Toshiba Portege M400

Toshiba’s latest convertible does a great job of delivering good speed and performance at a reasonable price. Its features include a spacious and responsive keyboard, high-quality integrated microphone, and biometric security system.

That being said, this machine is designed primarily as a notebook, with the ability to occasionally act as a tablet PC. It lacks a handgrip for easy carrying, and its thickness of 1.5-inches is larger than average for a tablet.

Nevertheless, the Portege M400’s functionality and performance are considerably above the norm for convertibles in this price range, and its weight of 4.5 pounds allows for easy mobility. This is a good choice for the traveling professional who needs a good solid notebook that periodically acts as a tablet PC.

Processor: 1.66-GHz Intel Core Solo T1300 (upgradable to Core Duo)
Hard Drive: 80GB (5,400-rpm)
RAM: 512MB (Expandable to 4GB)
Display: 12.1-inch (1024×768 pixels)
Built-in Wireless: 802.11 a/b/g

Weight: 4.5 lbs.

Price: $1,699*