular modem would have given the Lenovo X61 Tablet a run for its money.

As with its predecessor, the Portégé M700 offers a variety of Intel processors to choose from—both past and present chips. My review unit came configured with a 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor, which is based on last year's "Merom" technology. More expensive versions with a "Penryn" core—namely, the 2.1-GHz T8100 and 2.4-GHz T8300, are also available. Either way, this is a performance seeker's tablet because it uses standard-voltage processors rather than the low-voltage ones found on the Lenovo X61 Tablet, the Fujitsu T2010, and the Dell Latitude XT (stay tuned for our review of this one). The M700 comes with 2GB of RAM, which is our recommended minimum for anything running Vista.

The system put on a quite a show on SYSmark 2007 Preview, its overall score beating those of the Lenovo X61 Tablet and HP tx2000z by 49 percent. Video-encoding scores were over 20 percent faster than the results of the Lenovo X61. With the processor running at full strength, battery life wasn't as impressive as the Lenovo's and the Fujitsu's, although 3 hours 33 minutes is considered above average for its category. You can also buy an additional six-cell slice ($180) that slides underneath the tablet for over 6 hours of battery life.

Despite running a powerful processor, the M700 was able to curtail energy usage, per my readings with a PS3 International Kill-A-Watt meter. In idle state, it used 12 watts—2W below Energy Star 4.0 requirements and very impressive for a tablet with this kind of horsepower. It consumed as little energy as the HP Compaq 2710p, which runs on an ultra-low-voltage processor. Furthermore, with environmental certifications piled on, such as Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold, and RoHS, the M700-S7002 merits our PC Magazine GreenTech Approved seal.

The Toshiba Portégé M700-S7002 is for tablet users who fancy extra horsepower and an optical drive. Convertible tablets are considered laptops first, with tablet functionality taking a secondary role. This is especially true for the M700. If you're using a tablet primarily for pen writing, where you're typically cradling the system on your forearm or using it on your lap, however, I would recommend forgoing the optical drive. Look for a lighter system instead, like the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet or the Fujitsu LifeBook T2010.

Company
Toshiba America Inc
http://www.toshiba.com

Spec Data
* Type: Tablet, Business, Small Business
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T7500
* Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz
* RAM: 2 GB
* Weight: 4.5 lb
* Screen Size: 12 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: Intel GMA X3100
* Storage Capacity: 160 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11n
* Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

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Toshiba Portégé R400-S4931

I've always envisioned Apple implementing a rotating hinge and a digitizer screen on the Apple MacBook 13-inch (White). Needless to say, such an announcement won't be coming any time soon. But with its Portégé R400-S4931, Toshiba offers a sweet alternative. The R400-S4931 looks very similar to the MacBook 13-inch, complete with a piano-white finish and a gorgeous 12-inch widescreen. Toshiba goes the extra step by adding a rotating screen and tablet capabilities, courtesy of the new Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate operating system.

Toshiba knew that, because of its looks, people would immediately associate the R400-S4931 with a MacBook 13-inch. That's why it made sure to emblazon the "Toshiba" logo in bold letters across the lid. The piano-white finish is undeniably sexy and doesn't draw as many fingerprints as would a black finish like the one found on the HP Pavilion tx1000. Brace the system on your forearms and you'll realize how light it is. With long dimensions (12" by 9.5" by 1.25") and a 12-inch widescreen, the system still weighs a mere 3.7 pounds, about the same as the Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet. It's also at least a pound lighter than the Portégé M400-S4032 (Toshiba's other convertible tablet) and the tx1000.

The R400-S4391 doesn't overwhelm you with a ton of features. It follows the same philosophy as the X60 Tablet: Keep the machine as light as possible and still deliver a great tablet experience. For instance, it doesn't have a built-in optical drive, unlike the HP tx1000 and the Toshiba M400-S4032. (There is an optional external dual-layer USB DVD drive for $149.) You get two USB ports, both of which are located in the back. A wireless on/off switch comes in handy for flights. There is also a fingerprint reader located on the screen, alongside the navigation dial, and several other quick-launch keys. The unit has a Trusted Platform Module built in, and you can use it to take advantage of Vista Ultimate's Bitlocker feature (which lets you encrypt a folder or an entire partition, preventing intruders from accessing private information), but getting it configured is no easy task. You'll have to repartition your drives (NTFS format) and make sure you have an updated BIOS.

Unlike the Portégé M400 Series, the R400 has a widescreen format. Its finish is similar to the glossy type found on the tx1000 and perfect for media mavens who devote their time watching movies and videos (on sites such as YouTube and MovieLink or from the iTunes store) and tinkering with photos and videos. The system's extended width also means you get a full-size keyboard, though I did find it a little springy. The touchpad and mouse buttons are well designed, and I found them more responsive than the ones on the HP tx1000.

Like all convertible tablets, the R400-S4931 has a rotating screen that lies flat against the base. The digitizer pen (in matching white) can be pulled out from the front bezel. Although it has a comfortable feel, I would have liked to have seen a thicker middle and material that has traction for a better grip, as on the ThinkPad X60 Tablet's pen. Interestingly, the top of the lid doesn't latch onto the base. Instead, it has a locking mechanism involving two linchpin-like modules on each side of the rotating hinge. This configuration still felt fairly secure, anchoring the bottom corners of the screen, and it minimized the "wobbling" effect when you flip the screen back to laptop mode.

Much of the excitement over this tablet centers on Vista. The R400-S4931 launches with Windows Vista Ultimate, which includes the Tablet PC Edition and a host of other features. Tablet functionality is arguably one of the most improved features in Vista. I tried out several applications, including Windows Journal, Microsoft Office 2007, and StickyNotes, and the overall experience was enjoyable. The notion of using pen gestures, or "flicks," to navigate text pages is smart, but hard to grasp. You'll have to create near-perfect strokes to make use of this feature. I was actually impressed with the operating system's ability to recognize my borderline-legible handwriting. It does a great job with script and error corrections. Furthermore, there's a built-in training program that teaches the system how to improve its reading of my chicken scratches, er, handwriting.

The R400-S4391 takes advantage of Vista in other ways. Along the front bezel, you can find an LCD panel that displays text using a feature in Vista called SideShow. The idea here is to relay e-mail messages, RSS feeds, and text messages over to a secondary display. The display is big enough only for text, but it consumes little power and can be kept on without booting into Vista. The data scrolls across this display, much like a stock ticker. You can flip through the messages using the three buttons next to the display. For e-mail applications, you'll have to set up an account and configure SideShow for use with the account. You can also get information on this secondary screen about the strength of your wireless signal, date and time, and battery life remaining. Other "gadgets" can be downloaded for use with the display, but so far, there are only a few available via Microsoft's site. The ones that were loaded on my test unit included Windows Mail (successor to Outlook Express), Microsoft Outlook 2007, Toshiba's own proprietary notification gadget, and Windows Media Player 11. So far, however, I haven't been successful at getting these gadgets to work with the display.

You can tell that the tablet and the operating system are still in their early stages. I couldn't get some of the network features to work efficiently. For instance, the R400-S4391 has built-in wireless WAN from Verizon's EV-DO, but Internet connection was intermittent, and there were times when there was no data transfer even though the signal was strong. Toshiba is also notorious for preloading a slew of applications, mostly its own, so getting everything to run smoothly is still a work in progress. When the EV-DO connection was working properly, I was able to download data at 758 Kbps in Manhattan.

Performance, unfortunately, is a drawback. The R400-S4391 gives you enough horsepower to run Vista Ultimate and the 3D interface. It does so by implementing 2GB of RAM and dedicating a full 192MB of that RAM to the shared Intel graphics chipset. The 1.2-GHz Ultra Low Voltage Intel Core Duo U2500 processor has lower power than the Low Voltage Intel Core Duo on the Lenovo X60 Tablet. If you're using this machine primarily for handwriting, editing photos, and watching YouTube, though, you'll be just fine. The 43-Wh battery is relatively small compared with the extended ones on the Lenovo and HP, but you can add another 43-Wh slice underneath the base to boost battery life. The extra battery is a little clunky and hard to attach, but combined with the standard battery it will give you close to 6 hours. The standard battery alone drained in 2 hours 45 minutes while running some of my DVD and Web-surfing tasks.

At $2,599 direct, the Toshiba Portégé R400-S4391 is one of the most expensive convertible tablets on the market. What you get is a machine that takes full advantage of the features in Windows Vista Ultimate, including enhanced tablet functions, better handwriting recognition, Vista SideShow, and Bitlocker encryption. You also get a design that raises envy in the Apple community and a chassis that's light enough to make Lenovo raise its eyebrows. In fact, among tablets without an optical drive built in, it's second only to the X60 Tablet. With its light weight, glossy widescreen, and snazzy looks, the R400-S4391 should appeal to media junkies who crave true mobility and who want to do more than just spreadsheets and note-taking.

Company
Toshiba America Inc
http://www.toshiba.com

Spec Data
* Type: Media, Ultraportable, Tablet
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
* Processor Name: Intel Core Duo U2500
* Processor Speed: 1.2 GHz
* RAM: 2 GB
* Weight: 3.7 lb
* Screen Size: 12.1 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
* Storage Capacity: 80 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11a/g
* Primary Optical Drive: External

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Toshiba Satellite P305-S8825

Desktop PCs have a lot going for them: big screens, high-performance parts, and comparatively low prices, just to name a few. But if you're working in a smaller space, you don't always have room to squeeze in a whole desktop setup. The Toshiba Satellite P305-S8825 ($1,050 street) offers a nice compromise. This spacious laptop is classified as a desktop replacement, because it blends together a roomy 17-inch widescreen with a 7.5-pound chassis. It occupies a smaller area than a conventional desktop without forcing you to scrimp much on screen size, and, at about $1,000, doesn't cost much more than your average desktop.

The P305 could easily be used as a secondary system, something that you can leave on your desk most of the time, plugged into a port replicator or a second monitor. Although it's nowhere near as light as the 6.7-pound Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch, the 7.5-pound P305 is significantly lighter than the Gateway P-171XL FX (9.2 pounds), the Dell Inspiron 1720 (8.8 pounds), and the HP Pavilion dv9500t (8.2 pounds). If this is still too heavy, you can work your way down to the Toshiba Satellite A305-S6845, which has a 15.4-inch screen and weighs only 5.8 pounds.

The entire Satellite line, including the P305 Series, recently underwent a redesign. Rather than painting over the lid or adding texture to it, Toshiba refreshed its look with an inlaid pattern underneath a heavy gloss, a combination the company calls the Fusion finish. The technique is similar to the in-mold decoration pioneered by the HP dv6500t and most recently picked up by ASUS and Gateway. The interior surfaces—the palm rests and the dashboard—are decorated in a similar manner. The stylized speakers, illuminated Satellite logo on the bottom left-hand corner, and touch-sensitive multimedia buttons on the dashboard add to the P305's design appeal.

The notebook's 17-inch widescreen is suitable for multimedia content, but its glossiness might create enough glare to annoy those who work under a fluorescent light. Similar systems like the Apple 17-inch and the Dell 1720 have options for matte or antiglare screens.

Screen resolution is another factor to consider. You have the impression of a bigger canvas space, as well as sharper image quality, with a high-resolution screen, but text and font sizes appear tinier and could affect those with troubled vision. The P305's 1,440-by-900 resolution falls somewhere in the middle, whereas the MacBook, the Dell 1720, and the Gateway P-171XL go to extremes, boasting a high-definition- and gaming-friendly 1,920-by-1,200 resolution. And there are even bigger screens out there, like the mammoth 18.4-inch display on the Acer Aspire 8920G.

The P305's feature set won't disappoint, particularly compared with other laptops at this price point. I've seen manufacturers leave out an HDMI port because of the cost, but the P305 finds room for one on its left-hand side. The four USB ports—plenty for external peripherals—even enable you to charge devices when the laptop is turned off and unplugged. While the Acer Aspire 8920G and the Gateway P-171XL FX leave out the FireWire and S-Video-out ports, you'll find both on the P305. A numeric keypad, which is adjacent to the responsive full-size keyboard, makes the transition from a desktop keyboard a lot easier. And the twin Harman Kardon speakers are above average for a desktop replacement, although the five-speaker systems on the Acer 8920G and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 sound better. A 4-in-1 card reader (SD, xD, MS, MS Pro), a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a dual-layer DVD burner round out the feature set.

So where did Toshiba economize to hit this price point? The answer appears to lie in the CPU. The P305's 1.83-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 processor won't win any performance races, but it can still handle activities like video and photo editing, movie viewing, and heavy office tasks. The system's 3GB of RAM and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 graphics card keep the processor from choking, but they still couldn't save its benchmark test scores on SYSmark 2007 Preview, Windows Media Encoder, Photoshop CS3 tests, and CineBench R10. On the other hand, it's very difficult to build performance thoroughbreds like the HP dv9500t, the Dell 1720, and the Apple 17-inch for a price this low. For lack of a better expression, you get what you pay for with performance.

The same is true for battery life, unfortunately. I thought Toshiba could have put in something bigger than the 43-Wh battery, but because users are unlikely to take it on the road anyway, the P305's disappointing 1 hour 55 minutes on MobileMark 2007 can be tolerated.

There was a time when you had to pay an arm and a leg for a big screen on a laptop; it was the most expensive feature. But times—and technology—change, and the Toshiba Satellite P305-S8825 is right there with them, offering the benefits of a desktop without the hefty price of a laptop. Thanks to its 17-inch widescreen, a numeric keypad, and a full list of features, you needn't think twice about choosing it over a conventional desktop. And the $1,000 price makes moving from a desktop to a desktop replacement an easy transition.

Company
Toshiba America Inc
http://www.toshiba.com

Spec Data
* Type: General Purpose, Media, Value
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T5550
* Processor Speed: 1.83 GHz
* RAM: 3 GB
* Weight: 7.5 lb
* Screen Size: 17 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3740
* Storage Capacity: 320 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11n
* Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

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Toshiba Satellite U405-S2830

In adding a fresh new face to its Satellite line, Toshiba engineers spent the long winter months focused on industrial design. Just in time for the warm weather, the company has rolled out the sleek byproduct of that toil. The Toshiba Satellite U405-S2830 is dressed up in what Toshiba calls its Fusion finish. While the technique of fusing decorative patterns with glossy laminates isn't new in the laptop world, the U405's look is bound to entice media enthusiasts and college-bound students. It also doesn't hurt that this 4.7-pound portable integrates Intel's finest technology and has a starting price of only $1,149 (direct).In-Mold Decoration (IMD) is a hot trend in laptop lid decoration: A subtle pattern is inlaid under a lustrous finish. HP started it (check out the HP Pavilion dv6500t), Gateway is using it (as with the Gateway M-150X), and ASUS just launched its own in-mold models. TheU405's Fusion finish uses a pattern of parallel white lines, inlaid beneath the glossy black of the cover. The interior is dressed up in the same fashion, with the pattern adorning the palm rest areas and the edges of the full-size keyboard. The keyboard is heavily glazed to give it a really shiny look—so shiny that under bright lights the glare coming off the keys can be distracting. But the keys feel like those of a grand piano and are responsive to the touch. The mouse buttons, made out of chrome, are attractive and click quietly.

What really distinguishes the interior is Toshiba's use of LED lights. The bright white LEDs provide a striking contrast to the very dark grays and blacks of the keyboard and its surroundings. The Satellite brand logo on the bottom left-hand corner, a line above the touchpad, and the touch-sensitive multimedia buttons all light up. I wouldn't classify this system as an ultraportable, as its 4.7-pound weight puts it more in line with mainstream laptops. It competes with systems like the Apple MacBook 13-inch (Core 2 Duo) and the Dell Vostro 1310, which weigh about 5 pounds and have roomy 13.3-inch widescreens. The U405's 13.3-inch screen is superb for all things multimedia.

Users will find the feature set impressively strong. The system comes with a built-in dual-layer DVD burner that uses LabelFlash technology to etch pictures and text onto special DVD/CD media (though you have to purchase the media separately). The three USB ports have unique charging capabilities. With USB Sleep-and-Charge, you can plug in your iPod or other handheld device and have it charge even when the U405 is turned off, as long as the laptop is plugged into an AC adapter. You can also find a FireWire port and a 4-in-1 card reader (SD, xD, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick PRO). Although you can make out an HDMI logo on the side, the U405 doesn't include an HDMI port—a bummer, since it leaves you with VGA as your only video-out option. (The space for an HDMI port is there in case Toshiba decides to put one in.) Located on top of the screen is a 1.3-megapixel webcam for video chatting, and a fingerprint reader (sans Trusted Platform Module) is wedged between the mouse buttons. The stereo speakers are loud; they sound better than either the Apple MacBook's dual speakers or the single speaker on the Dell Vostro 1310.

Most mainstream laptops have already moved to Intel's latest Penryn technology, and the U405-S2830 is no exception. It runs on a 2.1-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, which can also be found on the Sony VAIO VGN-FZ485U and the Fujitsu LifeBook A6120. The U405's SYSMark 2007 Preview Overall score surpasses those of the Sony and Fujitsu laptops by 8 percent and 5 percent, respectively. The system couldn't, however, overtake the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn) and the ASUS M50Sa-A1, which have Core 2 Duo T9000 series processors. The U405-S2830's 3GB of RAM enabled it to match the MacBook Pro on our Photoshop tests. Since there's no option for discrete graphics, as there is on the Dell Vostro 1310, you'll have to settle for light game play with the U405-S2830's integrated graphics chipset. The system managed 3 hours 3 minutes on the MobileMark 2007 test, which may not seem like much but is reasonable for a 52-Wh, six-cell battery. A high-capacity, nine-cell battery, available for an extra $150, is good to have as a spare.

The Toshiba Satellite U405-S2830 focuses on two things that especially matter to today's consumers when they're shopping for a new laptop: looks and price. Its "Fusion" design, combined with the elegant use of LED lights, is guaranteed to draw some appreciative glances, and Toshiba packs in the latest technology and up-to-date features that few can complain about at a reasonable price. Though it's not the lightest laptop with a 13-inch screen, the combination of a fresh new look and affordability makes this Satellite worthy of strong consideration.

Toshiba America Inc
http://www.toshiba.com
Spec Data
* Type: General Purpose
* Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
* Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T8100
* Processor Speed: 2.1 GHz
* RAM: 3 GB
* Weight: 4.85 lb
* Screen Size: 13.3 inches
* Screen Size Type: widescreen
* Graphics Card: Intel GMA X3100
* Storage Capacity: 250 GB
* Networking Options: 802.11a/g, 802.11n

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