Gigabyte M912V Giga-Flops

The Gigabyte M912V - Tablet Mode

So Gigabyte, the second motherboard guru to do so, has released their iteration of the current-gen netbook wave slash craze in the Vista-touting Gigabyte M912V. I touched on this machine briefly in my upcoming netbook market analysis as a machine with a promising competitive advantage over others. This is due to the touch-screen, standard on all models. 

Reviews are now pouring in on the miniature laptop with a difference and they aren't exactly beaming. Although the reviews agree that the 180 degree rotating touchscreen and touchpad are great, the machine does have its shortcomings. Namely, the keyboard sucks, the battery is miserly (4-cell) and the machine catches fire with extended use. Well that last one is a bit of an exaggeration but I guess you could say its not exactly water-cooled. You'd think Gigabyte would have learnt from the market that keyboard and battery life are critical for a netbooks success - these were the main gripes with the Adam of netbooks - the Eee 701. Why couldn't they just follow suit with their motherboard-producing comrade's brilliant MSI Wind. A love-it or hate-it feature is the 1280px width resolution - which gives added browsability but users may have to squint to see anything at this rez on the 9" screen. 

Laptop Mag's Final Verdict is 3* and in their review they say the Gigabyte appears 'fetching'. I prefer to use the word 'wretching' - are they blind? The unwholesome black and grey finish coupled with the machine being a full 1" thicker than the 10" Eee PC 1000h really isn't pushing any buttons. 

Canada's Hardware Canucks's review offers what I can't help but feel is a rather euphemistic conclusion although they do agree that the laptop ain't a looker. They also say it feels like a "cheaper" product than some of the competition.

The Hardware Zone review has some great pics of the netbook and they give it a respectable 3.5*. Again their review doesn't rave about the machine but gives it added points for the touchscreen functionality. 

Well it appears if it wasn't for the touchscreen this device would have bombed, and consumers considering this device have to be wary that really they are buying it for the touchscreen and only for the touchscreen. Better, cheaper netbooks are out there without the touchscreen.

Electric Vagabond's Verdict: If you desperately want a touchscreen and Vista in a stock machine get one, otherwise save your dubloons.

Gigabyte M912V - note the cramped keyboard

Speaking of better netbooks, UMPC Portal (one of my fav sites) has posted their 10 week mark review of the Medion Akoya (MSI Wind clone). They are blowing the trumpets stating that this is the best piece of hardware on the market at the moment. I tend to agree.