Gigabyte M1022M/G Netbook Review

Features and Specifications
The Gigabyte M1022M/G is a 10.1-inch netbook that runs an Intel Atom N270 processor at 1.6GHz. The netbook has a TFT LCD screen using CCFL backlighting and offering a resolution of 1024 x 600. The keyboard is 92% of full size and has embedded support for HSDPA connectivity. Other features of the device include the mobile Intel 945GSE Express chipset, a 160GB HDD, and 1GB of RAM. The machine also has a multitouch track pad, Bluetooth, runs Windows XP, and has a 1.3-megapixel webcam. The battery is a 6-cell unit and the machine measures 256 mm x 180mm x 27.2 to 31.3 mm and weighs 1.3kg.

Benchmarks
To test the Gigabyte M1022M/G netbook I will be using Battery Eater Pro and my iTunes and movie encoding benchmarks. The first test I ran was Battery Eater Pro to get an idea of how long the netbook would run on a single charge. Battery Eater is hard on battery life and your real world usage will vary. On a full charge, the Gigabyte M1022M/G lasted 258 minutes. To compare the Lenovo S10-2 I reviewed last week lasted a nearly identical 247 minutes on a single charge.

On my iTunes encoding test using iTunes 7.1.1.5 I turned MP3 version of the Stone Temple Pilots album Core to AAC and timed the process with a stop watch. The Gigabyte M1022M/G took 8 minutes and 23 seconds to encode the entire 12 track album to AAC. The Lenovo netbook took 9 minutes and 1 second to encode the same album. Considering the machines have the same basic hardware, I am surprised to see the Gigabyte M1022M/G turn in a time over half a minute faster than the Lenovo machine.

The final benchmark for the Gigabyte M1022M/G is the movie encoding benchmark. I use the free Windows Media Encoder software and the Microsoft Wonder of Flight HD video. Using WME I turn the HD 1080p video into a DVD quality video at 2Mbps CBR with CD quality audio for downloading to a computer. It took the Gigabyte M1022M/G 17 minutes and 4 seconds to encode the movie compared to the 18 minutes and 14 seconds the Lenovo S10-2 needed for the same task.

In Use
The performance offered by the Gigabyte M1022M/G and other netbooks I have tested is very close to being the same so the typical netbook shopper will be looking for things other than performance when looking for their next netbook. The keyboard on the Gigabyte M1022M/G is average for a netbooks. It's not bad, but it has no real standout features either. My test unit had Japanese symbols on the keyboard as well. I am not sure if all Gigabyte M1022M/G versions will have Japanese characters or if my review unit was simply one for the international market. Typing feel is good with well sized and spaced keys. The right shift key is large and positioned where it should be.

The track pad used on the Gigabyte M1022M/G is significantly larger than the track pad on either the Acer Aspire One or the Lenovo S10-2 that I have reviewed recently, which is a good thing. The track pad also supports multi touch allowing you to use gestures like pinch for zooming in on photos or for scrolling pages on the screen. The larger track pad area is nice, but I don’t like that more area means that the mouse buttons are to the left and right of the track pad rather than underneath it.

The 10.1-inch screen is very bright and has good color reproduction and decent contrast and black levels. I did notice some stuttering with video playback during fast action from Hulu during testing. With the Gigabyte M1022M/G being virtually identical hardware wise to all the other hoards of netbooks on the market, Gigabyte set the machine apart from the pack a bit with a dock station.

The dock is designed to hold the Gigabyte M1022M/G on its side and offers three USB ports, on RJ-45 port, VGA out and a DC input that allows the user to connect the netbook to an external monitor and peripherals while in the home or office and then easily remove the netbook for travel without having to disconnect and reconnect lots of wires. The dock is a slick little accessory that sets the Gigabyte M1022M/G apart from its peers.