MPC (Micron PC) MPC (Gateway) E-295C

However, aside from allowing even more freedom from an electrical outlet, the bigger battery would not improve this unit's appeal as a tablet. Already weighing 7 pounds with the rear battery functioning as an unusually deep and cumbersome grip, the E-295C is too heavy and too wide to comfortably hold in the crook of your arm for very long. Also, the 1280-by-768, 14.1-inch screen could be a lot brighter; even when lightened all the way up, it was on the dark side.

The machine suffers from several smaller design annoyances too. For instance, switching from notebook to tablet mode takes longer than it does on other units because the E-295C does not automatically rotate the picture from landscape to portrait orientations--you have to manually press a button for the screen image to rotate. In general, the tablet buttons (especially the four-way multifunction) could be easier to use, and the stylus should be easier to release--it requires feeling around for a separate latch on the bottom.

All that said, the E-295C is a comfortable notebook with a sloped keyboard and a responsive screen that's quick and easy to write on. If you can live with the dimness, the E-295C could double as a nice, roomy, landscape-oriented writing and sketch pad for your desktop. Remember, though, that it's heavy--don't plan on toting it for long periods.

--Carla Thornton