Motion Computing M1400

The Motion Computing M1400 comes with several rave reviews from tablet users in the US attached, largely on the basis of its screen, which is the best we've seen on any tablet PC so far. What makes the screen unique is its viewing angles, which are superb: we found that we had to tilt the machine almost to a 90-degree angle before we couldn't read text. Given that tablet PCs are used at a variety of angles, from being cradled in the arm through to lying flat on a desk, this is a factor that shouldn't be underestimated.

The M1400 is a slate model, and the company has clearly spent a great deal of time on the industrial design aspects, as it looks as good as anything you'd see from the likes of Apple. The body has a slight curve to it that makes it comfortable to hold in your arms, and the weight - about 1.3kg - is light enough for extended use without too much discomfort.

The design ethos extends to some of the other features, such as the unique dual-microphone system that produces significantly better recording through the built-in mics than we've come to expect. This is much appreciated, as apps such as OneNote allow you to attach recordings to your meeting notes. There are even two integrated speakers, which give the best sound out of any of the machines on test. We also applaud the adoption of 802.11g rather than the slower 802.11b wireless networking.

It's shame, then, that while all these features are included, some of the core specifications left us underwhelmed. We were a little disappointed by the speed of the M1400, which was slower than the 1.1GHz Pentium M processor led us to expect. We suspect this was due to the use of only 256MB of RAM, which could be upgraded to 2GB should you wish. We were also disappointed that the base model comes with only a 20GB hard disk, a size that's barely adequate for any modern machine. We'd advise paying extra for a larger drive, as upgrading it after purchase will be a painful task.

The base model of the M1400, then, is something of a missed opportunity. There are so many good, well-designed features here that it really seems silly to underspec RAM and hard disk space, when these are among the cheaper components in any machine. With twice as much memory and even a 40GB hard disk, the Motion would be very close to the winners in this Labs. As it is, it's instead in the 'promising' camp.