Toshiba Portégé M700-110

Overall, though, the Toshiba feels more like a dual-function laptop than a well-formed tablet PC. HP Compaq's 2710p, offers a lighter, more comfortable chassis that is vastly more stylish and easier to use in tablet mode. It may be slower, a couple of hundred pounds more expensive and lack the Toshiba's optical drive, but if you seriously need a tablet machine to use on the move, then the 2710p is a more sensible choice.

On the other hand, if you don't absolutely need the tablet features, then you could buy a business notebook with a similar configuration to the M700 for about £700, a quandary that leaves the Toshiba occupying an uneasy middle-ground.

Not only does this fail to compete with the best tablets in its price range, but it is also too expensive for those who would only occasionally spin the screen and hide the keyboard.

Author: Matthew Sparkes