Gigabyte TouchNote T1028M netbook tested

A few days ago, UMPC Portal unboxed the Gigabyte’s 10-inch convertible tablet, the T1028M. They have now posted their thoughts following a couple of days of testing and overall impressions seem to be positive. The T1028M was found to come with some excellent features including a convertible screen, ExpressCard/34, easy access to HDD/RAM panels, wireless draft ‘n’ and a pre-wired 3G antenna.

The device seems to sit in a unique place with few major competitors. Asus are planning on introducing two models in the near future, the 8.9-inch T91 and the 10-inch T101, but apart from that, Gigabyte has the 10-inch market to themselves. The T1028M also boasts significant improvements over Gigabyte’s first convertible tablet, the 8.9-inch M912, which include better battery life, cooling, noise levels and stronger hinges.

The hard-disk was one of the fastest they had seen, giving a CrystalMark 2003 performance test of over 28,000. The reception on the 3G antenna was also excellent and even outperformed his mobile phone. The main points of criticism came from a glossy screen that made it difficult to use outdoors and battery life. The battery lasted between 2.5 to 4 hours depending on different levels of brightness and 3G connectivity, which is respectable but nothing outstanding. We look forward to seeing how the T1028M fares against Asus’ upcoming offerings.