Toshiba Tecra M7 Convertible Tablet PC User Review

Basic Overview

First of all, I have to come out and say that I have never owned a Tablet PC, until I purchased my Tecra M7.  And second, let me say that I may never go back to a conventional notebook again!  The Tecra M7 from Toshiba is not only a powerful notebook computer, but also, by rotating the screen it becomes a Tablet PC, making tasks such as note taking and graphics editing a breeze.



(view large image) The Toshiba Tecra M7 in "notebook mode"




(view large image) The M7 in "tablet mode"

(view large image) Tecra M7 with Stylus and Battery, with a pen for size comparision



Toshiba M7 Specs

• Tecra M7-ST4013 Tablet PC (customized order from ToshibaDirect.com)
• Intel Core Duo Processor T2400 (1.83GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB)
• Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005
• Microsoft Office 2003 Small Business Edition
• 1024MBx1 DDR2 533MHz RAM
• 14.1" WXGA+ Display (1440 x 900) with High Brightness/Wide View Angle
• NVIDIA Quadro NVS 110M with TurboCache and 128MB (dedicated)
• 60GB HDD (5400rpm, Serial-ATA)
• CD-RW/DVD-ROM Multifunction drive
• Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11a/b/g)

Heat and Noise

There really is not much noise produced by either the fan or optical drive.  Even so, the computer comes with a quiet mode that reduces any noise to bare minimum.  As for heat, the fan exhaust is obviously a hot spot, but it is mercifully located out of the way on the left side of the computer.  Still, the lower left section of the keyboard area can get pretty warm, though nothing too uncomfortable.



Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard is nearly a full-sized keyboard, minus the numpad.  The arrow keys are shoved up closer to the rest of the keys and Page Up, Page Down, Home, and End are located vertically above those.  By using the function key, keys in the middle of the keyboard become the missing numpad, albiet a very awkward to use numpad.  I'd recommend a USB keyboard when using the computer at your home desk for maximum functionality, but the built in keyboard is still more than useable, making class notes easy to take.

As for the touchpad, not much can be said.  It's a standard touchpad with two buttons.  I really can't think of a reason to purchase a mouse when you have the stylus, unless you're intending to play Tribes 3 or any other shooter.  The stylus itself, except for use in games, is a powerful tool that makes many tasks a breeze.



Input and Output Ports

The Tecra M7 has 4 USB 2.0 ports, two in the back and one on each side.  It also comes with a firewire port on the left side, along with a PC card slot, and a bridge media slot (which I haven't used yet) which is supposedly capable of handling Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Multimedia Card, and xD Picture Cards.




(view large image) Left side- Stylus compartment, CD Drive, USB





(view large image) Right side- Exhaust, USB, FireWire, Bridge Media Slot, PC card slot





(view large image)
Back- DC Power In, Modem Port, S-video port, Network Port, 2 USB, RGB Monitor



Wireless

The Tecra M7 came with the option for either Intel PRO/Wireless or Atheros wireless.  Both are comprable and can handle 802.11 a/b/g.  I choose the Intel PRO/Wireless, and it works just fine, connecting to the wireless network at home, and at college.



Battery

The battery lasted about 2 and a half to 3 hours, though tweaking the various power options may extend life a bit further.



Operating System and Software

The Tecra M7 came preloaded with Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005, which is essentially Windows XP Pro.  However, the M7 came loaded with several junk programs that I will never use, such as AOL internet.  It'll take me a couple of hours to track down all the software I don't want and delete it, which is needless to say, annoying.  My only other complaint is the lack of recovery disks.  If I ever choose to format the hard drive, I'll either have to create over 10 CDs from the recovery partition or leave the partition intact and reload everything from there.



Customer Support

Customer support, as I mentioned at the beginning of this review was more than excellent.  It's almost as if Toshiba understands that we as customers don't want to have to find our way through a maze of computer answering systems and customer support representatives who don't speak english to find help.  For the few little qualms I have about the Tecra M7, Toshiba's quick and helpful customer support makes it all worth it.



Conclusion

This computer is a great machine for just about anyone.  It is powerful, easy to use, and priced to compete with the other computers out there.  I highly recommend it.



Pros

• Portability
• Power
• Good Customer Support

• Could have had a better battery life
• Lack of recovery disks
• Junk software