Gateway M275X Tablet PC (1.4-GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo)

by Gateway

Product Details

Data Sheet [128kb PDF]

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Product Manual [5.00mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 10.8 x 1.1 inches ; 5.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00015MZSE
• Item model number: 1007909/2900169
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,383 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 1, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

No matter how you prefer to input your data, the Gateway M275X Tablet PC has you covered. If you favor traditional methods, the M275X is packaged with a flip-open full-size keyboard. If you'd rather work with a stylus, the unit's swiveling display allows you to write and store information, sketch pictures and annotate documents via your own handwriting. Versatile, adaptable, compact and substantially more powerful than the majority of competing tablet PCs, the Gateway M275X is ready to handle virtually any situation and user preference.

Certainly Gateway has designed the unit with portability in mind. Tipping the scales at just 5.7 pounds and measuring 12.6 by 10.8 by a mere 1.1 inches, the Gateway M275X is larger than many tablets but substantially slimmer and more lightweight than the notebook norm.

Gateway has turned to Intel's new Centrino platform to power the system. Centrino, a technology built upon a triad of three interconnected elements -- an Intel Pentium M CPU (with 1 full GB of Level 2 cache), an Intel 855 chipset, and a cord-free network connection -- allows portable computers to be smaller, more power efficient, and faster than their rated CPU speeds might indicate. The Gateway M275X features a snappy 1.4 GHz Pentium M processor and a smallish alloent of 256 MB DDR SDRAM as its power base, and an Intel Extreme Graphics 2 3-D graphics chipset with 32 MB shared (not dedicated) video memory to drive its 3-D visuals. Consequently, the unit is ready for most standard mobile 2-D tasks but will have some troubles in intense multitasking situations and when trying to smoothly display midlevel and high-end 3-D apps and games.

The distinctive Gateway M275X sports several other desirable amenities, including a generous 14-inch XGA TFT Active Matrix display (large by tablet standards), a 56K modem, a 10/100 Ethernet connection, and an 802.11b wireless networking card for trouble-free LAN and Internet access in any environment. The enclosed 40 GB hard disk is of average size, and the system's optical drive handles CD playing and burning and DVD playing but doesn't support DVD writing. Connectivity options include two high-speed USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port (typically used for downloading from digital camcorders) and an integrated 4-in-1 card reader for linking with memory cards from PDAs, digital cameras, and the like.

The bundled software package features Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet Edition, Microsoft Works 7.0 and a 90-day free trial with the respected Norton AntiVirus utility.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I want my etch a sketch!, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Gateway M275X Tablet PC (1.4-GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo) (Personal Computers)

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HARDWARE

M275XL tablets 1.6 GHz is one of the high speed tablets compared to other on the market plus not very expensive. Yes more expensive than a laptop. Before buying Tablet PC make sure that you hold it and use it for a while before you buy it (do not drool... bad for screen)

Display View Angle: In tablet mode you will often hold it in different angles and hold it much closer than a laptop. Most screens fail in this test. M275 works OK in default landscape mode but very bad in both portraits and reverse landscape.

Pen: Check how well pens perform at the screen edges. Often scrollbars are on the edge in maximized view. I noticed sometime physical touch point on the screen and the 'soft pointer' don't align (off by 1/2 the thickness of scrollbar) making it difficult to use. M275X works OK. Few times I have had to recalibrate pointer/pen.

Processor and Memory: Low CPU speeds and lesser RAM might might be a factor if you plan to use this for something more than data entry and/or etch-a-sketch.

SOFTWARE

M275 ships with Table PC Edition 2002. Microsoft will be launching 2004 Edition with better features in June... that is what I last heard. It ships with Windows Journal and Office Works OneNote, which are really good basic tools for free form writing and recording information in tablet mode.

Other more serious graphic application such as Corel Graphigo, SketchBook, or Office 2003 with OneNote will improve your productivity.

BOTTOM LINE

M275 is good hardware except viewing angle issues. I just use it in default landscape mode and I am OK with that. Go for more CPU speed and memory. Hard disk space of 40GB~60GB is ample. Upgrade to Edition 2004 will be free... yeah from Microsoft. If you can't wait... BUY IT!!! And, if you can... DON'T WAIT!!!

It takes a week to get used to pen and different user interface.

NOTE: Don't buy (or take it for free) cheapest Gateway carrying case. Better off using manila envelope. Very thin. No pockets. Minimal padding. No protection. No use. Buy an extra Pen $20.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Next Revolution in Mobile Computing- I Love This Tablet!, March 21, 2004

By 

Jay Buffet (New York City /) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gateway M275X Tablet PC (1.4-GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo) (Personal Computers)

Versatile, lightweight, portable, durable and powerful.

I love this thing! I've had my Gateway tablet for about two months now and it's already changed the way I use my computer for both business and fun.

First of all: Some other reviewers had complaints about the latch breaking... mine is still working just fine! It's easy to get carried away having fun with such a cool new technology, but you have to remember that this is NOT a toy! It's a powerful hybrid computing system that gives you an edge over both laptop AND tablet PC users. If you screw around with it of course it's going to break- just like any number of other delicate parts on your laptop. The latch is built well and works perfectly if you make sure not to force it.

For the guy who broke his after 20 days... you should have gotten an extended warranty! I highly reccomend the extended warranty on this because, like any other advanced technology, you're going to want to protect yourself from any repair or replacement costs you might face should something go wrong. I didnt get the extended warranty because this is a bad computer... I got the extended warranty because it's the smart thing to do!

I love my tablet because it's smaller than a notebook but still has a full-size keyboard. Basically you get the best of both worlds with this one!

I can now do all of my graphic design work by sitting the computer on a desk or my lap and writing directly on the screen... and then swivel the screen out so I have acces to the keyboard when I need to write an e-mail or chat online... this is brilliant!!

I have this set of CDs I recently purchased that contains materials and resources I'm studying for an upcoming licensing exam. Before, I had to sit at my PC for hours a day reading this stuff. Now I just throw the CD in the tablet PC and I can recline or relax at ANY angle and I'm able to hold the tablet whichever way is comfortable. If you ever use your laptop to read, watch movies, or even just surf message boards then you'll love the M275X.

I can't say enough good things about this computer. It's made working when I travel so much easier. Tablets are so far superior to laptops in terms of ease of use and comfortable viewing/ operating options. And this tablet takes it a step further by including the ONLY thing that tablets were missing- a keyboard! Maybe the only downside is all the attention it attracts when I'm using it at Starbucks! Tablet PCs are the future!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Killer Computer, June 24, 2004

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gateway M275X Tablet PC (1.4-GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo) (Personal Computers)

Are you looking for an awesome deal on a laptop? Need the best Tablet PC on the market? Are you a student that has difficulty with there typing skills? Are you an office worker that thinks they can be more productive if they didn't have to type everything? Do you need an excellent computer, but don't want to pay $2,000* + on a computer that's not as good as the M275? If you answered yes to any of these questions than the Gateway** M275 convertible tablet pc is the right choice for you. Now you're probably saying ok here's a laptop reasonably priced nothing special hmm... next! WRONG the M275 unlike most tablets that don't have built in keyboards and, unlike most laptops that don't offer handwriting recondition the M275 offers the best of both worlds, when you first open it up it's a normal laptop, then all you have to do is turn the screen, push a button and Boom... it instantly becomes a tablet. What is a tablet you ask, a tablet is a special type of computer with special software made by Microsoft*** that offers converted handwriting recondition, that means that with a special pen (Included) you can write on the screen press a button and BOOM!!! It converts your handwriting. As well as offering handwriting recondition it also offers a 14" screen, something only offered by two manufacturers of tablets (Gateway** and Acer**) in addition it also offers a memory card reader so if you are going on vacation and you're bringing along your digital camera you don't have to pack a cable for your digital camera (if it supports SD, Memory Stick**, or Smart Media) This is why I think the M275 is a excellent system!!!!

By Andrew Kostin -- Student

*Depending on options system can be configurable to exceed $2,000 as of 6/23/04

** products/companies are registered trademarks of there respected owners