One Netbook T1 Review: Can This Entry-Level Tablet Compete with the Microsoft Surface?

One Netbook is best known for its high-quality OneXPlayer branded handheld gaming PCs and mini laptops that pack a solid punch in a small form factor. Among the company’s One Netbook lineup are the One-GX 1, Netbook 4, Netbook A1, and the brand new One Netbook T1. 

Before the crowdfunding campaign launched on June 9th, I got my hands on the T1 and used it as my daily driver for productivity and some gaming. While the T1 is certainly a great tablet at a reasonable price, it struggles quite a lot in the gaming department and isn’t quite the most powerful device out there.

The One Netbook T1 makes a lot of promises as the first tablet powered by Intel’s 12th Generation Alder Lake CPU. The company claims it can take on the latest games by utilizing the power of Intel’s new Iris Xe Graphics architecture while also being an excellent choice for artists using Lightroom and engineers using AutoCAD. Diving into the full specs, it is easy to see why One Netbook makes such claims.

One Netbook T1 Technical Specs

• CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P featuring 12 cores and 16 threads, up to 4.7 GHz
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe, 96 execution units, up to 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 16 GB DDR5 at 5000 MHz
• Battery: 12,000 mAh battery, lasting nine hours.
• Screen: 13-inch, 2160 x 1440 IPS screen at a peak brightness of 500 nits.
• Weight: 2.2 pounds

The T1 User Experience

Right out of the box, the One Netbook T1 makes a great first impression with its sleek, minimalist design that fits well in your hands. The tablet also is quite responsive, adjusting its orientation between landscape and portrait modes on the fly. Included with the T1 is an integrated kickstand, solidly built and stable enough to put the tablet anywhere you desire. At no point did I fear the tablet would topple over as the stand is large and durable. Battery life is also quite good, lasting close to its targeted nine hours for an all-day battery.

Slow to Boot Up

As an entry-level tablet, it gets the job done but has a few hiccups. Notably, booting up the device was sluggish. Every time I pressed the power button, the screen would stay off, and only after one or two more presses would it actually power on and launch into Windows 11. Consumers in the market for a tablet want a snappy experience on the go, and the T1 struggles here.

A Pleasantly Quiet Fan 

While under workloads, the T1 remains mostly quiet thanks to its nice fan, which does a great job at keeping temperatures under control. Unlike many portable devices, the T1’s fan has a pleasant whoosh sound instead of a high-pitched squeal when it has to kick into high gear. The fan is also mostly inaudible when wearing headphones which is a big plus.

Solid CPU Performance

Additionally, the tablet never got hot to the touch, even under the most intensive workloads. After an extended period of stress testing, the CPU’s core temperature hit a max of 66 degrees celsius in a temperature-controlled environment of 20 degrees celsius. Noise and heat are no problem for the T1 and should be a pleasant computing experience overall.

Productivity and Workflow

The One Netbook T1 is no slouch regarding power and performance. 

Benchmark Testing

Plugging the T1 into the CPU-intensive Cinebench test suite gave a score of 4505, placing the i5-1240P below an Intel i7-4850HQ. For only pulling 28 watts under maximum load, the result is impressive but far from being the “most powerful tablet on the market,” per One Netbook’s marketing materials. A score of 4505 still puts the device in range of the Microsoft Surface Pro 8, which keeps the T1 competitive with Microsoft’s flagship tablet.

For the artists interested in a tablet to aid their workflow, the T1 does an excellent job of responding with precision with its included pen. Writing and drawing flow naturally on the T1 screen but fail to feel as smooth and paper-like as the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet. Nitpick aside, the tablet does its primary job of creating a seamless writing experience and is serviceable enough for anyone looking to replace their existing tablet for Lightroom photo editing or general digital art.

The One Netbook T1 for Gaming

One Netbook makes some big claims about the T1’s gaming performance and its i5-1240P does look promising. Ultimately, the tablet fails to deliver decent performance across AAA games but doesn’t entirely lack gaming chops. 

Testing the i5-1240P and its integrated Iris XE 96EU integrated graphics on 3D Mark Time Spy resulted in a score of 1147 for the GPU and 3425 for the CPU. These are fine scores for a tablet but are definitely not at the same level as a gaming PC able to take on the newest games. The T1 excels in gaming for smaller-scale, less intensive indie games, not AAA games like the company claims.

Elden Ring

Starting the tests with FromSoftware’s latest game, Elden Ring, the T1 struggled to achieve 30 fps at 720p resolution at the lowest settings. Elden Ring can certainly launch, but it is an inadequate showing for a game like this where every frame counts.

Death Stranding

The better-optimized Death Stranding: Director’s Cut achieved 30 fps but only at the lowest settings and 720p resolution. This game is undoubtedly considered playable but not an overall great experience for anyone looking to have an on-the-go AAA gaming machine.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising

NatsumeAtari’s recently released JRPG indie game, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, had a stronger showing, achieving 60 fps at significantly cut-down graphical settings. This is where the T1 proved that it could game but only if players manage their expectations and understand that this tablet is better suited for lighter gaming workloads.

While most of these games had to be cut down to 720p, the One Netbook T1’s high pixel density screen at 13 inches did manage to still look crisp enough to be playable. That said, its native 1440p resolution is far too much for the i5-1240P to handle. There does exist an i7 model that could be more suitable for gaming but as far as the i5 model is concerned, it is firmly a tablet for light productivity workloads and general day-to-day use.

One Netbook T1: Is it Worth it?

As a tablet, the One Netbook T1 is a good entry-level tablet and will get the job done, being more or less a copy of the Microsoft Surface Pro 8. For productivity and as an addition to your workflow, the T1 is a pleasant device, especially on the go. As an overall gaming device, don’t expect too much. However, the T1 becomes an enticing option when you consider that its price point is much lower than its competitors.

One Netbook just launched its crowdfunding campaign for the T1 on IndieGoGo, and early bird pricing starts at $599 for the lowest tiered model, featuring a Pentium 8505. That’s a good step down from the $899 asking price of a Microsoft Surface Pro 8 while containing all of the functionality of its competitors.

Overall, if the price is right and a well-functioning tablet is just what you’re looking for, then the One Netbook T1 is a good option.

If you like to get your hands on a One Netbook T, support the IndieGoGo campaign here.