The French company Thomson is better known for consumer electronics and household appliances, but has recently started building notebooks as well. These include particularly inexpensive models such as the Neo 360 X tested here for 380 euros.
Too little power
The two double joints make it possible to rotate the display by 360 degrees – so the Thomson Neo 360 X can also be used as a tablet.
Barren storage
The processor isn’t the only reason why the Thomson runs so slowly – the built-in memory is also limited. 4 gigabytes of RAM slow down Windows 11, as does the hard drive replacement. Here comes one eMMC (permanently installed version of an SD card) is used instead of an SSD, which is particularly lame when writing data, for example when transferring data from an SSD connected via USB: When reading from the eMMC, the data still flowed 252 megabytes per second, when writing to the eMMC the speed dropped by a third (83 megabytes per second). Unfortunately, upgrading the memory only works to a limited extent: The eMMC can be supplemented with an SSD – in the smaller size of 22×42 millimeters. Typical convertible: The Neo 360 X offers few ports. In addition, smaller models are used for HDMI and memory card readers (see pictures below).
The power button is quite small, as is the memory card reader. Additionally on the right side: a fast USB socket and a connection for headphones or a headset.
The display is okay, nothing more
Manufacturers install cheap displays for less than 400 euros – the Thomson is no exception. The resolution of 1920×1080 pixels enough for Windows. Photos and videos are displayed sharply. Still, photo or video editing isn’t much fun – on the one hand, this is due to the very slow speed, on the other hand, to the color reproduction – it’s not very accurate and quite bluish. In addition, the brightness depends heavily on the viewing angle. If you look at the display at a slight angle, you will see a darker picture. The built-in touchscreen (picture above) responds well to user input, but has a somewhat dull surface – it takes some getting used to when swiping.
On the left are the connection for the power supply, a fast USB socket and a mini-HDMI socket for connecting to an external monitor or a television.
click and tap
The built-in keyboard does a decent job – it can also be used to write longer texts. But touch typists have to get used to it, because the keys next to the return key (+ and #) are only about half as wide as the rest and therefore harder to hit. Good: The touchpad uses almost the entire height of the palm rest. However, not everyone will like its somewhat rough surface. It also makes a scraping noise, which can disturb other users in a quiet environment.
How fast is the notebook?
Tempo with Office / Tempo with video editing
Game speed (1920×1080 pixels / 3840×2160 pixels)
How good is the picture quality?
Color fidelity / deviations in grayscale / white rendering (color temperature)
Maximum brightness / black level / medium contrast ratio
Quality of the screen (visual test)
Color space coverage: standard (sRGB) / extended (DCI-P3)
Switching time of the pixels (average / maximum)
Max. brightness deviations across the screen
Gloss level of the screen surface / screen frame
Maximum refresh rate at native resolution
How easy is it to use on the go?
Operating noise when working / maximum
Temperature rise after 30 minutes of full load on the back of the device
Weight with battery / power pack with cable
Is everything you need included?
RAM (built-in / expandable to maximum)
Data storage / expandable
WiFi / Bluetooth / Cellular
Webcam / Microphone / Memory card reader
How easy is it to use?
Quality and operation of the keyboard / keyboard lighting / standard layout / navigation keys standard size
Biometric access locks
Touchpad size / touchpad quality and operation
Quality and operation of the touch screen
Small battery, little endurance
An advantage of the built-in power-saving processor – the Thomson does not need a fan and works silently. Unfortunately, despite frugal components, it doesn’t last very long on battery power: Already after 3:47 hours was over in the test. The reason: the built-in battery is included 37 watt hours quite a small model. The power supply should always be there. No problem, because it’s a real mini and very light (115 grams). Unfortunately, it also takes more than three hours to recharge the battery.
Test conclusion: Thomson Neo Geo 360 X
The Thomson Neo Geo 360 X (Test score 3.5) is quite cheap for a convertible, but it also has many weaknesses. Equipment and power are just enough for Office & Co., but unfortunately not for more. A cheap tablet or a better equipped notebook should be more suitable for many users.