The Toshiba P200/P205 notebook is the latest 17" offering from Toshiba that can be equipped with a variety of options at great prices. So come on in and read our thoughts and the review of the P205!
Review Model Specification
The P205 can be ordered in several configurations. We received the P205-S6347, which has the following s
pecifications:
- Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 Processor (Santa Rosa, 1.66GHz, 2MB Cache, 667MHz FSB)
- Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
- 17" TruBrite LCD with WXGA+ Resolution (1440x900)
- Integrated 1.3 MP Webcam
- Intel X3100 Integrated Graphics Card with up to 256MB Shared Memory
- 2GB DDR2-667MHz RAM (2x1GB Configuration)
- Toshiba 200GB 4200RPM SATA 1.5 Hard Drive
- Integr ated HD-DVD Drive with DVD+/-RW, DVD-RAM, and CD-RW Support
- Modem, 10/100 Ethernet, and Intel 4965AGN (802.11a/b/g/n) WiFi
- 5-in-1 Media Card Reader (Supports SD, MS, MS Pro, MMC, and xD Cards)
- Fingerprint Reader
- 6-Cell 4000mAh Lithium-Ion Battery and 90W External AC Adapter
- 1-Year Warranty
This model can be found on Toshiba's website for $1,449.99 before shipping and taxes. Pricing for the Santa Rosa based P200/P205 starts at $949 and the Merom version at $799.
Build and Design
Structurally, the exterior of the laptop consists entirely of plastic. The bottom half of the case is built from a solid black plastic that is very strong and produces little to no flex regardless of how much I torture the notebook or carry it around. On the top half is a glossy, dark blue plastic that serves mostly as a fingerprint magnet but is not quite as strong as I can get the panel to flex under a little bit of pressure. However, the top panel does still protect the LCD screen well as I could never produce any ripples or otherwise affect the LCD screen.
A pleasant surprise awaits anyone who opens up this notebook because the one giant hinge for the screen is very strong. Even though this laptop weighs in at over 8lbs, if you open it up without keeping a hand on the base the laptop will come up a little bit with the screen at first! The hinge itself is one big, long hinge that stretches across most of that edge of the notebook that is very similar to the one seen on Apple notebooks. As a consequence of both the design and the strength of the hinge, the screen barely wobbles.
The interior of the notebook is built from medium weight plastic that feels about as strong as the plastic seen on the LCD back. During general use and typing, one can notice the keyboard palm rest's flex...especially when pressing against the surface. The plastic does not bend too far in but less flex would be appreciated. It only happens on and immediately around the palm rest. The areas above and to the side of the keyboard do not flex like the palm rests, and the keyboard itself is similarly strong and firm. Overall, the laptop is sturdy enough for general and multimedia use.
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