With the emerging competitors of tablet PCs in the market, HP developed this very affordable product that beats even the EliteBook 2740p. The TouchSmart tm2t is a new model of HP with its configure-to-  order features that will eventually give you a more sophisticated and powerful package. Starting at a very low $829, you can add on more features for below $1,000.

Its aluminum – brushed lid makes it elegant and stylish.

This new unit doubles as a laptop and tablet. Despite of its fairly cheap price, the tm2t is considered the heaviest and bulkiest PC among its competitors. Weighing 4.7 pounds and measuring 1.6 inches thick, it is inconvenient for frequent travelling. But looking at it, the aluminum – brushed lid gives it a sophisticated finish. A large 12.1 – inch display provides enough placement for the Webcam and microphone located at the top and dual stereo speakers below.

The cover has drawings engraved on it as with other HP units.

The large keys are very comfortable to type on.

When using tm2t in the laptop approach, you will appreciate the muscular Chiclet – style keys that are very comfortable to use. A touchpad is seen below the keyboard with the mouse buttons buried beneath the pad. It is a little bit distracting because the buttons get clicked unintentionally and sometimes will not click if you do so. Towards the right of the pad is the fingerprint sensor which enables you to personalize your account and manages your passwords.

The stylus holder is conveniently located at the bottom left side of the chassis.

With the port choice, the featured ones are with the standard. There are HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, a headphone jack and a stylus holder at the left side of the chassis. On the right are two more USB 2.0 ports, a five – format flash card reader, the power jack, the power button, an 802.11b/g/n Wi – Fi and Bluetooth slots. At the reverse side of the unit, you will find the VGA port, Ethernet jack, and a lock slot. A lacking feature is an optical drive which is expected in this kind of PCs.

The power jack and power button, flash card reader and USB ports at the right side.

Consider this tm2t a good accompaniment for entertainment like watching movies and playing simple games. With its built in screen resolution of 1,280X800 and an integrated ATI Mobility Radeon HD5450 graphics card, the display shows beautiful and attractive colors and images. With the built in stereo speakers, you need to supplement with a headphone or connect it to an external speakers because the audio output may become harsh and unpleasant when the volume is turned high.

In its tablet form, you just have to tilt the lid 180 degrees. The stylus pen is very sensitive. With just a half – inch distance from the screen, you will automatically see an onscreen cursor. With just light taps on the screen menus, the PC easily detects and does the commands.

With this new advancement in tablet PCs, who would guess that it is the most affordable unit among its competitors. Not to mention the 1.2GHz Intel Core i3 – 330UM processor and the large 500GB hard drive that are pre – packaged with the unit. For an extra $50, you can configure for an added 8X DVD RW drive. The 6 – cell battery can last up to 4 hours which is a plus factor for short distance trips.