Toshiba showed off some impressive new Windows devices this week at CES, including a Portege Z20t 2-in-1 detachable PC that could provide some competition for Surface Pro 3 in the premium part of the market. Toshiba also showed off a new lineup of affordable Encore 2 Write tablets that will come in multiple sizes.
Portege Z20t
Described as "a versatile premium 2-in-1 detachable PC with high-precision pen input," the Portege Z20t is basically an Ultrabook with detachable screen. It features an Intel Core M processor in a fanless and premium black magnesium chassis, a 12.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS detachable display with 10-point multi-touch support, a Wacom digitizer with 2,048 points of sensitivity and a Toshiba Digitizer Pen with Eraser, up to 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB or 256 GB of SSD storage.
The tablet/screen part weighs 1.6 pounds, or just 3.3 pounds when combined with the keyboard base, and if I'm reading this right it looks like you can configure this device with either Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 Professional. Battery life is amazing: 9.1 hours for the tablet alone or 17.4 hours with the keyboard dock.
The Portege Z20t will be available later this month for $1400 and up. You can purchase it from ToshibaDirect.com or various resellers like CDW and PC Connection.
Encore 2 Write
The Encore 2 Write will ship in two screen sizes—8-inches and 10.1-inches—and, as its name suggests, will support styluses, in this case Wacom TruFeel digitizer pens. Each ships with a quad-core Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, 64 GB of solid state storage, an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, "a full array of tablet sensors" (including GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and e-compass), a micro USB 2.0 port, and a microSD card slot that supports up to 128 GB cards. They will deliver up to 11 hours of battery life, according to Toshiba.
I know you're curious about the pen. Toshiba says they are the real deal, with "pro-grade" functionality, including "a fine tip and 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, enabling sharp strokes while minimizing lag for greater precision and accuracy. In hand, it virtually feels as natural as writing on paper." If you've ever used a stylus on a low-end tablet, you know this has never really been achieved yet. So this could be a big deal.
Best of all, these new devices are affordable: The 8-inch version will start at $350, while the 10.1-inch version starts at $400, and both include a one-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365 Personal. The Encore 2 Write tablets will be available for purchase starting January 11, 2015 at select retailers, including Microsoft Stores and on Toshiba.com/us.
