Gateway CX200

The Gateway CX200, the first convertible with a widescreen display, won't take the Tablet platform mainstream. However, this system succeeds in making a mainstream notebook with Tablet functionality a desirable and affordable option. That's no small feat given larger convertibles have been around for nearly two years.

What you get for $1,399 is all of the features and performance you would expect from a regular notebook, including a fast DVD burner, plenty of ports, and a 7-in-1 memory card slot. We consider  the pen-based input to be a bonus.

Because of its sheer weight and bulk, you won't be bringing this 6.8-pound machine on your next flight. The CX200 is more than a pound heavier than regular 14.1-inch notebooks without Tablet functionality, but Gateway puts the pen to good enough use to make the CX200 an attractive option for occasionally mobile students and consumers.

What separates the CX200 from the big-screened convertible crowd is that this system's display uses the more popular widescreen aspect ratio, which means you'll be able to watch a DVD the way it was meant to be seen, work on two open windows at once, and minimize horizontal scrolling when surfing the Web and working on spreadsheets. Too bad the viewing angles aren't as tall as they are wide; the display washed out if it wasn't positioned the right way when working in notebook mode.

In that mode, you'll appreciate the full-size keyboard, wide touchpad with dedicating scroll bar, and raised mouse buttons. We like that there are three USB 2.0 ports, but they're all clustered together, which makes it difficult to plug in multiple peripherals.

Under the hood of this convertible is a 1.7-GHz Pentium M processor along with 512MB of RAM and a fast 5,400-rpm 60GB hard drive, all of which paced the CX200 to a very good MobileMark score of 224. Since Intel's integrated graphics are on board, you shouldn't expect much in the way of 3D performance, but you can always upgrade to ATI's Mobility X600 card with 64MB of its own video memory if you want to play some Doom 3 in your downtime.

To work in Tablet mode, you swivel the display counter-clockwise and collapse it on top of the keyboard. This is a smooth and easy process compared to other plus-size Tablets, thanks to a reinforced alloy hinge and two magnetic display latches that lock the display in place. The left side of the display has four buttons and a directional pad for scrolling and selecting items on screen.

Why bother taking the top down on this convertible? Thanks to an enhanced stylus that uses what's called Continuous Sensing Technology, writing on the display felt quite natural compared to competing Tablets. Taking notes using Windows Journal was analogous to writing in regular ink. The question is whether you'll use the CX200 in Tablet mode very often, as it's rather unwieldy as a slate. Your best bet is to either lean the system against a desk or place it on top. Our only other gripe is that you have to reach under the system to eject the pen.

This convertible gets pretty good mileage using its standard eight-cell battery, which hangs off the back of the system and provides a handy grip when you're working in tablet mode. The CX200 lasted 3 hours and 30 minutes on a charge. That runtime increased by nearly an hour when we inserted the optional 12-cell battery ($44).

In addition to the Tablet software, Gateway includes Norton AntiVirus 2005 for protecting your system, Nero Suite 6 for burning DVDs and CDs, and Power DVD 6 for watching movies.

Overall, the CX200 is a feature-rich and fast widescreen notebook that adds Tablet functionality without breaking the bank. We wish it were a pound lighter, but if you don't need to frequently take it on the road, this convertible is one worth owning.