Gigabyte M912V Netbook - Hands On Preview

Conclusion

All in all, we have to admire Gigabyte’s leap into the rather chaotic netbook waters. While there are already many other fish, the M912v sets itself apart with its original tablet abilities at such a low cost. The spin-off of in maintaining such a low price point is evident in other areas however. Some of the shortcuts taken are not deal breakers, but they do make it feel like a “cheaper” product. Minor aesthetic details could have been addressed; the screen's top provided a great design opportunity but unfortunately it was ignored and the laptop does appear rather devoid of style and outdated compared to many other sleek netbook designs.

Gigabyte did an excellent job in providing a quality touchscreen experience, but also neglected to fulfill some of the key concepts that make up the netbook portion of the computer. As previously mentioned, the design does fall on the larger side for a UMPC, but even with more space, they did not take advantage of it for a larger keyboard. The larger chassis also provided a perfect opportunity for better ventilation, yet the unit struggled to keep itself cool. While those simply looking for a netbook will be able to find products that suit their needs for cheaper, the Gigabyte M912V was developed as a low cost solution for those with a few more features in mind. Touch screens may be gimmicky, but they have their place and an audience. With such a unique offering for the company's first product in their new directive we look forward to future releases from Gigabyte, hopefully bringing with them more innovative and fresh ideas.