Laptops Arena

You don't usually think of tablet PCs as supersized, but Gateway has never been shy about making big convertibles. The company was the first to come out with a 14-inch combo years ago, and the M285-E follows suit with its 14-inch widescreen display and a powerful configuration.

All of the strengths and weaknesses of Gateway's design philosophy for convertibles still hold true in it latest generation. The M285-E is big, relatively fast, and rich in features. But at 6.2 pounds, no one will enjoy lugging it around.

On the downside, the built-in microphone lacks the sensitivity of the dual-array recording devices in some of the Electrovaya, Motion Computing, and Toshiba slates and convertibles. We wouldn't expect this model to record a meeting with any great accuracy, although it could be counted on for personal notes.

Overall, Gateway delivers an uneven convertible that delivers good performance and a large display for users who hate to squint. However, the system is too large and heavy for anything more than occasional tablet use.

View full review here.