Toshiba Satellite M305 Review

We've put several of Toshiba's latest mid-level, high-gloss Satellite notebooks through their paces around here in the past few months, and the 14.1-inch Toshiba Satellite M305 is the latest model in this familiar lineup of devices to come up for review. Dishing out sizeable helpings of memory and processing prowess in the configuration we received, the M305 is a consumer-focused laptop that potentially has the power to keep power users happy.

Wrapped in a love-it-or-hate-it glossy exterior, the M305 targets general users as well as those looking for a mobile multimedia device, with an upgraded audio system and a chic multimedia surface control arrangement. At once style-conscious and budget-conscious, the latest Satellite appears to do a lot of things right - if you can get past all that shiny plastic.

For this review, we tested an M305-S4826 with the following specs:

• Screen: 14.1-inch TruBrite TFT LCD, WXGA (1280x800) native resolution
• Processor: 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 (800 MHz FSB, 3MB L2 cache)
• Hard Drive: 250GB SATA, 5400 RPM
• Memory: 3GB RAM (DDR2 SDRAM)
• Optical Drive: DVD SuperMulti with Labelflash
• Ports and Slots: Three USB 2.0, one IEEE 1394, one ExpressCard 34, VGA, multi-format (SD/SDHC/MS/xD) card reader, 10/100 Ethernet, modem, microphone in, headphone out
• Wireless: Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g)
• Graphics: Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, 128-358MB shared memory
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
• Dimensions: 13.2 x 9.53 x 1.29 inches (WxDxH)
• Weight: 5.2 pounds
• MSRP: $999.99
  

Styling and Design

Although the rest of the NotebookReview crew was pretty high on previous Toshiba laptops with the high-gloss Fusion Finish, I was admittedly skeptical about the M305's shiny keys and super-reflective lid. If the finish is allegedly durable, in some ways it really doesn't look it.

After a few weeks with the Satellite, however, I'm feeling the need to retract this hasty pronouncement. While it's almost impossible to keep flat surfaces on the notebook free from smudges, the general consensus seems to be correct: durability definitely isn't a problem with these computers. Even an accidental run-in with a bag zipper - the kind of scraping contact that would put a deep scratch on the surface of most notebooks - didn't faze the M305's finish.

If you like the high-tech, high-profile look that it imparts, the Fusion look is svelte, modern, and very appealing. The standard array of function indicators, the M305's multimedia touch panel, and even the Satellite wordmark and touchpad surround are all illuminated with a soft glow that looks great under normal ambient light (though it can be a little bright and harsh on the eyes when working in a dark room). A shallow-inset keyboard and touchpad buttons have an equally classy, well thought-out look. A well matched grey and black striped lid just like we've seen on other recent Toshiba Satellite models rounds out the package.

Toshiba Satellite A305 Review

The Toshiba Satellite A305 is a redesign of the older Toshiba A205, vastly improving the look and feel of the notebook, as well as adding the incredibly durable Fusion finish. While some of the lower body looks similar to the older notebook, everything from the waistline up has changed to a sleeker, softer, and glossier feel. Read on to see how well this notebook stacks up against its older brother, and find out if this notebook is worthy of a spot on your lap.

Our review unit of the Toshiba Satellite A305 features the following specs:

• Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T8100 (2.10GHz, 3MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• 15.4" diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display at 1280x800 (WXGA)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 with 512MB video memory
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• 3GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• 200GB Serial ATA hard disk drive (5400RPM) Primary
• 200GB Serial ATA hard disk drive (4200RPM) Secondary
• DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive with Labelflash
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Harmon/Kardon stereo speakers
• Fingerprint reader
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 14.25" x 10.5" x 1.4" /2.25"
• Weight: 6 lbs 13.5oz with nine-cell battery
• 120W (19V x 6.32A) 100-240V AC Adapter (6.0" x 2.55" x 1.45" and weighs 1.56 lb)
• 9-cell (6000mAh) Lithium Ion battery
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty
• Price as configured: $1,249.99
  

Build and Design

The first thing you will notice is every part of this notebook is glossy, from the screen cover to the palm rest, and even the keyboard keys. Toshiba is really showing off their new durable Fusion finish on every part of the notebook that they can, and in some ways it is a very good thing. Durability is a big thing with notebook finishes, as many glossy finishes will dull and scratch over time. The new Toshiba Fusion finish on this notebook is incredibly durable, and has yet to actually scratch throughout my testing. With multiple trips in my backpack, I can't find any visible scuffs on the cover, where other notebooks would show fine scratches almost out of the wrapper.

So what does this Fusion finish mean to you? Your keys will not go from matte to glossy over time as they wear down (they are already glossy). Every part of the notebook will get full of smudges and fingerprints, but you can always wipe it down in a couple of minutes to make it look brand new. On other notebooks you get all the smudges, but it would take some hard work with some plastic polish before you ever got it looking new again.

Build quality is excellent in most areas, giving the notebook a very solid feel. Squeaks and creaks are not present, and panel flex is at a minimum. The only areas that stand out as needing some improvement are the wobbly battery, and rough edges around the screen frame where the two plastic pieces meet.

Toshiba Satellite A210 User Review

Once or twice per year, a friend or family member asks me to help them pick a notebook. Most of the folks I know just need a basic computer, and the reason they enlist me is that I love finding good deals on notebooks. This week I needed to find a good little Grandma computer. Having scanned the used sections of my favorite websites for deals I quickly determined that most people were stuck in 2005, asking way too much for notebooks that are much slower than current budget units.

So I hit the stores and found a pretty...

good assortment of dual core models in the $500-600 range from Acer, Dell, Compaq and Toshiba. The Toshiba Satellite A210-04F (A215 in the US) caught my eye:

* AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60 (2.0GHz, 1MB Level 2 Cache)
* Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
* 1GB RAM - 2x512MB DDR2 (667 MHz)
* 200GB SATA HDD, 4200rpm
* Built-in DVD Super-Multi Double Layer Drive functions:
* 15.4" Wide XGA TFT with TruBrite
* ATI Radeon X1200 GPU
* One Year International Warranty

According to Toshiba Canada's website the MSRP is $949.00 but street price is much lower ($499-$549 on sale). US pricing is a little more expensive, but the A215 comes with a slightly larger and faster hard drive (250GB, 5400rpm) and 2GB of system memory.

Toshiba Portege R500 Subnotebook

The Portege R500 can be called a prototype of Toshiba's product range. Not only the very interesting equipment - Core 2 Duo U7700 CPU, transreflective LED display, 64 Gigabyte solid state disk, and 3G/UMTS module - hints on this. Furthermore, it is only 810g (!!) light and costs as much as 2,500.- Euro.

Spesification :

• Processor Intel Core 2 Duo U7700 1.33 GHz
• Mainboard Intel 945GMS
• Memory 2048 MB, DDR2 PC5300 667MHz, 2x1024MB, max. 2048MB
• Graphics adapter Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 - MB, Core: 400 MHz
• Display 12.1 Zoll 16:10, 1280x800 pixel, WXGA transreflective TFT with LED backlight, glossy: no
• Harddisk 64 GB - SSD, 64GB SAMSUNG MCCOE64GQMPQ ATA Device
• Soundcard Realtek ALC262 HD Audio
• Connections 1 PC-Card, 3 USB, 1 Firewire, 1 VGA, 2.0 Bluetooth, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: Headphone, microphone, Card Reader: SD Cardreader,
• Networking 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T , Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN Intel
• Optical drive
• Size height x width x depth (in mm): 26 x 216 x 283
• Weight 0.81 kg
• Battery 31.3 Wh Lithium-Ion, 10.8V 2900mAh
• Price 3249 Euro
• Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Business 32 Bit
• Additional features Display cleaning towel, 36 Months Warranty

Toshiba Qosmio G45 Penryn Review

The Toshiba Qosmio G45 is a full entertainment system packed into one slightly over-sized 17” widescreen notebook. It combines a 1080P high-resolution display, HD-DVD Player, surround sound system, ATI Cable-Card HDTV Tuner, and gaming machine into one device that can be carried to different locations inside your backpack.

The Penryn version of the Qosmio G45 under review is only offered in one configuration, with the part number of G45-AV690. It has the following specifications:

• OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.50GHz, 6MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• Chipset: Mobile Intel P965 Express Chipset
• Wireless: Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n), Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• Memory: 3GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• Hard Drive: 320GB Total Space (160GB x 2)
• Optical Drive: HD DVD-R/DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive (in one optical drive), supporting 13 formats
• Screen: 17.0" diagonal widescreen TrueLife TFT LCD display at 1920x1200 (WUXGA, Glossy)
• Graphics: 512MB nVidia GeForce Go 8600m GT
• Webcam: 2.0 megapixel webcam
• Slots: ExpressCard slot (ExpressCard/34 and Express Card/54) and PC-Card Slot, 5-in-1 media card reader
• Ports: VGA, HDMI, and S-Video out, Mic, 2 Headphone, line out, 2 IR out, IEEE-1394 (FireWire), Five USB 2.0 ports
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 17.25" x 11.75" x 1.759"
• Weight: 10.6 Advertised, 9lbs 15oz actual w/ battery
• 120W (15V x 8A) 100-240V AC adapter
• 9-cell (70.5Ah) Lithium Ion battery
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty

Toshiba Tecra M9 Review

The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a business-grade notebook competing against the Dell D630 and Lenovo T61. It is an update to the older Tecra M5, using the latest 800MHz Santa Rosa Intel platform. Compared to the Lenovo T61, HP 6910p, and Dell Vostro 1400, its starting price of $1,349 is slightly higher from the rest. Let's see how this notebook stands up to the rest in the pack.

Our review system had the following specifications:

• Windows Vista Business (32-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.20GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• Mobile Intel P965 Express Chipset
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• 120GB Fujitsu MHW2120BH
• 8x DVD (+/-R double layer) drive
• 14.1" diagonal widescreen TFT LCD display at 1440x900 (WXGA+, Matte)
• 128MB NVIDIA Quadro NVS 130M
• Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• Type II PC-Card Slot
• 5-in-1 media card reader
• VGA out
• Mic/Headphone connectors
• IEEE-1394 (FireWire)
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Serial Legacy Port
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 13.2" x 11.1" x 1.43"
• Weight: 5lbs 4oz w/standard battery
• 75W (15V x 5A) 100-240V AC adapter (15oz)
• 5100mAh Lithium Ion battery
• 3-Year Standard Limited Warranty

Toshiba Qosmio G45 Review

The Toshiba Qosmio G45 is a full entertainment system packed into one slightly oversized 17” widescreen notebook. It combines a 1080P high resolution display, HD-DVD Player, surround sound system, TV Tuner, and gaming machine into one device that can be carried to different locations inside your backpack.

The Qosmio under review is only offered in one configuration at this time, with the part number of G45-AV680. It has the following specifications:

• OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7300 (2.20GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• Chipset: Mobile Intel P965 Express Chipset
• Wireless: Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n), Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• Memory: 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• Hard Drive: 320GB Total Space (160GB x 2)
• Optical Drive: HD DVD-R/DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive (in one optical drive), supporting 13 formats
• Screen: 17.0" diagonal widescreen TrueLife TFT LCD display at 1920x1200 (WUXGA, Glossy)
• Graphics: 512MB nVidia GeForce Go 8600m GT
• Web Cam: 2.0 megapixel webcam
• Slots: ExpressCard slot (ExpressCard/34 and Express Card/54) and PC-Card Slot, 5-in-1 media card reader
• Ports: VGA, HDMI, and S-Video out, Mic, 2 Headphone, line out, 2 IR out, IEEE-1394 (FireWire), Five USB 2.0 ports
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 17.25" x 11.75" x 1.759"
• Weight: 10.6 Advertised, 9lbs 15oz actual w/ battery
• 90W (19V x 4.62A) 100-240V AC adapter (1lb 10.6oz)
• 9-cell (85Wh) Lithium Ion battery (1lb 2.3 oz)
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty

Build and Design

Compared to most notebooks the Qosmio is an extremely flashy computer. The display cover is glossy black with the Qosmio brand name embossed over it; proudly announcing its name to those around you. Opening the laptop reveals its glossy white palm rest and keyboard surround, nicely contrasting the top cover, with chrome dials and touch-sensitive selection buttons to control various functions. Bright blue LEDs illuminate all soft media buttons, as well as the volume dial and power switch when the unit is powered up. The LED’s can be disabled if the user so wishes, by pressing a soft-key above the keyboard.

Underneath the glossy plastic shell, bright blue LEDs, and chrome knobs is an alloy frame that supports the entire laptop. Many laptops these days have a metal alloy frame and it usually results in a very durable case having little flex. However, even though the Qosmio has this alloy frame, it seems the frame isn't thick enough as there is plentiful flex to be found. The palm rest, the keyboard, and bezel around the keyboard all bow in with moderate pressure. The flexing becomes most apparent when the laptop is not on a flat surface. With one corner hanging off of a desk surface, weight from your wrist and arm while typing will bend the corner down a quarter inch or more. For such a high price tag you would expect better build quality when other Toshiba models costing a third less feel more durable.

Toshiba Tecra M8 Review

The Toshiba Tecra M8, like the Toshiba Satellite U300/U305 series, is a new 13.3" widescreen business notebook packing solid Intel Core 2 Duo performance in a relatively thin and light form factor. Add to that a thin integrated DVD SuperMulti drive, webcam, and fingerprint reader and this notebook starts looking even better. Toshiba calls the new M8 "a feature-rich fusion of mobility, performance and value" ... but is the M8 worthy of such praise?

The Toshiba Tecra M8 is available with various configurable options starting at $1,249.00 for a system with Windows XP. Our Windows Vista Business review unit (Tecra M8-S8011) features the following specs:

• Windows Vista Business (32-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7100 (1.80GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• Mobile Intel GM965 Express Chipset
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• 120GB Serial ATA hard disk drive (5400RPM)
• 8x DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
• 13.3" diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display at 1280x800 (WXGA)
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 64MB-251MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• PCMCIA Card slot
• 5-in-1 media card reader
• RGB out
• Microphone input port
• Headphone output port
• IEEE-1394 (FireWire)
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Fingerprint reader
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 12.2" x 8.9" x 1.19" /1.33" without feet
• Weight: 4.5 lbs
• 75W (19V x 3.95A) 100-240V AC Adapter (5.04" x 1.20" x 2.01" and weighs 0.77 lb)
• 6-cell (5200mAh) Lithium Ion battery (0.75 lbs)
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty

You may notice that the Toshiba website indicates that the Tecra M8 has a maximum memory capacity of 2GB. However, we confirmed that the maximum RAM capacity is in fact 4GB. While 1GB is plenty for Windows XP, any notebook running Vista will perform better with a minimum of 2GB of RA

Toshiba Satellite P205 Review

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.

Toshiba Satellite U305 Review

The Toshiba Satellite U300/U305 series is a new 13.3" widescreen notebook that weighs in at just 4.6 pounds and packs solid Intel Core 2 Duo performance and big hard drives with plenty of storage space. Add to that a thin integrated DVD SuperMulti drive, webcam, and fingerprint reader and this notebook starts looking even better. Is Toshiba justified in calling the U305 "the ideal concentration of performance and design?" Let's take a look.

Although the U300/U305 series is available with configurable options starting at $854.10 our pre-configured U305-S5127 is priced at $1,349.99 and features the following specs:

• Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7100 (1.80GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
• Mobile Intel GM965 Express Chipset
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• 200GB Serial ATA hard disk drive (4200RPM)
• 8x DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
• 13.3" diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display at 1280x800 (WXGA)
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 8MB-251MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• ExpressCard slot (ExpressCard/34 and Express Card/54)
• 5-in-1 media card reader
• RGB out
• Microphone input port
• Headphone output port
• IEEE-1394 (FireWire)
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Fingerprint reader
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 12.2" x 8.9" x 1.19" /1.33" without feet
• Weight: 4.6 lbs
• 75W (19V x 3.95A) 100-240V AC Adapter (5.04" x 1.20" x 2.01" and weighs 0.77 lb)
• 9-cell (7800mAh) Lithium Ion battery (1.09 lbs)
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty

Build and Design

Like most notebooks with a 13.3" widescreen display the U305 is on the border of the thin-and-light and ultra-portable categories. With a weight of more than four and a half pounds it isn't the lightest notebook in its class. Likewise, since the notebook is 1.2 inches thick at its thinnest point the U305 falls in the "middle of the pack" among recent 13.3" systems. Nevertheless, Toshiba has successfully engineered a stylish and compact frame with some unique elements that make it attractive to everyone from students to business professionals.

Although the exterior is constructed of plastic it felt relatively solid. Some of the plastics in areas such as the palm rests and the LCD lid felt thin, but overall the build quality seems good. There is very little case flex and no audible creaks to the plastics.

The optical drive in particular is quite thin yet still remains very sturdy. The optical drive (manufactured by LG and similar to drives used in some Lenovo notebooks) is actually as good or better in terms of build quality than some drives we've seen in larger budget notebooks. The optical drive was relatively quiet during operation and drive noise was not an issue while viewing DVDs.