Toshiba dynaPad is thinnest and lightest 12-inch Windows 10 tablet ever

While some people like to poke fun at Apple for always focusing on thin and light products, the truth is, it matters. Sure, it should never be at the expense of the overall user experience, such as battery life or performance, but if you can make a product svelte, why not?

Today, Toshiba delivers a very slim Windows 10 tablet. Actually, at 0.27 inches thin and 1.28 pounds, the dynaPad is the thinnest and lightest 12-inch Windows 10 tablet in the history of mankind. It isn't a one-trick pony, however, as it features a Wacom drawing and writing experience, with 2,048 levels of pressure too.

"Toshiba dynaPad features a 12-inch Full HD+ (1920x1280) TruBrite display remastered for handwriting. To achieve a digital canvas that best replicates the natural feel of pen to paper, Toshiba bonds two sheets of high-quality glass with a metal mesh sensor and incorporates Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance, plus an anti-fingerprint coating to deliver a sturdy surface that accepts fine lines and pressure-sensitive strokes -- all while delivering a crystal clear 2 million pixel-perfect view", says Toshiba.

The company further explains, "the tablet features the Intel Atom x5 Z8300 processor with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 64GB of flash storage delivering snappy performance for navigating Windows 10, using apps and getting work done. Offering a range of connectivity options, dynaPad includes two Micro USB 2.0 ports, a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB cards and a Micro HDMI port for connecting to external devices. In addition, the device includes ultrafast 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well as a 2MP front-facing camera and dual-array TruTalk mics for video chatting and an 8MP rear camera with auto-focus".

Intel Atom processor? A bit disappointing from a performance standpoint, but with a focus on drawing and writing with a stylus, the processor should prove capable. In other words, it should serve best as a companion device -- not a PC replacement. With that said, depending on your needs, it could totally serve as a replacement when combined with the keyboard dock.

The machine comes pre-loaded with a bunch of Toshiba productivity apps too, which leverage the stylus, camera and microphones. The company shares the following apps and description.

• TruNote: A simple, yet powerful handwriting app lets you effortlessly take lecture or meeting notes, create detailed hand drawings, search handwritten messages, manage multiple notebooks and more. Smart settings allow for left- or right-handed use to maintain a normal writing style.
• TruCapture: Easily capture images and text from whiteboards, textbooks, newspapers and more, at any angle for simple importing into presentations and sharing.
• TruRecorder: A powerful voice recording application for meetings, lectures and interviews that can recognize the speaker’s voice for easy playback.
• TruNote Clip: Easily capture screen clips and mark them up for easy sharing.
• TruNote Share: Turn the tablet into a real-time whiteboard that can be shared with up to 40 people.

The really impressive aspect of the Toshiba dynaPad is the price. It starts at $570, which is pretty darn reasonable. Of course, that is the base model price. The top model has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage -- I would not recommend getting anything with less than that. In other words, ignore the base mode, target the best model. More detailed pricing for various configurations will be revealed later this month when the tablet goes on sale.