‘The T1028X is available and nobody seems to notice it’ says Hellion151 in a recent forum entry.
He’s right. The Gigabyte Touchnote T1028M appears to have been superseded (my netbook is officially ‘old’ now) by the newer version of the Touchnote. The T1028X. Key features of the new model are:
- Increased resolution to 1366×768 which reduces finger usability but increases screen real-estate.
- N280 processor. Slightly faster at 1.66Ghz (faster FSB too.) There aren’t many netbooks out there with this processor option.
- 6-cell (54wh) battery as standard.
- Increased Price. Mobilx have it for 497 Euros before tax (that’s 622 Euros for anyone buying it for private use in the EU.) Mini-Laptops.nl have it too [thanks Dave]
You still get the ExpressCard/34 slot, the fast 160GB SATA drive, the battery meter (check battery levels when turned off) and the built-in 3G antenna and easy access to RAM but there’s one other feature too. Increased screen contrast. The T1028M has a slightly milky finish to the screen when you’re in bright ambient light so if the increased contrast is significant then it will work well for video fans and outdoor fans. I’ve seen the T1028X in flesh but it was on a stand at Computex. I didn’t notice any difference but I didn’t really take the time to compare with the T1028M. I have a few pics here.
At 622 Euros, its not a cheap netbook but to be honest, it’s not really a netbook. With the upgrade capability (I have 3G with excellent reception and a Runcore SATA drive in my T1028M) and the touchscreen features you really get far more than any other netbook out there.
Have you bought a T1028X? What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear them. Were you waiting for the ASUS T101H?!
Footnote: Despite having written a lot about the T1028M, I have never written a full review. Would people be interested in a full review of the T1028M based on long-term usage or would you prefer that I get hold of a T1028X and do a quick review and live session?
Specifications and article links for the Gigabyte Touchnote T1028M.
New article: Still waiting for the T101H? Touchnote T1028X Now Available. http://cli.gs/uBYMs
Quote: (my netbook is officially ‘old’ now)
That’s the speed of modern PC technology for you :-)
I already wondering when I will to have to replace my (yet to be received) X70 !
Unless the T1028X is significantly different from the T1028M rather than being just an evolutionary step forward, a review of the “old” model should give a pretty good idea of the new one as well, if you just note the differences.
The higher resolution interests me, but I’m not interested in buying a 10″ netbook. 9″ is the maximum size for me. I also have a better 63 Wh (6-cell) battery on my 901 Go. :)
It was almost impossible to spot the 1028x anywhere in Taiwan and I was considering buying it earlier, but I just went with the t91. I guess Gigabyte don’t sell notebooks in their own country…
I’d love to see a review anyway.
I would love to see a full review of the T1028M. Mine is upgraded with an Kingston SSD Now V and a EUD870D 3g Module. On the Crystal Disk Benchmark it scores a bit less then the runcore Chippy uses. But specs and prive differ a lot more ;-)
I’d love to see a full detailed review of the T1028m with images and performance figures galore. A comprehensive list of pros and cons would set up the quick review of the 1028x nicely, allowing you to identify where the differences between the two models lie in terms of asthetics, useability (form factor, screen etc) and performance.
It would be a great resource for potential buyers and those of us who like to follow current goings on!
I purchased the T1028x from Amazon.
It should be arriving on Monday or Tuesday.
But a review of the older model would have been great.
As a reply to your question I’d love to have a full review of the T1028 and in particular its ability at handwriting, can it replace fully the pen and paper when it comes to taking notes ?
it would be great because electronic nnotes may be sorted in directories or and with tags and may be searchable and may be more reusable afterwords
I would like to share with you the questions I am asking to myself at the moment about the title of your post :
1) I think gigabyte has an edge over asus T series because battery may be removed and express card addons etc.
2) I saw a video of W 7 touch screen capability derived from that of the surface table and I must say it is impressive.
It could well change the use people could make of a tablet pc to what extent ?
very difficult to say.
This reminded me too that I have heard that T101H will have a multi touch screen version which could be sold potentially with W 7.
I think the netbook concept is different from that of a laptop which was in fact the same as the fixed PC but mobile (ie as feature rich).
The netbook concept IMHO starts from mobility and what can be usefull in that context hence the absence of an optical drive for example.
As opposed to the laptop which you do not bring with you everywhere, the netbook is supposed to be with you all the time, like a bag for ladies.
That is the reason why it’s volume is reduced so its weight.
now let us come back to the prospect of a multitouch screen with W 7 feature in the netbook context, is it really significant ?
> difficult to say IMHO because to me the prominent use of a tablet netbook is its ability to take notes (instead of doing that on paper as much as it can replace it which I don’t know yet not having experienced it to date hence the help of the full review)
In that latter application touch screen does not seem that a decisive asset,
as opposed to full tablet pc.
Yet what I have learnt is that you should not restrain your imagination on what you are going to do with a new piece of equipment by what you are doing with the pieces of equipment you have to date, new uses may be trigered by a new type of piece of equipment.
A last point to take into consideration in that reflexion is the touch screen capabilities of the iphone.
It is indeed a touch screen feature on a mobile piece of equipment so it could make us think about an equivalent feature in a tablet pc like netbook (a mobile piece of equipment too).
But going further on the iphone subject, to try to see more clearly for tablet like netbooks, one can ask the question of the real reason of its success ?
Is it :
1) because there is this user friendly touch screen interface ? or
2) because of its user friendliness as a whole, the iphone having been designed from scratch with user friendliness and simplicity of use as its first goal ?
The question is important because even with W7 touch screen, I don’t think tablet pcs will be as easy to use as the iphone because it is only a new human interface added and not a global rethinking of tablet pc human interface.
In the case the answer above is 1) all tablet pcs should benefit a lot from that new type of interface
In the case of 2) though non neglectible the impact on tablet pcs like netbooks will be lesser
> there is now a last factor : price
price can make a killer application fail, like mobile internet at the begining because it was too expensive 0,90 €/minute or like push mail when you had to buy blackberrys and their special subscription that were too expensive at first or again like orange wifi in hotels.
it is true that with multitouch and W 7 it is very much possible that future tablet like netbooks will be sold at very expensive pricse.
because of novelty, fashion and also because of the very little competition at the beginning.
That later factor could delay or temporily ruin the potential interest of getting a tabletpc like netbook with multi touch screen and W 7.
Now people will tell me why do you make such an elaborated thinking, appearing so complicated etc.
The reason is very simple, my purchase of a netbook, especially in those prices is a one shot riffle.
Once I have purchased one tabletpc like netbook, well I will have shooted my shot and if it comes that multi touch screen with W7 is really revolutionnary in everyday use (ie further than the keynotes of Bill Gates or Balmer) then I will have made a non optimal move that I try to avoid by thinking ahead.
I have found some reflexions about tablet pcs and multi touch there :
http://www.tabletpccorner.net/content/view/3492/27/
There are also data supplied as to inking feature and how it should be supported by some hardware capabilities
Waiting for the Asus could be a very long waiting i think.
A short Review and a Livesession will be great.
Ik ben erg benieuwd naar de ervaringen van anderen met de touchscreen functionaliteit. Ook vraag ik mij af of de HDD te vervangen is door een SSD. Wie heeft daar ervaringen mee?
@Jaap van der Veen
Man we all write in english, so do it too.
Sometimes its hard i know. ;-)
The HD is very easy to change for an SSD. Just unscrew the bottom and change the disk. With mine SSD (Kingston SSD NowV series) was cloning software included so it was very easy to transfer the operating system to the new drive too.
I personally have the T1028M, just like Chippy. Actually, it was this site that convinced me to make the purchase. I love the computer. I’m trying to get Linux on it at the moment (I have a topic in the forums if anyone has any ideas) so I can use it for development work at school. It’s a perfect form factor, and a phenomenal companion computer. Plus, it’s super upgradable! I love it. I’m moving to it from a MacBook Pro.
Got my t1028x last week. I live in Korea, so the first thing I did was wipe it and install XP SP3 and then Win7 RTM in dual boot, in English.
I love the thing. I was looking for a convertible device as I do and have done most of my nightly book reading for the last 10 years on screen, and my 10-year-old laptop bit the biscuit recently. This machine is perfect for reading, but grunty enough to be used as a regular old laptop, too.
I haven’t seen much mention of it, but the keyboard layout is splendid — I actually find typing on it easier and more natural than on my wife’s 17-inch media laptop.
At 1.48kg with the 6-cell it’s a tiny bit heavy, maybe, but I don’t mind.
Windows 7 works perfectly — just as snappy as XP, basically — and I could get all of the software and drivers, including the onscreen Manager app, to install, even if I had to do it in XP compatibility mode, just fine. Windows update even found some newer drivers for me.
I have no idea how the WWAN thingy works, or Bluetooth for that matter, but I’m keen to mess around with it.
No regrets — thanks chippy for spending so much time talking about this device. It was on your recommendation, for the most part, that I chose it, and I couldn’t be happier.
Hi!
I’ve just seen the article on umpcportal with the launch of the T1028X and i’m very tempted by one. I’ve been holding back on buying a tablet pc but i want one for book reading and this looks like the one
Just some things i can’t figure out, i’ve been browsing the gigabyte website http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=3019 and i’ve seen there’s also a T1028G model but i’ve found nothing on the internet about it. From the specs i’ve seen that the G model is supposed to come with 3.5G, but in some places i’ve also seen the X model rated with HSPDA compatibility.
Could someone please clear me up on the difference between the G and the X models? Is the G model supposed to be launched in the near future?
Also, the screen – is it resistive or capacitive? Has it got any multitouch support? (for Windows 7?) Are there any planned netbooks/tabletPCs with multitouch support?
Thanks !
it is all there :
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=3019
Yes, the only stated difference between the G and X models is this:
3.5G Module HSDPA support (T1028G)
But i’ve seen the X model mentioned with HSPDA support as well!
For example in the article above i’ve seen:
“You still get the ExpressCard/34 slot, the fast 160GB SATA drive, the battery meter (check battery levels when turned off) and the built-in 3G antenna and easy access to RAM but there’s one other feature too.”
So how is it than? Does the X model have 3G support or not? If so, what type of support?