Amazon.com Product Description

If you’re shopping for an industrial-strength mobile computer to serve as a desktop replacement, the Toshiba Satellite 1905-S303 notebook PC is the kind of heavy-duty, no-compromises performer that can fill just about any shoes, no matter how big.

The 1905-S303’s 2.4 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor-M provides gale-force computing power across a broad range of productivity and multimedia software. The notebook’s 512 MB of memory--expandable to 1 GB--and 512 KB of L2 cache smoothly run multiple applications simultaneously. The notebook’s 40 GB hard drive offers substantial data and multimedia download storage.

A multifunction DVD/CD-RW drive lets you watch movies, and listen to and record music and back up data on CD. Sound from the notebook’s built-in stereo speakers is enhanced by 3-D sound support with HRTF 3-D positional audio, Direct 3-D sound, and hardware acceleration for DirectSound and DirectMusic.

The 1905-S303 includes a 15-inch XGA active-matrix display that, coupled with an ATI M6-P graphics controller and 32 MB of 250 MHz DDR external video memory, supports up to 16 million colors at 1,024 X 768 resolution.

The 8.3-pound, 13-by-10.9-by-2-inch 1905-S303 includes an integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet interface with RJ-45 LAN port and built-in 56K V.92 modem with RJ-11 connector. Other ports include two USB interfaces, a TV-out interface, a FireWire interface, a parallel port, and an RGB monitor port. A 32-bit CardBus-ready PC Card slot supports two Type II cards or one Type III card.

The notebook’s keyboard includes 85 full-size keys with 12 function keys. The 1905-S303 also offers a touchpad pointing device and a full complement of hardware-based CD control functions.

Installed software includes Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works, Intuit Quicken Basic 2001, InterVideo WinDVD, Norton AntiVirus 2002, and Adobe Acrobat Reader. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Descriptions

Featuring a cost-effective Intel Celeron processor and middle-of-the-road accouterments, the Toshiba Satellite A15-S157 Notebook is a wise choice for budget-conscious individuals, students, and anyone who needs a computer that'll handle the basics. Distinct from Toshiba's entry-level Satellite A15-S127 Notebook in several areas -- including wireless communication and twice the memory -- the Satellite A15-S157 represents solid value.

The key word here is economy, and to that end Toshiba has equipped the Satellite A15-S157 with one of today's best "bang for the buck" processors, the 2.2 GHz Intel Celeron. Accompanying the Celeron is an impressive 512 MB of PC2100 DDR memory and an Intel 852GM graphics chipset with 32 MB of shared video memory. With this level of power, the system can't be called upon for complex 3-D rendering or high-end games. It is, however, perfectly satisfactory for standard word processing, database and spreadsheet activities, e-mail communication, and Internet surfing.

Measuring 13 by 11.5 by 1.5 inches and tipping the scales at just 6.1 pounds, the Satellite A15-S157 is relatively compact and comfortably lightweight. Inside, you'll find such amenities as a 15-inch display screen (1024 by 768 maximum resolution), stereo speakers, a full-size 85-key keyboard with 12 function keys and a TouchPad pointing device, a satisfactory 40 GB hard disk and a DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, archive files, and enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters. In its stock form, the Satellite unit does not permit DVD burning.

Connectivity options are plentiful but not quite as upscale as those of its pricier competitors. Though the system does feature two USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, integrated 802.11b LAN, a 56K modem and an RJ-45 LAN network port, it does not include a high-speed FireWire interface (often used to link devices such as digital camcorders). Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works, and Intuit Quicken Basic 2001. Battery life is estimated at a commendable 3.13 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

tbrownell2003
This laptop is a steal for the price. I have had it a month now and I love it. I did a lot of checking around before I bought a laptop because I didnt know a lot about laptops at the time. If you were to buy a Dell with the same scymatics as this laptop, you would easily pay double. Compaq's are about $500 more for the same thing. Right now I am in Mosul, Iraq and I use this laptop for about 8 hours straight everyday and I havent had a single problem. The wireless internet is definently a plus. I can sit in my tent and get signal off a wireless router 50yds away no problem. The ease of use of this computer is great. Compared to the pentium 4, the Celerion is still a great operating system. If your looking for something cheap yet reliable, this is the laptop for you. Look on epinions.com or pricegrabber.com and read other peoples reviews and you will see how great of a computer this is.

Toshiba S157 AND S127 owner.
As an owner of a Toshiba S127 and this S157, I can tell you that this thing is pure quality. Dell's laptops have gotten almost pitiful in quality, while IBM are insanely priced. Where's the quality, inexpensive laptops? Toshiba is your answer.

Trust me guys. Get this model. I bought the S127 and ended up giving it to my mom. This model comes with the built in wireless Internet (which is awesome), 40GB of storage, 512MB DDR (XP uses MUCH more than 256MB even doing the simplest tasks), and 2.2Ghz Celeron (you can't tell the difference between 2Ghz & 2.2 Ghz,trust me).

I scored my S157 in brand new condition for $825 off some really nice guy off eBay I struck a deal with. (I picked it up locally)

I'm going to review every single thing about this laptop, sequentally. Please note that this is an unbiased review:

1.) Keyboard: Probably the best keyboard i've ever used in over 18 years of computers. I loved these soft key laptop keyboard. Doesn't have that annoying cursor thing in the middle of the keyboard that some people like to use. (Most despise it, though)

2.) TouchPaD: Works great. Two basic buttons, silver color, and work perfectly.

3.) 15" XGA screen. The screen is nice, bright, and vivid, but I definately could use SXGA (1280x....) XGA is only 1024x768 and is just enough for basic tasks

4.) Speakers: Silver titinium stereo speakers. They work adequately for basic needs. What can I say? They're laptop speakers. Go pickup some Logitech Z-340s for $30 at Best Buy. They will compliment these nicely.

5.) Design: Design is superb. The laptop is suprisingly thin (1 inch) and the colors are perfect. Really great job.

6.) Weight: 6.15 lbs, according to my measurements.

7.) LEDs: The LEDs are great. 5 basic small LEDs that tell you what's going on. Nothing fancy.

8.) 802.11b Wireless (S157 only). This is great. You can save your PCCard slot; you can also disable/enable the device whenever you want. Someone mentioned somewhere that the built-in wireless card means it uses the notebook as an antenna. I don't believe that though.

9.) CD-RW/DVD ROM: Works perfectly. I would've perferred a trayless drive (like the Pioneer 16x DVD drives) but hell, this is great. They both work great.

8.) Battery Life: Battery life is not as good as I would like it to be. I get 2 1/2 hours max out of this computer on a full battery charge, assuming light working conditions. Extra battery costs $150+tax at Best Buy or Circuit City. I'm using my mother's S127 batter. ;)

9.) Noise Level: Both computers are dead silent. There is a fan that turns on once in a while to cool the computers. The fan isn't loud at all.

10.) PC Card Slot: It only has 1 PC Card slot, but that's not an issue anymore now that I have built in wireless internet

11.) Ports:
Serial: Great but I don't use it.
Parallel: Ok, I still don't use it.
2x USB 2.0: Now, this is beautiful. I have several USB devices, some even USB 2.0, that I use with this computer.
Neither models come with S-Video, DESPITE what some specifications say. The model also comes with external VGA for connecting to a projector or external monitor.
RJ45 (Ethernet) AND Modem already installed. What a great value.

12.) Performance:
Hard drive: Works decently. Only 4200 RPM, so don't expect mind-blistering performance, but it's fast enough even for an end user.

Processor: 2.2Ghz Celeron is like a crippled P4; nevertheless, it performs almost all basic functions with ease. Gamers apply elsewhere.

Sound: No comments. Sound works. :)

Video: This is my biggest complaint (besides the microphone) about this model. Comes with 32MB Intel Extreme Graphics (Shared). Because it's shared with system memory, people tend to think it's 64MB Intel graphics; believe me, it's NOT. It's 32MB Intel extreme graphics that will let you do only the basic video or gaming. Don't expect any kind of performance from this. I really wish Toshiba had put an ATi Radeon mobility in here, but for the price I'm not complaining. :-)

* Software: I don't use the software that comes with this bundle, but make sure to check the personal cons below for additional details.

* Toshiba Utilities: As with most utilities, I don't like running manufacturer's utility files, but Toshiba's aren't _that_ bad. (I still don't run them, though). They allow you to control most of the function buttons at the topic and assign them different functions.

Build Quality: This is where the laptop truly shines. Putting IBM's insanely high quality and price tag, this is the best laptop you can get for budget-price quality. Toshiba rules.

Personal Cons:

* No built in Microphone. The thing has a port for a microphone, but I really, really wish Toshiba had put one in. I know this isn't an issue for most people, but I use microphones on a daily basis. They're cheap, granted, but that's another thing to lug around.

* Rebates: Ugh, I hate rebates. I got my S127 for $760 (after 8.5% tax) and after $250 rebates. I got my S157 for $825 cash from some guy on eBay.

* One thing that annoys me is that Toshiba has loaded this comp with plenty of useless junk like AOL, Special offers, etc. This is an easy fix. I just wiped the drive and put XP Professional on there and boom, it's done. :) The S157, IIRC, comes with Microsoft Works, which I don't use.

If you want more detailed pictures of this laptop, search on www.newegg.com. They have both models and detailed pictures on it.
I hope I haven't missed anything. :)

super deal, surprisingly slim and light
Had this computer for 20 days. Its a great computer for the price. The built in wi-fi works like a charm. Screen, keyboard, and size is great. Processor and memory was sufficient for my purpose including a little use of paint and drawing programs. Only thing I didn't like is their touchpad. They have something called Draglock feature turned on which makes it hard for me to do what I normally do with my touchpad. I only found out after fiddling around with adjusting all sorts of touchpad settings that it was the Draglock being turned on that was bothering me. If you having trouble with making your touchpad act smoothly, I suggest you turn this feature off. However it is not easy to get to. It is under 5 layers of menu screens. The final menu you will find it is under "tapping settings". Overall, a super buy when you consider the rebates I got this with.

excellent value
I purchased this model from a different vendor, but it is the exact same computer. This has got to be the notebook computer with the most value for least cost available right now. For the typical student (like me) this system has more than enough computing power, memory, and cool features. The integrated wireless card is amazing. I got home, turned the computer on and instantly saw that it had located 3 wireless networks that my neighbors were broadcasting. I have my own internet connection, and have since told them that they need more security, but that just shows how well it works. The screen is large and easy to read, and the dvd-cdrw drive is very handy. 512 mb ram makes everything load very fast and allows quick switching between programs.

Highly recommend

Geat all-round notebook.
I am a student (14yrs) and I was shopping around for a laptop for [a certain price range]. I tried dell and hp, but there was no way to get this kind of configuration for this price. Then I found this laptop, and I immediately knew I had to get it. It arrived less than a week after I ordered it on amazon.com. Here are the pros and cons of this laptop:

PROS:

*Performance:
The laptop comes with a 2.2ghzs celron processor, which is more than enough for the average student. It is even very fast at ripping MP3s, which uses a lot of processing power.

*Graphics Card:
The graphics card that comes with this is a 64MB Intel video card. I was blown away by its performance. I turn all the graphics settings in Flight Simulator 2002 to full, and the video still moved smoothly. This graphics card is certainly good enough for the casual gamer, but serious gamers should look elsewhere. (The battery life stinks when playing games though - I only got about one hour when playing NFS III)

*Screen Size:
The screen is huge - almost as big as a 17" CRT monitor. It is also very crisp and clear. I will never go back to those bug bloated blurry CRT screens.

*Weight:
This isn't really a pro or a con - at 6.2lbs, it is neither heavy nor light. A 2.2ghzs Pentium 4 laptop would be about 8lbs (very heavy), but compared to a 4lbs Apple Power Book, this laptop is quite heavy.

*802.11b:
This laptop has an integrated WiFi card. When I bought this laptop, I also bought a USB 802.11b Wireless network adapter for [a price], and in 20 minutes I was surfing the net with no wires attached. Also you can turn of the wireless card to save batteries if you're not using it. Great for surfing the net anywhere in your house.

*Combo Drive:
The integrated CD burner / DVD drive means that you can watch DVDs or burn Cds right from your laptop. This is a great plus for people who want to do everything from there laptop. Now I almost never use my desktop PC.

*Dual Monitor Support:
This is great for people who want to make power point presentations from there laptop. You get a lot more control over the presentation.

CONS:

*Battery Life:
They say you get more than 3 hrs battery life, but don't expect more that 2 and a half hrs of word processing, and even less when watching a DVD or gaming.

*Heat:
The bottom left hand side of the laptop gets very hot . After a about 15mins, it gets too hot to use on your lap. I did find a position where I didn't touch the hot part, so that solved the problem.

CONCLUSION:
This is the best laptop out there for the average student, casual gamer or someone on a budget, but serious gamers, and persons who want a light weight laptop, or lots of battery life should look elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description

Available in thousands of unique configurations, the Tecra continues to be the IT manager's dream, providing hardware and software stability and flexibility, unlike any of its competitors. The Tecra 9100 series notebook is the perfect companion for the enterprise customer looking for a stable, scalable mobile PC platform. Powered by the mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor, the sleek Tecra 9100 is the best portable solution for executives on the move. IT departments praise the innovative design that offers a stable platform and enhanced productivity features. Business users enjoy the freedom of wireless connectivity supporting both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology. ... Read more

Product Description

Integrating the latest cutting-edge mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor into the future-proof Tecra corporate platform concept, the top-of-the-range Tecra 9100 series delivers truly exceptional performance plus long-term platform stability. Incorporating fully integrated wireless connectivity including WLAN, the Tecra 9100 takes investment protection to unprecedented levels.The Tecra 9100's stable platform and superior performance maximizes workforce productivity while minimizing IT expenditures. The Tecra 9100 Series puts comfort, style and convenience at your fingertips with a full-sized keyboard, and strong magnesium casing. Engineered to alleviate IT costs, the Tecra 9100 features the Slim SelectBay design offering multiple choices of optical drives, as well as thousands of possible configurations. ... Read more

Product Description

Toshiba's lightweight Tecra 8200 incorporates Intel's mobile processor offering corporate customers breakthrough performance in a mobile platform. Providing blazing speed that until today has been unprecedented in a notebook, the Toshiba Tecra 8200 delivers outstanding performance to meet the demands of today's mobile professional. Additionally, featuring integrated Wi-Fi technology, Toshiba's wireless notebook enables users to have instant high-speed access to an Ethernet network without the hassle of cords or cabling. The Tecra 8200 Series of portable computers is ideal for medium-to-large sized businesses requiring stable, scaleable solutions that allow them to support multiple configurations throughout the enterprise with a consistent software image and compatible accessories.The design of the Tecra 8200 gives customers the freedom to incorporate the latest technological advancements into their enterprise without having to spend time or money re-qualifying systems. The award-winning Tecra series of notebooks has delivered business customers stable platforms, common components and long product life cycles while lowering total cost of ownership. ... Read more

Product Description

Why let things grind to a halt whenever you leave your desk? Choose a Satellite A45 model with built-in Wi-Fi (802.11g) and take the Internet or network with you! Models offer a choice of Intel Celeron or robust Mobile Pentium 4 processor, CD or DVD burner, and hard drive capacity to 60GB. All models come with Microsoft Office OneNote for enhanced productivity. ... Read more

Product Description

For outstanding functionality at a truly affordable price, look no further than Toshiba's Satellite Pro series portable PCs. They are built to deliver impressive specs together with exceptional value-for-money, an unbeatable price/performance combination that ensures the world's most advanced mobile technology is accessible to every portable computer user.The Satellite Pro series puts the latest performance, multimedia, storage and display technologies within reach. With a number of configurations to choose from, the Satellite Pro series lets you pick and choose which technologies are right for you. The Satellite Pro series offers an incredible multimedia experience. Featuring dazzling graphics, these impressive portables give you much more than you'd expect. For maximum value in multimedia portable computers, nothing else compares. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics
As the junior member of Toshiba's powerful, multimedia-friendly A75 lineup of portable computers, the Satellite A75-S206 Notebook PC shares many of the perks found in its pricier siblings at a more affordable price point. Featuring a 15.4-inch widescreen display perfect for DVD viewing, a potent Intel Pentium 4 processor and all the connectivity you'll need for the latest digital camcorders and cameras, the Satellite A75-S206 is ready for most any remote or home application.

The A75-S209 features a 15.4" Wide-screen XGA Display with TruBrite Technology.

Processor At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massive collection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. Some of today's notebooks are equipped with high-end CPU's on par with those found in top-of-the-line desktop PCs, though these machines are usually noticeably larger and more power hungry than their less powerful counterparts. For the Satellite A75-S206, Toshiba has selected a fast 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 518. This CPU is part of the new second-generation of Intel's potent Pentium 4 series, offering improved power efficiency, extra "Level 2 cache" for quicker access to recently viewed data, and "Hyper-Threading" (a technology that allows a single-CPU system to behave at times like a two-CPU system). Though this is the least powerful processor in Toshiba's high-end A75 lineup, it is nevertheless a very formidable notebook CPU that'll handle virtually anything you can throw its way. Memory Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM). More RAM means faster computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. The Satellite A75-S206 includes 512 MB of RAM, an allotment that's considered quite adequate even if you perform lots of multitasking. The system also allows you to expand to a whopping 1.5 GB of RAM, more than enough for any situation you'll ever come across.

Video
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (or graphics controller). This system's graphics controller is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP with 64 MB of shared video memory. The Satellite A75-S206 will display all 2-D and most 3-D applications adequately.

Display
At 15.4 inches and featuring a widescreen format suitable for displaying DVD movies, the unit's WXGA TFT active matrix display is great for multimedia enthusiasts. The screen's highest supported resolution of 1280 by 800 is superior to the genre's average 1024 by 768, delivering crisp images and lots of fine detail.

Audio
The system features an integrated audio processor that mimics the spatial awareness of surround sound through its two stereo speakers.

Keyboard and Controls
You'll control your notebook via an 85-key keyboard with 12 function keys and a TouchPad pointing device. CD control functions include play/pause, stop/eject, previous, and skip/next.

Connectivity and Expansion
The Satellite A75-S206 offers a wide variety of ways to keep in touch, including a 56K modem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, an RJ-45 Ethernet port for high-speed wired network and Internet, and integrated wireless LAN for cordless e-communication at home, at the office or on the road via a local public hotspot. Other key amenities include three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for fast interaction with plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras, and an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders).

Operating System and Software
Toshiba has fitted the system with today's most widely accepted operating system, Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition.

Dimensions and Weight
Notebook computers are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and weights. Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten or twelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuous traveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements". On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables", super-miniaturized units that typically aren't as powerful as their larger brethren but weigh as little as two lbs and will often fit comfortably inside a large purse. The Satellite A75-S206 is considered quite slim by today's standards, at just 1.1 inches thick. Otherwise, it is of average size at 14.4 by 10.8 inches and 7.7 lbs.

Power
The system is equipped with a 12-cell Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Though you won't experience the long battery life of today's ultra-light notebooks (often powered by super-efficient but less powerful Intel "Pentium M" processors), the Satellite A75-S206 will deliver in excess of 2 hours between charges, an impressive duration considering its level of power. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Some compromise is expected when investing in a "budget" computer. Toshiba's entry-level Satellite 1135-S125 Notebook, for example, definitely isn't a powerhouse. It will, however, suffice for most standard mobile computing tasks, without breaking the bank.

Based upon a 1.8 GHz Intel Celeron processor, the Satellite 1135-S125 clearly sports less raw power than its pricier Pentium 4-equipped Satellite counterparts. Toshiba has matched this CPU with an adequate allotment of 256 MB RAM (expandable to 1024 MB), a 32 MB Intel 852GM graphics chipset and an adequate 30 GB hard drive. Consequently, the system is quite satisfactory for most common business and personal applications apart from high-end games and 3-D animation packages.

Otherwise, the Satellite 1135-S125 is equipped with a multitude of features normally reserved for mid- to high-end models, including a full 15-inch display screen capable of 1024 by 768 resolution. The system's integrated optical drive incorporates DVD-ROM with CD-RW technology to allow you to backup your data, listen to and burn music CDs and watch the latest movies. The integrated keyboard features 85 full-size keys, 12 function keys and a TouchPad pointing device with scroll capability. And if you need future expandability, the Satellite 1135-S155 features two memory slots (both of which may be occupied) and dual PC Card slots.

The long list of connectivity options includes an integrated 56K modem for low-speed e-communications, a 10/100 Ethernet LAN for high-speed Internet and network operations, an S-Video TV-out, a printer port, and a trio of ultra-fast USB 2.0 ports. The system does not include an IEEE 1394 FireWire connection, nor does it permit wireless communication.

The Satellite 1135-S125 is unexpectedly portable at 13 by 11 by 1.7 inches and just 6.8 pounds. Under ideal conditions, battery life is estimated at 3 hours. ... Read more

Product Description

Toshiba's lightweight Tecra 8200 incorporates Intel's mobile processor offering corporate customers breakthrough performance in a mobile platform. Providing blazing speed that until today has been unprecedented in a notebook, the Toshiba Tecra 8200 delivers outstanding performance to meet the demands of today's mobile professional. Additionally, featuring integrated Wi-Fi technology, Toshiba's wireless notebook enables users to have instant high-speed access to an Ethernet network without the hassle of cords or cabling. The Tecra 8200 Series of portable computers is ideal for medium-to-large sized businesses requiring stable, scaleable solutions that allow them to support multiple configurations throughout the enterprise with a consistent software image and compatible accessories.The design of the Tecra 8200 gives customers the freedom to incorporate the latest technological advancements into their enterprise without having to spend time or money re-qualifying systems. The award-winning Tecra series of notebooks has delivered business customers stable platforms, common components and long product life cycles while lowering total cost of ownership. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Blending the functionality of today's top notebooks with the convenience of pen-based input, Toshiba's Portégé 3500 Tablet PC delivers a possible glimpse into the future of mobile computers. Versatile and extremely compact but not particularly powerful when compared to standard portables, the Portégé 3500 is a great fit for those who are handier with a pen than a keyboard and value a truly petite profile.

The unit is most at home when used to enter, store and share notes and concepts that might otherwise be kept in handwritten format. In fact, measuring just 11.6 by 9.2 by 1.2 inches and tipping the scales at a scant 4.1 pounds, the Portégé 3500 is as comfortably portable as a conventional paper-based notepad. Users input data in one of two ways--either by sketching directly on the swiveling, double-duty 12.1-inch poly-silicon TFT color LCD (maximum resolution 1024x768) or via an 84-key keyboard.

Though the Portégé 3500 is not as powerful as a comparably priced notebook, it is faster than many competing tablets. Featuring a 1.33 GHz Intel Pentium III processor-M with enhanced SpeedStep technology for improved battery life, 256 MB SDRAM memory (expandable to a whopping 1024 MB), and a Trident CyberALLADIN-T graphics controller with 16 MB external memory, the unit will easily handle most day-to-day mobile computing tasks and many 3-D apps too. Serious gamers or 3-D artisans should look elsewhere.

Connectivity amenities include an RJ-45 LAN port for network and online access, an RJ-11 modem port for low-speed e-communication, and integrated Wi-Fi compliant wireless LAN support. The system also sports a surprisingly large 40 GB hard disk and facilities for an external CD and/or DVD drive, a pair of ultra-fast USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, an integrated TouchPad, 12 function keys, a speaker and microphone and full 16-bit stereo sound. Battery life is estimated at 3.5 hours under ideal conditions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Everything I needed
I was honestly supprised that this wasn't noticeably more expensive than a conventional laptop. This is really a full-fledged conventional portable (not desktop-replacement) laptop, but the tablet functionality is very convenient for taking notes (diagrams and such), and for reading electronic documents.

As for the comments about tech support, I wouldn't know. I've never had to use it, unlike Dell's friendly but frequently used support. That's a good thing for Toshiba in my book. Only problem I've had with this is a few more dead pixles than I'd like (3 or so).

Terrible Tech Support
Toshiba may make good products, but their support is the worst i have ever come across. They have lost my laptop for over a month now and do not care a lick about it. They're tech support team is in Turkey and they dont care a thing about anybody. They kept hanging up on me and refused to help me saying it will take some time. When i called back- no one knew anything and had zero updates. DO NOT BUY TOSHIBA PRODUCTS! Get a Gateway or Dell instead...two companies that actually care about their customers.

Groovy couch companion, not a full PC replacement.
When my company decided to spring for new laptops for engineers, I jumped at the opportunity to try something a little different. I'm a huge fan of Toshiba laptops in general (more reliable than a Dell, less expensive/pretentious than an IBM) and the 'think in ink' feature set of this baby seemed like a great meeting accessory.

Now, with three months invested, I like it for a totally different set of reasons than why I bought it.

First: It's tiny. And light. One of my new favorite past times is putting it in "tablet" mode, hooking into my apartment WiFi, and browsing Amazon and web comics. It's no paperback novel, but for a few hours of web browsing, it's great. I also use it folded up with a USB bar code scanner for scanning serial numbers on my current project.

Second: It's got a real battery! I think I was unfairly trained to the 30-minute lifespan of my previous (first Clinton-term era) laptop, but this baby gets every minute of the 3.5 hours advertised. The power saving tools are infinitely customizable and never intrusive.

Third: Limited peripherals will set you free. I don't think it's really designed to be your ONLY PC. No floppy. No CD. No DVD. No serial (I got an external USB-to-DB9 adapter since serial consoles are a big part of my job). No parallel. No big freaky docking station jack. Instead, when I'm on the road, I have a Kensington wireless/optical/travel mouse. When I'm at the office, I plug into power and a USB hub that connects me to my iPaq cradle, scanner, external CD drive, and a wired optical mouse. When I'm at home, I'm wireless to my home PC-- that does all my DVD playing, CD writing, and floppy reading for me.

Do I use the writable screen? Heck yeah. There are a lot of times it's easier to email a hand-sketch than do ASCII art or a five paragraph description. A picture's worth a thousand words, etc. Plus, when your lap's just not available, the tablet form factor is a touch of genius. I've passed it around in a meeting when I wanted to be able to update a worksheet on the fly. I'll flip the monitor around backward to show the person opposite me what I'm working on. Have I eliminated the tree-killing scourge of paper from my life? I'd recommend "The Myth of the Paperless Office" if you think it could.

So, if I had to have just one computer... this couldn't be it. But if you're a geek like me, and you're looking for a laptop to be king among your gadgets, toys, and existing computer menagerie, this is your baby.

Make sure its really what youn want
This computer brings many writing/typing fantasies to mind when you read all of the adds and publicity of the tablet pc in general. However, if writing on a computer screen will make you more productive than only typing start shopping. the 3500 did not meet my whimsical fantastic dream, but it has made me more productive and eliminate legal pads of note paper for the rest of my life. ... Read more

Product Description

Toshiba's latest addition to the Satellite Pro family, the 6100 Series is a competitively priced multimedia workhorse ready to tackle the most demanding applications a business user can dream up. Filled to the brim with cutting-edge features, the Satellite Pro 6100 offers integrated wireless technology, Mobile Pentium 4 Processor-M performance, and the fastest 3D mobile graphics on the planet. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stay away from it - 6100 series should be recalled
This would be an excellent desktop replacement notebook. The Satellite Pro 6100 series has serious design flaws and the mainboard and power system has to be replaced every now and then, most after 6 months of use. ...... ... Read more

Product Description

The Satellite A10 is a perfect mobile solution offering the ideal balance between performance and affordability. At a very light weigh, and packaged with capacious HDD and Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor-M or Intel Celeron processor, this addition to the Satellite family is a powerful and stylish computing system. Sporting a metallic blue casing and featuring a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive with a brilliant 15.0" TFT active matrix display make this notebook computer the perfect system for everything from word processing to watching DVDs, or even playing video games. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Basics:
Toshiba's Satellite A55-S326 Notebook PC is a midlevel, cost-conscious mobile computer well suited to private and professional people on the go who value easy portability, efficiency and wireless connectivity. The system does not expertly handle 3D graphics in its stock configuration, so gamers and anyone who works with 3D visuals may need to upgrade its video capabilities or select another Satellite model. But for most common remote and home tasks, the Satellite A55-S326 is a smart solution.

Processor:
At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a miracle of miniaturization that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. Some of today's notebooks are equipped with high-end CPU's on par with those found in top-of-the-line desktop PCs, though these machines are usually noticeably larger and more power hungry than their less powerful counterparts. For the Satellite A55-S326, Toshiba has selected a 1.6 GHz Pentium M 725 processor. Introduced in 2003, the original Pentium M represented a breakthrough in mobile processing technology, offering ultra-efficient battery usage yet a very large (one MB) "Level 2 cache" for more power than the Pentium M's comparatively low clock speeds might indicate. The CPU in this computer is a brand new breed of Pentium M chip, unveiled in 2004 and offering double the Level 2 cache (a stunning two MB) of the already impressive original Pentium M. Though this particular CPU's 1.6 GHz clock speed is one of the lowest in the new Pentium Ms, it is nevertheless a technologically advanced chip powerful enough for all but the most demanding notebook applications.

Memory:
Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM). More RAM means faster computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. The Satellite A55-S326 includes 512 MB of RAM, an allotment that's considered quite adequate even if you perform lots of multitasking. The system also allows you to expand to two full GB, more than enough for any situation.

Video:
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the video card (or controller). This system's video controller is an integrated Intel 852GM chipset with 32 MB or shared (not dedicated) video memory. As such, the Satellite A55-S326 cannot be considered a true graphics powerhouse. Though it will adequately handle most typical mobile 2D programs and undemanding 3D applications such as older games, it won't smoothly render midlevel and high-end 3D graphics. Thusly, serious gamers and 3D artisans may want to steer clear.

Display:
At 15 inches, the unit's XGA TFT LCD display is larger than that of early generation notebooks but is now considered the norm. The screen's highest supported resolution of 1024 by 768 is also typical of current midlevel and even some high-end mobile computers.

Hard Disk:
The Satellite A55-S326 features a solid 60 GB of hard disk space. This is an average size for today's notebooks, offering enough room for general applications and files and a small library of music or multimedia files too.

Optical Drive:
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can watch DVD movies. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can "write" home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more than seven times the storage capacity of a CD). Some drives allow you to do a combination of any or all of these tasks. This system features a DVD-SuperMulti drive, through which you can do everything above in all the current CD and DVD formats.

Audio:
The unit features an integrated audio processor, two miniature stereo speakers and a microphone jack.

Keyboard and Controls:
Toshiba has fitted the system with a standard notebook keyboard and a TouchPad pointing device.

Connectivity and Expansion:
The Satellite A55-S326 offers a wide variety of ways to keep in touch, including a 56K modem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, an RJ-45 Ethernet port for high-speed wired network and Internet, and integrated wireless LAN (Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG-802.11g) for cordless e-communication at home, at the office or on the road via a local public hotspot. The unit also features three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for fast interaction with plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras. An IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders) is not provided.

Operating System and Software:
Toshiba has fitted the system with today's most widely accepted operating system, Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition.

Dimensions and Weight:
Notebook computers are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and weights. Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten or twelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuous traveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements". On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables", super-miniaturized units that typically aren't as powerful as their larger brethren but weigh as little as two lbs and will often fit comfortably inside a large purse. Tipping the scales at 6.1 lbs and measuring 13.3 by 10.7 by 1.4 inches, the Satellite A55-S326 is smaller than today's average yet not so tiny that you'll pay a premium price.

Power:
The Satellite A55-S326 is equipped with a 6-cell Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery that delivers a commendable 3.54 hours of operation under ideal conditions.

... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Toshiba refers to its 2430 series of Satellite notebooks as "the best desktop replacement at a value price," yet the Satellite 2435-S255 is seemingly too compact to be typecast as a desktop replacement. Measuring 13 by 11 by 1.7 inches and weighing just 7.7 pounds, the unit is in fact not as cumbersome as many typical portables. Regardless, the Satellite 2435-S255 is a solid and affordable notebook suitable for most any situation.

Driven by a powerful 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 512 MB of PC2100 DDR SDRAM, and a speedy 533 MHz system bus, the Satellite 2435-S255 is a fast machine designed to efficiently operate most current and future applications. Hard-core gamers should note the unit is equipped with a 32 MB nVidia GeForce4 420 Go graphics controller, which provides more than enough video processing power for most general tasks but isn't ideal for the latest crop of 3-D games.

The Satellite 2435-S255 features two data-handling options--an average-sized 40 GB hard drive for your programs and frequently accessed files, and a DVD/CD-RW drive for loading applications, archiving information, playing movies, and burning audio CDs. In its stock configuration, the unit will not allow you to burn DVDs.

To help you better enjoy your multimedia experience, the Satellite 2435-S255 offers a generous 15-inch, active-matrix display capable of 1,024 x 768 resolution, an integrated set of Harman Kardon speakers, a set of independent CD controls that don't require system boot-up, and a one-touch switch to instantly flip from internal display to TV screen. Other desirable perks include three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for external peripherals, one IEEE 1394 port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, an S-Video out for TV hookups, and a full size 85-key keyboard with 12 one-touch function keys and scroll function. An integrated 56K modem and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network interface ensure connectivity in any situation. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Toshiba Satellite
Read reviews of the Satellite 5100 series. There are more of them and they are relevant to this machine.

I chose the 2435 over the 5105 because it is faster. The lower resolution screen is not a problem. I need prescription lenses to see my other computers and this one works with my usual bifocals. With the right drivers, the screen is very sharp. Not having the Mobile Pentium is not a problem since the battery life is as claimed and the computer runs cool.

The touchpad is awful. The buttons have terrible action and are in the wrong place and will stress your forearm. I ordered a mouse. I have repetitive stress injury and this toucpad hurts. But a touchpad is not a reason to reject a computer.

The parallel, USB, line in, earphone out, PCMCIA, network, and modem connections all work with a wide range of my stuff. I use a USB/SCSI adapter for my legacy SCSI stuff (Scanner, ZIP, Jaz). I can't tell you about the other holes since I have nothing to plug in them.

The speakers are ok but laptop quality. The CD and CDRW work fine. I haven't used the DVD yet and may not use it ever.

The keyboard is good for me. The keys have a medium travel, soft action, definite snap, and crisp feel. I'm a key banger so the clack of the keys is just about right for me.

I installed Win2k immediately. I downloaded the drivers from the Toshiba website and did the full install without hitch. One critical USB driver was missing. I attached the device, asked for a remote driver install, and the right driver was found on the Microsoft site. I wish Toshiba had included this driver. Installation of Win2k and other stuff takes a day and needs a guru.

The battery life is as billed. The power software seems to work. Hibernate and switchoff work, but I have not got standby to work yet. The computer goes into standby ok. When the button is pushed to bring it out, it comes on then switches off. Switchon again then leads to a new boot.

As a laptop some help is needed. Two fans on the bottom suck air in but are plugged with the computer on a lap. I cut a small board to hold the machine on my lap. Before the board, I ran it for a couple weeks and the case stays cool, but I am not a trusting sole and Toshiba put those fans there for a reason. Both fans are quieter than the one on my previous laptop and run less frequently.

Carry weight is critical in a laptop. With everything loaded to go (including the board) this is the lightest laptop I have owned. Certainly it is much lighter than my daughter's Dell 8200 which also is a great machine. However, the 2435 is an all-in-one and that means it is not the lightest laptop around. Most superlight folks I know carry so many extras they are heavier than I am when loaded.

The 2435 worked right out of the box. Win2k went on flawlessly. It is the fastest machine I currently use. I expect it will go about 5 years, just like my previous three laptops. One was carried all over the world for a year. And the 2435 is the second Toshiba I've owned. I have owned the T1100, a generic, and a Compaq Presario 1236. All three were used until they died from my use ... about 5 years each. They all received a huge amount of travel and wear.

I like this machine. I recommend it.

Fantastic
I got this model 2 weeks ago and I've had absoutely no problems -- everything works perfectly. I've had a very different experience from the previous reviewer -- the internal modem not only works, but when I plugged the ethernet cable from my cable modem into the computer, it worked flawlessly without any setup required, which I thought was odd because I thought I'd have to run a configuration CD. But no, it worked from the second I plugged the cable in. The DVD player is great, the CDR-W works flawlessly, the screen is amazing (it's true that in some settings the text can be fuzzy, but if you play with the settings you can get quite a shart picture; also, I haven't had any problems with dead pixels, which is another complaint I've heard), the sound quality is unbelievable for a laptop, and everything runs smoothly and incredibly quickly. The only problem I had -- that webpages with pop-up ads would briefly "hang" the computer when trying to load -- was quickly fixed by a call to the Toshiba service center, which talked me through the problem. (It turns out some of the software utilities Toshiba includes in the standard boot are not very useful; one thing I recommend is to turn off these drivers as soon as you get your system. There's lots of info on this in the Toshiba service message boards.) All in all I'm amazed by what I can do on this machine, and how it's like night and day compared to my old one (a PIII w/128mb of RAM). Highly recommended -- the machine just feels so solid and the performance is awesome.

terrible tech support
Toshiba may make good products, but their support is the worst i have ever come across. They have lost my laptop for over a month now and do not care a lick about it. They're tech support team is in Turkey and they dont care a thing about anybody. They kept hanging up on me and refused to help me saying it will take some time. When i called back- no one knew anything and had zero updates. DO NOT BUY TOSHIBA PRODUCTS! Get a Gateway or Dell instead...two companies that actually care about their customers.

Good Laptop
I like this notebook computer! It works really good. I had it for 3 months now. I only had 1 minor problem with it freezing.
The cd player/cd burner/dvd player works good. If you are looking for a good laptop, get this!

Pretty darn solid
Since I'm going back to College this fall, I decided to get a new laptop. Since I'm a geek, I decided it had to be a good laptop. I had originally focused on the Dell Insprion 8500 with its 15.4" wide screen but after reading several complaints on DellTalk about the quality of the keyboard I decided to keep looking. I then focused on a Toshiba 2455-S305 ... The keyboard is 2nd only to IBM Thinkpad keyboards which IMO are the best period. Don't be fooled by the translucent keyboard. You might think it is a little cheap looking but it is actually quite solid. The keys have good travel and the chassis is rock solid (unlike the Inspiron 8500). I'm a big guy (6'2" 200lbs) but this keyboard was no problem for my larger hands. My wife (5'3" 117lbs) felt the keyboard wasn't a bad size but she of course would like a smaller one. The touchpad isn't bad but I feel they should clearly mark the scroll bars on the bottom and right of the pad. HP puts a small ridge on their Touchpad so you can feel the boarders of the pointer area. That, IMO, is the standard to judge all others. Still, a small laptop mouse is the way to go with all laptops IMO.

Audio and video are somewhat of a mixed bag but are very acceptable. Audio features Harman/Kardon speakers which are the best I've heard on any laptop to date. I listen to a lot of Jazz and I have to credit this laptop for allowing me to hear Harry Connick Jr with the best quality you can get from such small speakers. On the other hand the video could be better. Don't get me wrong, the Nvidia 420 card is excellent and is even handling Ghost Recon pretty well but I would have perferred a higher resolution than 1024x768. That should be the low end resolution on a laptop with a 15" screen. However, I compensated a little by using smaller icon and 8 point fonts. I have 20/15 vision thanks to LASIK so smaller is just fine for me.

There is a wealth of odds and ends on this laptop that would make any Dell green with envy. The Dell 5100 and 1100 laptops don't even have parallel ports. The big pluses for the S255 are the SD card slot, THREE USB 2.0 ports, and a 4 wire IEEE1394 connector. Remember, a 4 wire 1394 port doesn't supply power to anything you connect to it, so devices you buy for this must have their own external power supply. This isn't a biggie since most people are connecting video or digital cameras which have their own power anyways. I only wish they had a Serial port because I need one to work on my router and firewall on occasion. This too isn't a biggie since I purchased a USB to Serial adapter.

All in all I rate this an excellent laptop. It's a good solid buy ... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Jump into tomorrow with the ultra-lightweight--just 2.3 pounds--Toshiba Portege R100 notebook PC. The sleek magnesium case combines a sleek, modern look with the structural strength to withstand the rigors of life on the go. It also offers incredible ergonomic design with its full-sized keyboard and bright 12.1-inch poly-silicon TFT display. The Portege R100 offers Intel Centrino mobile technology--with a 1.0 GHz Pentium M processor--which provides you 54g wireless connectivity and extended battery life. Other features

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The 40 GB Enhanced IDE hard drive is on the small side compared to other notebooks. However, it does offer a decent enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors--but not enough for much multimedia storage.
• Processor: The 1.0 Ghz Pentium M processor is at the low end of speeds compared with other Centrino notebooks (with current speed topping out at 1.7 GHz). Because of itsdesign, the Intel Pentium M gets more done per clock tick than a Mobile Intel Pentium 4, thus providing the discrepency in GHz measurement (i.e., 1.7 versus 3.2). The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It has a front-side bus (FSB) of 400 MHz and a 1 MB L2 cache.
• Memory: This notebook has 256 MB of pre-installed memory (266 MHz, DDR SDRAM), which is calling out for more power right out of the gate. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 1280 MB.
• CD/DVD Drive: This notebook does not include either an optical CD or DVD drive.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook is outfitted with an 84-key keyboard with 12 function keys and a two-button touchpad.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
With its built-in 802.11b mini-PCI network adapter, you'll be able to connect to wireless hubs in your home, office, or while on the road. Note, however, that you'll not experience the fast connectivity speeds of 54g (802.11g) wireless hubs. Due to its small size, the Portege R100 offers a very basic palette of external connections:

• 2 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• 1 Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot

Preloaded System and Software
This Portege R100 notebook comes with the Windows XP Professional operating system (which adds Microsoft's IIS Web server, back-up and recovery utilities, Remote Desktop, and other enhanced business features). Other preloaded software includes Adobe Acrobat Reader and Windows Media Player.

Dimensions and Weight
Measuring 0.7 x 11.3 x 9.0 inches (H x W x D) and weighing just 2.3 pounds, the feather-weight Portege R100 will go with you wherever you may roam.

Power
The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery will provide up to 6 hours of battery life (depending on usage).

What's in the Box
This package contains the Toshiba Portege R100 notebook PC, AC power adapter, and printed operating instructions. It's backed by a 1-year limited warranty. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terrible Tech Support
Toshiba may make good products, but their support is the worst i have ever come across. They have lost my laptop for over a month now and do not care a lick about it. They're tech support team is in Turkey and they dont care a thing about anybody. They kept hanging up on me and refused to help me saying it will take some time. When i called back- no one knew anything and had zero updates. DO NOT BUY TOSHIBA PRODUCTS! Get a Gateway or Dell instead...two companies that actually care about their customers. ... Read more

Product Description

One glance at Toshiba's latest Port�g� portable PCs tells you these are mobile products with a difference: Toshiba engineers have combined ultra-slim, lightweight design with impressive specification to create a range of highly-desirable portable PCs offering superb mobility and power to tackle any task.The Port�g� family is specifically designed for those users for whom ultimate lightweight mobility is just as important as quality, high performance and functionality. With a smaller footprint than an A4 sheet of paper, the Port�g� is ideal for the frequent traveler who refuses to accept a compromise on performance levels. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Whether you're seeking a notebook for business or entertainment, or as areplacement for a desktop system at home, the Toshiba Satellite 5005-S504 is aproduct worth considering. Some of its more appealing features are a 1.1 GHzPentium III processor, a combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, 512 MB of RAM, and a 30 GB hard disk. Also housed in its 6.9-pound,1.8-inch-high case are a 56K modem, a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet NIC, and a 15-inch,active-matrix display with 1,024 x 768 resolution. The system comes with WindowsXP, Microsoft's newest operating system, and the Lotus SmartSuite productivitysuite pre-installed.

... Read more

Reviews (17)

Good Notebook but noisy
Just picked this laptop up.

Pro:

Large 15 inch screen with no pixels burned out
1.1GHZ Pentium III Processor - plenty of muscle
Excellent 16MB Video Card NVIDIA Geoforce 2
30GB Drive - it's nice to have a bigger drive
512mb SDRAM Standard - Great with Windows XP
Great Sound System - with Subwoofer under the unit
Front panel CD/DVD controls
DVD/CDRW Drive in one drive
3 USB Ports + Firewire and BlueTooth - also Ethernet and Modem
Two 3V memory card slots for Digitial camera unloading, etc.
Very nice looking Laptop - Well built

Negatives:
Screen only displays in 1024 X 768 mode - will do virtual modes
(Should have higher full screen resolution for 15 inch screen)
HD is quite slow at 4200 RPM's and mine is very very noisy
Fan is very loud when running
Battery life is only about 1.5 hours
CDR/RW is quite slow at 8X/4X
Quite heavy at almost 7 pounds
No Serial or Parallel ports - but does have 3 USB ports

I really like this laptop but the HD Drive noise is driving me nuts. I'm going to see if I can get it replaced from Toshiba.

If you are looking for a desktop replacement with a lot of horse power - this may be a good laptop for you. If you are looking for something light and quiet - it is not your machine.

Do not buy it!
I purchased this laptop with the understanding that it would out-perform my Compaq Presario 1215 with Windows 95, which is still working perfectly.

When getting the Toshiba, I also purchased the max 4 year warranty. I'm glad I did.

Within the first year, the LCD display went out.

During the 2nd year the hard drive had to be replaced.

Then again during the 2nd year they had to replace the CD/CDRW drive.

During the 3rd year they had to replace the CD/CDRW drive, the System board, the sub-system board, the fan, and several other things.

When I got it back, the CD/CDRW was having a hard time reading the CD's. They assured me that this was normal because they said that this is a slow speed drive.

Even my old Compaq Presario 1215 that I bought in 1996 read's faster.

After putting up with this for a year, I got tired of waiting 5 minutes each time for the CD/CDRW to recognize the CD's.

After sending it back for the 5th time, they accused me of damaging it. I told them that my conclusion was that they either damaged it or that it was damaged during delivery the last time it was fixed. They did replace the CD/CDRW after threatening legal action, in which we are still considering.

Considering that we are a well established Church and the fact that we own several computers and that this Toshiba is in a locked office and has been handled very gently and hasn't gone anywhere except back and forth to Toshiba. I have come to the conclusion that the internal parts in Toshiba laptops are just plain cheap. They never even offered me a new one considering that I purchased it at Best Buy, brand new.

So I strongly recommend avoiding Toshiba. Go with Dell or Hewlette Packard. Dell would be my first choice, then HP since Gateway uses high pressure to get a sale.

Good computer, bad service
This is the second toshiba laptop I've bought, and it sure will be my last.
Toshiba laptops are great - among any laptop owners I've known, I've had very little problems using the product. However, when you do have a problem, the warranty services are horrible.

I've had a few problems with my recent laptop that purchased from the toshiba site online. The DVD CD-RWrom was delivered broken. Also, approximately one year after purchase, my LAN would not work.

I had purchased a 3 year premium warranty when I purchased the laptop. The staff at Toshiba never recorded that information, and it took me weeks tracking myself back to the Toshiba sales representative (the guy that I originally bought the laptop from) in order to get that settled. I was annoyed that Toshiba did not have enough staff base to fix their own problems, but the worse was yet to come.

The 24-hour costumer service staff are extremely polite when they answer your calls. When I called to complain about my broken CD rom, they shipped a box right away via Airborne Express.

It only takes about 5 to 7 business days from the time you make a complain call to receiving the box, sending the box to the Toshiba depot, then getting it sent back to you. However, they NEVER fix your problem. Adding insult to the injury, the feedback form always has some weird comment such as "I ran scandisk on your computer" (did they even read what the problem was??) It took me 12 months, 9 shipping back and forth, and much more calls to the costumer service (which they did always answer politely) until the miserable CD rom finally got replaced.

I refuse to buy another Toshiba product (and I highly recommend others to do so as well) until they improve their warranty services. Warranty servics is not about answering calls politely, shipping things super fast, or providing friendly after-repair comments. It is about getting problems fixed. Toshiba has plenty of service representatives, but severely lacks qualified technicians.

Love it
I love this laptop. I bought it to use as a personal home computer, for working away from the office, quicken, etc. It has been fantastic for that -- a very comfortable keyboard, easy on the hands, and a beautfiful screen that is a delight to the eyes. I miss it when I am at work using my IBM Thinkpad, which is much stiffer and slower. (Back when I had a desktop PC I preferred my Toshiba so much that I brought it to work -- the IBM Thinkpad is at least a tolerable alternative.)

After having a chance to play around with it a bit, I have been so impressed with the audio and video capabilities that I find I use it way more than I have ever used a home computer -- I almost always turn it on when I get home just to play with it. It is blazing fast, it looks and sounds fantastic. I just got a digital darkroom so that I can do my photography on the computer. I watch DVD's on it (it is great for travelling -- I used it to do my favorite yoga tape every day on my last vacation). In short, this laptop is a joy to use. My only complaint is that it is noisy, moreso than my Thinkpad, which makes it not so great for listening to CD's quietly. On the other hand, the speakers are so good that you can listen to CD's loud enough to drown out the hum. It is also gorgeous, sleek and stylish looking with a cool blue cover.

Overall, I have absolutely no regrets about investing in this machine. I have had it for about six months with no problems at all.

Best of the 20 Laptops I've Owned!
I'm a road warrior, travelling 10,000+ miles monthly for the last decade or so. I've owned many many laptops. This is BY FAR the best I've ever used. The Screen Resolution of 1600X1200 changes the way you use your computer. Built in CDR/DVD have been a lifesaver. I haven't missed/or needed any legacy ports (the 5005 doesn't have them)

The Video is fantastic, the Harman/Kardon sound system superior to other laptops, and the 40Gb drive makes carrying 'spares' of CDs and data files routine.

I have NO Complaints about this Toshiba, I've owned Big Laptops, Small Laptops, Name Brand (Sony, Dell, IBM, Compaq, Toshiba, Apple), and no names. This is simply the best I've ever used. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Toshiba Satellite Pro has a list of components that mark it as a strong desktop-replacement contender: a 1 GHz Pentium III processor, 256 MB of RAM, capacious 30 GB drive, and a big 15-inch active-matrix LCD. And don't forget the CD-RW and DVD drives that make it an appealing entertainment system as well. The system has both a modem and network interface, but it won't win any portability awards with its 7.4-pound weight, nearly 2-inch thickness, and 2.5-hour rated battery life. The installed operating system is Windows 98, and the machine comes with Quicken Basic 2001 as well. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Terrible Tech Support
Toshiba may make good products, but their support is the worst i have ever come across. They have lost my laptop for over a month now and do not care a lick about it. They're tech support team is in Turkey and they dont care a thing about anybody. They kept hanging up on me and refused to help me saying it will take some time. When i called back- no one knew anything and had zero updates. DO NOT BUY TOSHIBA PRODUCTS! Get a Gateway or Dell instead...two companies that actually care about their customers.

Love it!
Had the 4600/1Ghz/256/30Gig/DVD/CDRW for about 3 months. Love everything about it. The monitor, keyboard, mouse, network card, modem, CDRW all work flawlesslly. Replaced W98 with Win2k Pro without a hitch. It's fast with a big, bright screen and all the features. Can't really complain about anything.

Toshiba laptops sucks
I bought a PIII-700 Satellite Pro 4300 about 14 months ago. It worked fine for a couple of weeks. However, it has been failing ever since. Once (last year) I returned it to an authorized dealer, and they told me the main board had a general failure, and they replaced it. However it has continued failing (the most annoying problem is that it sometimes resets itself). This is not the whole story. The hybernation mode doesn't work properly: if I close the display for it to hibernate or to be in stand-by, it won't restore. It also has problems with display lens: if I leave it on for a while, the display turns off, and when it turns on after moving the mouse, the display doesn't work well. I called Toshiba's hotline to see if they could replace it, but they refused. You may say I had bad luck....well, I've been finding out that I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. So, I strongly suggest NOT TO BUY TOSHIBA LAPTOPS.

A superb desktop replacement - a little heavy for travel
Speeeed: It's fast, very fast. You won't encounter the usual slowness assiciated with laptops. Toshiba also doesn't clutter the startup with too much software so windows loads up in a snap.
Screen: Nice 15", sharp and clear. Works well with movies too which is a plus cos DVDs will run well
Mouse: Accupoint with 4 buttons (2 assignable - very useful), standard Toshiba fare - I would get an external in any case.
Keyboard: Taking the limitations when dealing with a laptop keyboard, Toshiba have done a good job. The keys are responsive
and well placed (bar the Windows key).
Sound: I was amazed by the qualilty of the sound, it's superb for a laptop though the max volume is not too high. Moviebuffs keep this in mind.
Style: Lovely cover, decent profile. It's not an IMac style beauty, but it's by no means ugly.
Overall: A very good buy, expensive though. ... Read more