Toshiba Excite Write

The Toshiba Excite Write is close to being a great tablet. Pen nerds looking for a digital solution that feels right will find this device tempting. Toshiba got pen control perfect. The display gets high marks, too. And though the camera isn’t the best...

Unskinned Android ; Wacom digitizer responds well to pen input ; One of few 2,560 x 1,600 tablets

Display shows muted colors ; Awkward speaker placement ; Uneven performance

Toshiba's Excite Write reads well on paper, but its execution leaves a lot to be desired. Consumers are better off spending that $600 elsewhere.

Blazing-fast, quad-core Tegra 4 processor. Impressively sharp display. Android 4.2.

Expensive. Relatively thick and heavy. Oversized power adapter. Lacks compelling pen integration.

Conclusions There's likely a small cadre of consumers out there who would be willing to shell out $600 for an Android tablet. They're not wrong, but they might be overly optimistic. You just don't get the same value, in terms of optimized apps and...

Fast performance; Sharp display; High-quality speakers; Responsive stylus

Weak battery life; Poor camera; No stylus holster

The Toshiba Excite Write delivers fast performance, a stylus-optimized interface and a high-quality display for $599, but its battery life falls short.

TruPen works well ; Sharp display ; Good handling ; Massive storage potential ; Wireless 802.11ac support

Sluggish performance ; Uninspiring design ; Lack of a stylus slot ; No USB charging support

Do the high resolution display, TruPen and Tegra 4 processor excite us? To be frank, our initial excitement over these features died down halfway through our review of the tablet.

Verizon 4G LTE network is incredibly fast, 32GB microSD card included, Integrated kickstand works in portrait and landscape

Battery life is among the worst we�ve ever seen, No 4G LTE power toggle option, Kickstand in landscape orientation blocks microUSB port

Fast performer ; Stylus works well ; Useful optional keyboard dock

Expensive ; Underwhelming screen ; No dock for stylus

The viewing angles are good, though. This is far more important in a tablet than a laptop, and something which should be noted - although lights do have a tendency to reflect off of it. Reviewing the unit in late November, we weren’t able to get much...

Writing on the ; screen feels fluid and smooth, and I love the useful eraser button. It also boasts an incredibly sharp screen and includes storage expansion via microSD.

There are few useful stylus features and no built-in pocket for the pen. The screen at times becomes completely unresponsive.

Though it doesn't have any glaring problems, $600 is way too much for a tablet that fails to stand out in any significant way.