Reviews (8)

AWFUL SUPPORT
Bought the 5105-s701 in aug. 2002, it broke down soon afterwards while I was working in Europe.

Toshiba service providers in Europe wouldn't service it, claimed the warranty was not valid in Europe although the warranty booklet that came with the machine clearly states that the warranty is 'valid in the US and overseas when you travel'.

Toshiba warranty center said it's warranty was valid worldwide but that was about all they could do. They couldn't contact the European service provider to sort this out and I tried repeatedly to reach Customer relations at Toshiba HQ but my calls were not returned and emails and letters through regular mail were not answered. Ended up paying for the repairs myself and all further attempts to get it clarified from Toshiba where this warranty is valid have also not been answered.

I'm very dissapointed in this support I got from Toshiba and
it will certainly keep me from buying Toshiba products in the future.

Love it ... right down to "Customer Service"
I've owned my Toshiba Satellite 5105-S701 for more than a month now. I use it in my business, bring it home, travel with it and it hasn't let me down yet. Yes, it does get rather warm but not unbearable for 'laptop' use. Keep in mind the power. I've had two occasions to call customer service. I was completely shocked at the way I was treatd. No long hold time, no computer trainees trying to help. Rather I was speaking with a very nice, very professional customr service rep within 30 seconds. They solved my problems without delay. Both times were operator (my) errors. The display is extremely sharp and bright (unmatched), the speed fantastic, the design - beautiful! Thank you Tosiba for producing such a high quality product backed by high quality service.

Great Replacement
Despite the model being discontinued by Toshiba(the 5105 series was out during early half of 2002), you can still get this through many retailers. Bought this to compliment my aging desktop(a four year old Dell P2-450Mhz) and laptop(another four year old Fujitsu C-series, Pentium Celeron 400Mhz). After a week of use, I can say that this is a great machine at great price.

Check: An UXGA, 15 inch 1600*1200 screen and 512MB of SDRAM, 4200rpm 60GB HDD(formatted: 55GB), along with three USB ports and a FIREWIRE port(!), Nvidia Go videocard with 64MB RAM(!!), WiFi card is already included and comes with a CD-RW/DVD player, has SD card/Smartmedia card slot and an attachable 3.5 FDD. Golly, compare this spec with any DELL/IBM/SONY and you must pay a few hundred dollars more. In addition, this machine can be upgraded to 1GB in terms of memory...not that you can utilize the current memory cards, which consists of two 256MB RAM.

On the down side, it does not have a printer port but with any USB printer, you can use it with ease. I did recognize the screen sometimes blurring due to extreme resolution(you don't get to see resolutions of 1600*1200 in any LCDs that easily: even the 19 inch LCDs are mostly of 1280*1024 resolutions). Also, the screen fonts are too small BUT you can adjust that easily(unlike some people complaining here about that without checking their manuals etc). The HK speakers and subwoofers are nice but sometimes you hear this twitching noise from the speakers, which I have yet to check out. The machine also gets pretty hot on the bottom but also on the front left side. Also, the battery life is short(1.8 hours?) and it is somewhat heavy but not so heavy as, say a DELL 8200 notebook. Also, the mousepad(the C-pad, they call it) is somewhat hard to use at first but it does grow on you with time. However, the C-pad is somewhat tiresome to use for the long term use, so DO GET some mouse(USB).
In terms of performance, I had my two year old MaxPayne game run at the full resolution of 1600*1200 and it runs fine(and never noticed such details before!). Also, with WiFi, the internet is very fast and reception is pretty good. These proved how fast the machine is, and it runs pretty well.

To modify some of the downsides, I'd recommend getting a Toshiba fan software that lets you turn on the fans from websites, get a Targus Coolpad for more natural convection for cooling the bottom part of the machine(the Coolpad also swivels!), and get a wireless mouse(Targus also sells two of these models, both of which are rechargeable and use USB ports). Last, get a big enough bag for carriage but strongly recommend that you get a lightweight fibre bag(i.e. any Targus Urban series bag will do), not a heavy leather ones(that can weigh as much as 5 pounds) for the machine is about 7 pounds heavy. If you still have some dough after these purchases, I recommend that you also get additional battery, which is about one hundred and twenty dollars from Toshiba website.

Overall, a strong performance machine at a bargain price that can do a lot of things and more. Am satisfied that I got this over DELLs, IBMs and Apple notebooks that costs way too much for the same specs.

A portable Desktop
Incredible! When I decide to change my desktop to a laptop I never thought I would get this performance.
Although it gets a little hot sometimes I will not reduce stars because of it. Huge amount of Ram and HD allows me to run three or four heavy programs smoothly. The remote control, that I thought would be useless, has helped me throughout my lectures and seminars. DVD is great, at last a notebook gave graphics what they need: POWER. I gotta say that once in a while when I take a brake to play my favorities 3D-Games,guess what, I can finally do this in my laptop! What a great feature.
It is a little bit heavy so, if you really need to carry it around everyday to everywhere, unfortunally you may choose another one... or giving second thoughts... it is still worth the effort.
If you want to buy a high performance and reliable laptop, go for it! and enjoy! :-)

I am glad I did...
I bought this machine directly from Toshiba and have loved everything about it so far. I hear many complain about the temperature, it does get warm but that is because its clock is rockin'!!! Plus the fan almost never comes on, which means hours of nice quiet operation. I have received many compliments from other laptop owners about how great the screen looks. I have run many different apps on this thing without a single hiccup or crash; Adobe Premier, AutoCAD 2000, Strata 3D Pro, 3D Studio Max, NIST Fire Dynamics Simulator, Office XP, GTA 3, Apache Server, PHP, MySQL... All have run smoothly. It took me a long time to research which machine to buy. After working with this for a few months now, I am sure I made the best choice for the money. BTW, I called DELL and emailed a sales rep there the specs for this machine, The price he quoted me for a comparable dell was ... higher. ... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Whether you're seeking a reasonably priced notebook for business orentertainment, or as a replacement for a desktop system at home, the ToshibaSatellite 1805-S254 is worth looking into. Some of its base features include a 1GHz Pentium III processor, a DVD-ROM drive, 256 MB of RAM (expandable to 512MB), and a 20 GB hard disk. Also housed in its 7.3-pound, 1.8-inch-high case area 56K modem, a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet NIC, and a 14.1-inch, active-matrix displaywith 1,024 x 768 resolution. The system comes with Windows XP, Microsoft'snewest operating system, and the Lotus SmartSuite productivity suite pre-installed.

... Read more

Reviews (39)

I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I HATE IT!
When my parents bought me the satellite for my 17th birthday i was so excited since it was my first personal notebook. Now i am 19 and have suffered the last two years with this peice of junk. I don't even know where to start...first it randomly shuts down for no apparent reason. It constantly locks up when using the internet, my screen freaks out randomly at least a couple times a year to the point where it literally wont show an image, the speakers suck, it's slow as hell and i can't even remember everything else that is wrong with it.
On top of all of this Toshiba itself sucks in the customer service department. My father is now on their "beware of customer" list because he continually calls when the damn thing breaks down and ends up getting people who don't speak english and don't understand anything he is trying to explain. I promise you he and I are both fully capable of explaining a problem. Toshiba's solution has been multiple times to send the computer in for fixing - which i have done at least four times over the last two years.
- One example of Toshiba's poor service: I sent the computer in to fix a dimming screen and on their service sheet, i boldy stated NO to refragmenting becuase of all the saved work i had on it. Well they refragmented it, lost all my work over the last year, and on top of it as my luck would turn the back up CD i had didnt work. Though the CD part was my mistake, i was devestated considering Toshiba shouldn't have lost the work in the first place.
The other reason i hate this thing is that being a college freshmen i have to rely entirely on my computer. SO low and behold this thing decides not to show images on my screen two weeks before my final exams. I was forced to box it up and send it to a repair shop ASAP, in which the computer wasn't returned to me for over a week.
Thanks to Toshiba, i am forever turned off of Toshiba computers. i will never in my ENTIRE LIFE purchase a product from their company and i suggest to those reading this that they do the same. On top of it i am worried that Toshiba has completely turned me away from PCs which i have so dilegently used the last few years...looks like Apple has a new customer. THANK YOU TOSHIBA!

A piece of junk
I kick myself every time I try to use this worthless piece of frustration. I hate it. It shuts down all the time. The sound card doesn't work. Half the time, when it boots up, the screen is black. Keep rebooting, and eventually, it will display and image. I hate it. I hate Toshiba products. I will never ever buy another one. And, of course, all this started immediately after it was out of warranty.

Manufactured with known defect
It seems that toshiba manufactured these machines with a known defect in which the CPU needs to be throttled back in order to keep the laptop from shutting down due to over heating. The cause of this issue is that Toshiba used a desktop CPU (Intel Pentium III) instead of a mobile CPU in these laptops. Toshiba's solution to the problem is a BIOS update which effectively throttles back the clock speed of the CPU and causes some issues with DVD playback. This defect is also present in the satellite 5505 series laptops.

BIOS is NOT the problem
Hey all- I have been following the class-action suit against Toshiba RE: random shut-offs and wanted to correct something that another reviewer asserted. In the "one bad apple..." review, the reviewer asserts that the BIOS fixes offered by Toshiba will correct this problem. This is a truth wrapped in falsehood. The BIOS fix WILL prevent this problem from occuring, but it is because it prevents your computer from running at its advertised speed. To say this is a solution is insane. All it suggests is that you should have bought a cheaper, slower computer to begin with. Do NOT confuse the BIOS fix as a real fix. Do not buy this computer. Also, do not buy a Satellite 5005-series or 1900-series. Same deal. Viva le lawsuit!

Just a note...
I am one of many with the famous Toshiba laptop overheat-and-shut-down problems. I just wanted to point out- since someone dismissed this problem as being easily correctible- it is NOT. updating BIOS was a clever trick by Toshiba to deflect the problem- not fix it. The BIOS fix merely SLOWS your computer down so that the processer produces less heat. However, it means that the user wasted a lot of money on a fast chip they cannot use. do not buy this computer (or the 1900 series) and expect to run it at the speed you were promised. Hell it may not run at all. Mine shuts down when i load some acrobat files, use Word, burn Cds, etc. i'm furious! right now, as I type, I have TWO ice packs on this piece of plastic and yet it has already shut-off twice in the last hour. I'm not kidding. this is not a whiny-- why isn't my computer perfect?-- complaint. I cannot use many Cd-roms, I cannot watch dvds AT ALL (meaning $ wasted on that drive), I cannot watch streaming video. I cannot even write a term paper without expecting a shut-off or two. No joke. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring Intel's Centrino technology, which among other benefits incorporates embedded wireless support, reduced battery consumption, and a hearty 1 MB of CPU Level 2 cache for enhanced performance and multitasking, Toshiba's new Satellite M20-S257 Notebook is versatile, moderately powerful and packed with perks--all this at a palatable price point.

At the heart of the Satellite M20-S257 is a 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium M CPU. Toshiba has augmented this capable yet cost-effective processor with 256 of PC2100 DDR memory and an integrated Intel 855GM graphics controller with shared (not dedicated) video memory. Not the best setup for demanding business or graphic applications or 3-D games, the unit is nevertheless powerful enough for most day-to-day remote and mobile computing tasks.

Featuring a 30 GB hard disk, the Satellite M20-S257 offers adequate permanent storage space for most users but not enough for avid collectors of video footage or MP3s. The system's removable DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive allows you to archive data, burn and play audio CDs and watch the latest movies, but does not permit DVD writing.

At 12.4 by 10.8 by 1.5 inches and 6 pounds, the Satellite M20-S257 is comfortably petite. Inside, you'll find desirable amenities such as a full-size 85-key keyboard with HotKey function, an AccuPoint II pointing device with scroll function, and a 14.1-inch TFT active-matrix display screen capable of 1024 by 768 resolution. Other goodies include two high-speed USB 2.0 ports for external peripherals, integrated stereo speakers, a full duplex sound card that supports 3-D sound and two memory slots (both of which may be occupied).

Connectivity options include integrated 802.11b Intel PRO/Wireless, a 10/100 Ethernet LAN port, and a low-speed 56K modem. Battery life is estimated at 3:42 with one battery and 6:48 with two. To help you get started, Microsoft Windows XP Pro is pre-installed. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

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.

Hey, it's a TOSHIBA!
I wouldn't buy a laptop from anybody else, have always had a great experience with them.

Personally I prefer a Toshiba Tecra S1, it has 32MB of dedicated video memory on a Radeon ATI card whereas this one has shared video memeory, and tons of different connections and expandability options.

But still way better than some crappy HP or Compaq or Sony, my IT friends all report that those have the most repairs by far.

Hint: buy extra memory from Dell, it's a snap to install yourself and will save you $$$. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Although it isn’t the most powerful portable on the market, the Toshiba Satellite 1415-S173 notebook will effectively handle most day-to-day computing tasks and a variety of multimedia applications without breaking your bank account. If you don’t have a compelling need for the most recent top-of-the-line components, the 1415-S173 is a wise choice.

Toshiba takes advantage of the recent glut of high-end processors by utilizing a cost-effective yet very capable 1.8 GHz Intel Celeron. It has paired this CPU with 256 MB of PC1600 DDR SDRAM (expandable to 512 MB), a 400 MHz system bus, and a 16 MB nVidia Go 420 graphics controller. While this level of performance won’t be enough to satisfy 3-D artisans or hard-core gamers, it's more than enough for most standard notebook purposes.

The 1415-S173 isn’t just for business either. Using its multifunction DVD/CD-RW drive, you can watch a movie or play a music CD, burn your own compilation audio disc, or archive your important files. Whatever you do, the system’s generous 15-inch TFT active-matrix display will capably render your images at resolutions up to 1,024 x 768.

You’ll find lots of other goodies inside the unit’s 12.8-by-11.2-by-1.7-inch, 8-pound frame, including a full-size 85-key keyboard, 12 one-touch Internet and multimedia buttons, a convenient touchpad pointing device, a sizable 30 GB hard disk, and a convenient 3.5-inch floppy disk drive. The system features a wide variety of connections, including three USB ports for plug-and-play peripherals, two multipurpose PC card slots, a 56K modem for low-speed connectivity, and 10/100 Ethernet support for high-speed surfing and e-mail access.

Toshiba has equipped the 1415-S173 with a broad range of popular software, including Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works, Intuit Quicken Basic 2001, and Norton AntiVirus 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Awesome
This machine is awesome for its price! I bought it 2 weeks ago and I'm very satisfied so far. Although the 1415-S173 features a Celeron, the 'lite' chip from Intel, it has a full 256 KB of L2 cache so its performance nearly matches those of the far more expensive Pentium 4 chips (since until 'Northwood' core arrived, P4s featured 256 KB L2 caches). Besides, the processor is a mobile battery-friendly chip.

The laptop's hard drive is pretty fast and spacious; its DVD/CDRW unit works flawlessly and is among the less noisy units I've ever seen. It burns CDs at a 24X speed! DVD or DIVX reproduction is as smooth as a silk (not to mention DIVX encoding, is fast!). Ok, it has 'only' 16 MB of video memory but' those are real MB, not shared ones, so their performance is a way better if compared to most laptop graphics within the price range. Also, the graphics chip, which is what really makes the difference, is a speedy GeForce 4 Go 420! (NOT an ATI M6-C). This machine shines in games (they look gorgeous in its huge and bright 15' screen), even in some newer ones like NFS 6 or Unreal Tournament 2003 (maybe it doesn't matches the standards of high end desktop graphics of course, but those titles were still perfectly playable).

My only complaint about this machine is its weight' you should have strong shoulders if you want to carry it around. However, I still give it an A+

Good mobile desktop - one of the best in this price range
This is a very good machine for users looking for a mobile desktop. It has all the key features for a mobile desktop: powerful Intel CPU, DVD, CD-RW, 15" screen, plenty of RAM and HDD space.

The CPU was built by Intel to be used in desktops, not notebooks; that mean it uses more power and runs a little hotter. Toshiba has been using desktop CPU in their low cost machines because they cost less. If (like many users) you tend to plug your notebook in and use it at a desk, then this is a pretty good deal. If you are looking for a thin, light, long life notebook that will sit on your lap for long periods, then this isn't the machine for you (those machines are much higher up the price ladder).

The graphics on this notebook are okay, but they won't run newer 3D games very well. They are great for moderate gaming, CAD work, or watching DVDs. In all fairness there are very few notebooks in this price range that have 3D gaming quality graphics. The HP xt125 is an exception to this rule if you really want a gaming capable notebook (it has it's own tradeoffs like a 14" screen). If you "want it all" you will have to spend a bit more money.

This is a low cost notebook so you don't quite get everything. The quality of the components is good, but not first rate, the battery life isn't a long as more expensive offerings, and this isn't a notebook built for hardcore gamers. But if you want a powerful computer you can carry around with a large screen, then you won't find many that compare in this price range.

Toshiba Satellite 1415-S173, is my favourite
toshiba satellite is one of the best product to i ever like in the whole of my life. The toshiba note book is the best in which all person should afford to buy. But in Nigeria to even get one of this laptop, it is very difficult for me myself to get it and i want you amazon company to consider me and bring the price lower so that i can buy it.

Mouse Crashes after Hibernation
When waking the computer after hibernation mode, the built in mouse no longer works unless the computer is rebooted, which is tricky to do without a mouse.

For the money, more than you would expect.
After having it almost a year, I had to leave a review as a testimony to Toshiba. I have never regretted buying this machine. Excellent! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Loaded with appealing features, the Toshiba Satellite 1805-S274 is worthconsidering for those seeking a business, entertainment, or desktop replacementnotebook. Just look at what this competitively priced system offers: a PentiumIII processor clocked at 1.1 GHz, 256 MB of RAM (expandable to 512 MB), a 15- inch, active-matrix flat panel screen with 1,024 x 768 resolution, and a built- in DVD-ROM drive. Also featured is a 20 GB hard disk, a 56K modem, and a 10/100Mbps Ethernet NIC. To round out this versatile package, Toshiba has pre- installed Windows XP, Microsoft's new operating system that combines thestability of Windows 2000 with better support of peripherals and games.

... Read more

Reviews (39)

I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I HATE IT!
When my parents bought me the satellite for my 17th birthday i was so excited since it was my first personal notebook. Now i am 19 and have suffered the last two years with this peice of junk. I don't even know where to start...first it randomly shuts down for no apparent reason. It constantly locks up when using the internet, my screen freaks out randomly at least a couple times a year to the point where it literally wont show an image, the speakers suck, it's slow as hell and i can't even remember everything else that is wrong with it.
On top of all of this Toshiba itself sucks in the customer service department. My father is now on their "beware of customer" list because he continually calls when the damn thing breaks down and ends up getting people who don't speak english and don't understand anything he is trying to explain. I promise you he and I are both fully capable of explaining a problem. Toshiba's solution has been multiple times to send the computer in for fixing - which i have done at least four times over the last two years.
- One example of Toshiba's poor service: I sent the computer in to fix a dimming screen and on their service sheet, i boldy stated NO to refragmenting becuase of all the saved work i had on it. Well they refragmented it, lost all my work over the last year, and on top of it as my luck would turn the back up CD i had didnt work. Though the CD part was my mistake, i was devestated considering Toshiba shouldn't have lost the work in the first place.
The other reason i hate this thing is that being a college freshmen i have to rely entirely on my computer. SO low and behold this thing decides not to show images on my screen two weeks before my final exams. I was forced to box it up and send it to a repair shop ASAP, in which the computer wasn't returned to me for over a week.
Thanks to Toshiba, i am forever turned off of Toshiba computers. i will never in my ENTIRE LIFE purchase a product from their company and i suggest to those reading this that they do the same. On top of it i am worried that Toshiba has completely turned me away from PCs which i have so dilegently used the last few years...looks like Apple has a new customer. THANK YOU TOSHIBA!

A piece of junk
I kick myself every time I try to use this worthless piece of frustration. I hate it. It shuts down all the time. The sound card doesn't work. Half the time, when it boots up, the screen is black. Keep rebooting, and eventually, it will display and image. I hate it. I hate Toshiba products. I will never ever buy another one. And, of course, all this started immediately after it was out of warranty.

Manufactured with known defect
It seems that toshiba manufactured these machines with a known defect in which the CPU needs to be throttled back in order to keep the laptop from shutting down due to over heating. The cause of this issue is that Toshiba used a desktop CPU (Intel Pentium III) instead of a mobile CPU in these laptops. Toshiba's solution to the problem is a BIOS update which effectively throttles back the clock speed of the CPU and causes some issues with DVD playback. This defect is also present in the satellite 5505 series laptops.

BIOS is NOT the problem
Hey all- I have been following the class-action suit against Toshiba RE: random shut-offs and wanted to correct something that another reviewer asserted. In the "one bad apple..." review, the reviewer asserts that the BIOS fixes offered by Toshiba will correct this problem. This is a truth wrapped in falsehood. The BIOS fix WILL prevent this problem from occuring, but it is because it prevents your computer from running at its advertised speed. To say this is a solution is insane. All it suggests is that you should have bought a cheaper, slower computer to begin with. Do NOT confuse the BIOS fix as a real fix. Do not buy this computer. Also, do not buy a Satellite 5005-series or 1900-series. Same deal. Viva le lawsuit!

Just a note...
I am one of many with the famous Toshiba laptop overheat-and-shut-down problems. I just wanted to point out- since someone dismissed this problem as being easily correctible- it is NOT. updating BIOS was a clever trick by Toshiba to deflect the problem- not fix it. The BIOS fix merely SLOWS your computer down so that the processer produces less heat. However, it means that the user wasted a lot of money on a fast chip they cannot use. do not buy this computer (or the 1900 series) and expect to run it at the speed you were promised. Hell it may not run at all. Mine shuts down when i load some acrobat files, use Word, burn Cds, etc. i'm furious! right now, as I type, I have TWO ice packs on this piece of plastic and yet it has already shut-off twice in the last hour. I'm not kidding. this is not a whiny-- why isn't my computer perfect?-- complaint. I cannot use many Cd-roms, I cannot watch dvds AT ALL (meaning $ wasted on that drive), I cannot watch streaming video. I cannot even write a term paper without expecting a shut-off or two. No joke. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Similar to Toshiba's stunning P25 series of high-end notebooks but sporting a smaller profile, marginally downgraded components and a more affordable price point, the Satellite P15 series is a good solution for power-hungry users who just don't want the added weight and expense of a full-blown mobile "desktop replacement". This particular unit, the top-of-the-line Satellite P15-S470, features upscale amenities such as DVD burning, wireless networking, a wide-screen display and more than enough graphics power to handle many of today's most demanding 3-D games.

Though not nearly as petite as some of today's ultra-light notebooks, the P15-S470 is nevertheless comfortably portable at 14.2 by 10.8 by 1.7 inches and just 8 pounds Inside, Toshiba has equipped the unit with a potent 3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor featuring Intel Hyper-Threading Technology for more efficient CPU usage. The system's power section also features a lightning fast 800 MHz bus, 512 MB of PC2100 DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to a full 2048 MB) and an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics controller with a very useful 64 MB of dedicated (not shared) video memory. Even in this stock configuration, the system will handle most anything you can throw at it, be it 2-D or 3-D in nature.

The P15-S470 sports a sizeable 15.4-inch widescreen display screen capable of dazzling 1280 by 800 resolutions. With this widescreen format, you can watch DVD movies the way they were intended, without black borders or chopped images. The system's 60 GB hard drive is quite large for a portable computer, and its versatile DVD-R/-RW/CD-RW optical drive allows you to listen to and burn audio CDs, archive your data, watch DVD movies, record home videos to DVD format, and utilize both DVD+ and DVD- formats.

Other critical features include an IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, a trio of high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals such as scanners or external drives, an S-Video TV-out, two memory slots (both of which may be simultaneously occupied), and an impressive variety of interior and exterior one-touch controls. Communication facilities include 802.11wireless networking, 10/100 Ethernet LAN and an integrated 56K modem.

Toshiba has loaded the P15-S470 with a solid roster of software that includes Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Intuit Quicken New User's Edition 2004, Microsoft's Works 7.0 productivity suite, and a variety of multimedia and Internet utilities. Maximum battery life expectancy is average at approximately 2 hours. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Futuristically styled in a sleek silver chassis, the Toshiba Satellite M35-S359 Notebook PC is a nifty amalgamation of the features most important to the majority of portable computer users. Powerful but not at the expense of added weight or an inordinately steep price tag and sporting such amenities as integrated wireless connectivity and a widescreen display, this is a great unit for personal, leisure, and midlevel business applications.

Measuring 14.1 by 10.6 by 1.4 inches and weighing just 6.2 pounds, the Satellite M35-S359 Notebook is rather wide but comfortably slim and quite portable. Toshiba has based the system on Intel’s Centrino technology, whereby three interconnected elements -- an Intel Pentium M CPU (with 1 full GB of Level 2 cache), an Intel 855 chipset, and a cord-free network connection -- work together to keep your notebook lightweight, wirelessly connected, power efficient, and faster than its rated CPU speed might indicate. Driven by a 1.4 GHz Pentium M CPU, 512 MB RAM memory (expanadable to 2 full GB) and a nVidia GeForce FX graphics controller with 32 MB of dedicated video memory, the unit is ready for most typical 2-D and 3-D tasks, including midlevel 3-D games and 3-D graphic design apps.

The Satellite M35-S359 Notebook features adequate storage in its 40 GB hard disk and support for CD burning and DVD playing via its CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive. Other welcome amenities include a generous 15.4-inch widescreen capable of super-clean 1280 by 800 resolution, an 85-key keyboard with 12 hotkeys, a TouchPad pointing device with scroll function, and integrated harman/kardon stereo speakers.

With the Satellite M35-S359 Notebook, communication options are virtually limitless. In environments with wired connections, you can select from a 56K dial-up modem or high-speed 10/100 Ethernet LAN. When hardwiring is a problem, you can stay in touch via an IntelPRO/Wireless 2100 LAN. Other key components include three fast USB 2.0 ports, a single IEEE 1394 port for interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, an S-Video TV–out, and an infrared port. Maximum battery life is estimated at 3.4 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Toshiba Satellite M30-SY39
This is a review for the Toshiba Satellite M30-SY39. In appearance, it's identical to the M35-S359. But the specs are quite different. It has a PM-1.6 GHz chip instead of 1.4GHz, and has a DVD-RW instead of the DVD/CD-RW.
I've had this computer for a month now, and apart from one or two small niggles, I find it a joy to use.
PROS:
* The screen is AMAZING!!!
* I have a lot of files that I need to backup. Previously, I'd use 4 CD-RW disks each time I backed up. It only takes me one DVD-RW now! :)
* I recently tested the wireless capability of this computer at a Wi-Fi enabled cafe. It worked flawlessly.
* The Microsoft OneNote software that's pre-installed on this computer is very handy. I'm finding it to be a godsend during meetings. I guess it doesn't really have anything to do with Toshiba, but I'm glad they decided to bundle it with this computer, as I doubt I would have purchased it separately.
* I have a Pentium IV 2.4GHz desktop with 768 Meg RAM at home. I'm finding that my laptop sometimes "seems" faster than my desktop comp. I'm not sure if this is the case, and I can't be bothered to do benchmarks. :-P
CONS:
I just have one...the KEYBOARD!!!
Whoever designed it should be made to use it for life! :-P
I tend to use the right CTRL key a lot, and the fact that it's not there makes my typing life a bit of a chore at times...And why the INS and DEL keys are placed right next to the SPACEBAR is beyond me. Toshiba really should've provided a standard keyboard on this laptop, since there's more than enough space.

All in all though, apart from the imaginative keyboard design, I love this laptop, and will enjoy using it for quite some time.
Although you people in the US don't have this higher spec model, I'd nonetheless recommend this computer to anyone.

An Ideal Mix or Portability and Power
I gave up multiple desktops a couple of years ago in favor of a single powerful laptop, but paid a price in terms of weight and battery life. I stayed with my last Toshiba Satellite 2805-S402 for years because it was such a reliable, solid workhorse. But, I needed to move up and must have purchased and returned at least five top-if-the-line laptops from several manufacturers (including a slick Sony TR2) before finding the Toshiba Satellite M35-S359. I've used it at least ten hours a day, every day for the last three months and am very satisfied with its construction, performance, screen and price. I'm very, very hard on a portable and, so far, this one stands up to my punishment and still shines.

A few pluses: Notwithstanding one other reviewer's comment, my machine feels very solid, almost like a rigid metal structure. It's lighter than its predecessor, with a generously sized keyboard (though I do miss a right CTRL key and keep hitting the @#$% Ins key! The complement of ports (3 USB 2.0 and one Firewire, plus IR, S-Video and a legacy parallel port) and features is ideal for me. I really enjoy the SD card reader since it matches the format of my digital cameras. I'm always giving speeches with PowerPoints and the M35-S359 handles projector connection and porting video output with ease. The 802.11b reception is reasonably good (perhaps too good, as it keeps picking up my neighbor's network 100 yards away). The metallic silver finish looks terrific and the case fits well into standard laptop cases (a problem for many other thicker widescreen models). The sound is great--not the subwoofer quality of my former Toshiba, but very bright and crisp, with little distortion even when cranked up to max volume) It even sounds good with the cover closed. Port placement is sensible, though I don't understand the decision to put the parallel port behind its own little plastic door. I'm always concerned those plastic doors will going to break off someday. To its credit, the door latches solidly, so I'll need to be really careless to lose it.

A few quibbles: The keyboard layout is`unnecessarily odd, but it's not a big problem. I miss the Touchpoint (eraserhead) pointing device, but you get used to those flat panel things that virtually every laptop now uses. The system runs hot on the bottom front left quadrant, but at least the fan discharges hot air out the side and not the back. My last Toshiba's rear fan occasionally left me feeling medium-rare. My biggest complaint--and it's pretty trivial--is that the volume control wheel is mounted horizontally across the front edge of the system so it's easy to inadvertently raise the volume if you use the laptop atop your lap. I compute in bed while my wife is sleeping, so the volume accidently creeping up to max is more a concern for me that perhaps for others.

More Positives: The screen is very bright and, unlike some other models, easy to adjust as needed. Battery life is adequate and DVD performance is pleasing. In summary, this model is handsome, solid full-featured and not overweight. A very, very pleasing buy.

Mouse pad and front left of the computer gets heated
If you buy this model or something closer to this model please know that it gets heated. I have Sony laptop. It is very cool. Similar heating problem was there with a Dell laptop (12.1" screen) that I had earlier. I thought Toshiba should not have this problem. No professional review tells about this. After buying the computer only, I saw another customer in this page has already written about it. The key board also gets heated up. I don't feel very comfortable working under such a heat.

good looking and user friendly !
This is my first review. I got this laptop M35-S359 from Best Buy for a good deal.This laptop looks sexy and i really love to see movies in it. it has got lot of user friendly features like SD card port(useful if you have digital camera), IR port(useful if you have cell phones like nokia 3650), volume control etc.
The only bad part i don't like is, the whole bottom part heats up and it is hot. i don't know whether this will be problem to electronic components in the long run. They could have compromised the size a little bit for this.
overall iam satisfied with this notebook.

my experience
I'm a software developer / musician and I'm good at breaking Windows. I've had this laptop for about a month, and I absolutely love it. It's the first name brand (and non-pieced together from individual components) system I've ever owned. I was considering one of the Pentium 4 15.4" systems or a 17" display, but the battery life on those was unacceptable. I liked the appearance of this one better anyway...it's very sleek and attractive. And now for the actual review..... It took me about 5 minutes to take it out of the box, power it up, and start surfing the internet WiFi style through my DSL line with a Linksys wireless access point. Seriously, it was simple. I noticed that some people were complaining about the WiFi being 802.11b compliant instead of 802.11g. That shouldn't be an issue for anyone who just wants wireless internet access, since 802.11b (54 Mbps) is faster than any residential internet service out there (most are around1.5 Mbps). After testing it out a little, I upgraded the OS to XP Pro. It was not a smooth upgrade, and I ended up rendering the system unusable. So I formatted the hard drive and installed XP Pro from scratch and re-installed all the drivers, service packs and bundled apps that I wanted. Toshiba includes a DVD that lets you either do a full from-the-factory system restore or install any included apps individually. Thanks to Toshiba for that....I like to know exactly what is installed on my system and not have any traces of things that I don't want, and I hear that some companies do not provide separate software installations for people to do that. I had to call tech support to find out how to access the BIOS (to boot from the CD), since that info wasn't in any documentation. Once I got through (after waiting about 45 minutes), the person on the other end told me what I needed to know right away (Press F2 at boot in case you were wondering). I called support one other time (the contrast adjustment seemed to have a mind of it's own....it was because of a power saver setting) and got through much faster, and once again the Toshiba tech was helpful and speedy. I spent the first 3 days mostly installing and configuring things, and since then it's been running really smooth...probably better than if I had kept the factory installation. I'm running MS Visual Studio .NET with IIS and the SQL Server desktop engine...no complaints about performance. Photoshop runs well too. Everything about this system is awesome, except....It doesn't have a stereo line in (I'm gonna get a USB audio interface) and it feels very fragile (like if it were dropped it might explode into a hundred pieces). Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Marketed primarily as an ideal tool for business power users, Toshiba's A20 and A25 series of Satellite notebooks blend high-end processors with solid battery life, average 3-D performance and integrated wireless communication. At the budget end of the A25 lineup is the Toshiba Satellite A25-207, which shares many of the upscale traits of its pricier peers but lacks a few of the bells and whistles and offers a more affordable price point.

Driven by a powerful 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor (512 KB Level 2 cache) and 512 MB of DDR SDRAM memory, the Satellite A25-207 is no slouch when it comes to raw speed. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find any 2D application it couldn't easily handle. As for games and other demanding 3-D tasks, the forecast is not quite so rosy. With 32 MB of shared (not dedicated) video memory, the integrated Trident CyberBlade XP2 graphics chipset simply isn't fast enough to guarantee smooth frame rates during ultra-complex 3-D rendering.

Measuring 13.4 by 11.6 by 1.9 inches and 7.9 pounds, the unit is substantially smaller than most notebooks manufactured before the turn of the millennium but slightly above average when compared to today's ultra-compact models. It does, however, feature a large 15-inch XGA TFT display and a variety of welcome amenities, including a full size 85-key keyboard with 12 function keys and a TouchPad pointing device, three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, and a trio of communication options--wireless 802.11b LAN, 10/100 wired LAN, and a low-speed 56K modem.

In its stock form, the Satellite A25-207 does not incorporate a FireWire port (often used for digital camcorder connectivity), nor does it permit the burning of DVDs. An integrated 40 GB hard disk handles data storage duties, and a combination DVD/CD-RW drive facilitates file archiving, audio CD listening and burning, and DVD movies. According to independent testing, estimated battery life is a commendable 3 hours, 18 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

JUNK the worst computer known to man!
This is a company computer and it is JUNK! I have a Dell desk top at work and an Apple ibook for home use so I know both O/S. My Dell at work is a solid machine! Not bad for windows based computer. This Toshiba is not worth squat! It is a junk slow piece of crap that could be best used as a boat anchor!

If you want a lap top GO WITH APPLE the new O/S 10 Linux based is superior to anything Mr. Gates could even dream of plus you don't have to worry to much about viruses!

The apple ibook is superior to all laptops except the Power book which is in a class by itself.

A good laptop for the price
I spent 3 months looking around for my first computer. Budget constraints and value for money were important considerations. After looking at laptop deals and incessantly waiting for a great laptop deal from Dell (some of which I missed), I decided to go for an IBM G-Series/Toshiba 207/307. According to some of the user forums and ratings, IBM and Toshiba laptops were rated among the best. I dont profess to be a computer expert. And all my views are as a result of seeing several laptop models and info websites, and comparing features.

The IBM G-series costed more and had less features than this model (esp. RAM). The 307 model had a DVD writer and some superior features like higher hard disk space, superior broadband wireless etc for a great price. But, I thought it best to wait until the market settles for one of +/- R&RW DVD writers. Comparing features/price available on the laptops, I finally decided to settle for the Toshiba A25-207.

Like one of the other reviewers, I got this notebook using free, standard shipping in just 2 days. Thank you Amazon for your prompt delivery.

Pros:
Good value for money, nice screen, good battery life, good picture quality. I like the design and its ergonomic features esp. slightly off-center touchpad.

Cons:
Heavy as should be expected from a desktop replacement.

Some of Toshiba's competitors have superior resolution LCD screens viz. SXGA and UXGA in their laptops. Still, the current XGA TFT is better in a Toshiba laptop than some of the others that I had looked into.

The placement of keys in the keyboard is not exactly to my liking. I guess I will get used to it in time.

The latch that shuts the notebook while unobtrusive seems to be flimsy.

Has 3 USB ports placed next to each other at the back. Would have preferred if two were placed at the back and one/two on one of the sides.

I dont know why Toshiba went back to the shared,integrated VRAM. Some older Toshiba models had 32 MB of NVIDIA GEFORCE RAM, not integrated!

Overall, this is a great laptop, especially for the price I paid.

Horrible Company
Toshiba is the worst company and manufacturer of notebook computers. I purchased a Satellite 3005 Notebook just over one year ago and have had nothing but trouble. It was the worst $...investment ever. Here is my list of issues and repair attemps leading to my frustration:

§Restored system to previous date
§Two complete system restores
§Four replaced CD drives
§IInstalled updated display driver
§Replaced system board
§Installed updated BIOS
§Replaced battery (not covered on warranty).

Their costomer service, support, and warranties are a joke. They only use poorly refurbished replacement parts to repair their poorly manufactured products. Stay away from Toshiba.

Best all around laptop for a business owner
I shopped around for the perfect laptop for over a year. I previously used laptops that were whimpy compared to the desk tops that I use to manage my small business. So to put it in one sentence, I was skeptical about finding the perfect laptop.

Much to my surprise, the Toshiba A25-207 proved to be the perfect lap top for my needs. The laptop came with free software that saved me money. It also had a battery life that was more than ample for my needs during those short layovers in airport terminals. And best of all, it came with all the appropriate connections needed for the devices that I require to analyze data and generate reports.

This laptop has saved me alot of time and money. Thank you Toshiba for building such a great laptop.

Thank you Amazon!
After a lot of research and waiting for price drops, especially on Dell and Sony, I decided to go with Toshiba. Then I found a great deal on Amazon. Final price without tax or shipping is lower than from Best Buy or Circuit City (and don't have to wait for the store rebate). Plus I got a set of accessories for free, and rebate (free) on a backpack. But perhaps the most impressive thing was that I ordered this notebook on Sep. 16, using free, standard shipping, and got it on Sep 18 !!! Almost too good to be true.

About the computer, so far so good. Quiet, fast. One thing I have to warn you is that this computer is set to "hibernate" when you close the display panel, meaning that it will shut down. I'm not very familair with notebook computers so I don't know this, and the computer doesn't come with the manual, causing a little frustation trying to solve the problem. So I found out that you to push the on/off button long enough to boot it back on. I almost thought I got a defective one.

It's a little heavy like other reviewers said. Screen is better than I thought (but maybe not for large 3D games). Speaker is ok, standard. Should include a manual instead of a user guide file(because if you can't get the computer to start, how can you read it!??). But if you plan to use it as a desktop replacement, it's looks and feels sturdy enough, and I trust Toshiba, in terms of reliablity. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Is your heart set on a multimedia-ready mobile computer offering a hard-charging processor, sublime graphics, rich stereo sound with built-in subwoofer, and a large ultra-high-resolution display, all in a compact package? The Toshiba Satellite 5205-S703 notebook PC delivers.

A 2 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor-M provides premium 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. A 60 GB hard drive offers cavernous data and multimedia content 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 Harman Kardon stereo speakers with subwoofer 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 5205-S703 includes a 15-inch UXGA active-matrix display that, coupled with an NVIDIA GeForce4 460 Go graphics controller and 64MB 250MHz DDR external video memory, supports up to 16 million colors at 1600 X 1200 resolution.

The 7.1-pound, 12.9-by-11.6-by-1.8-inch 5205-S703 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 three USB 2.0 interfaces, a TV-out interface, a FireWire interface, and a secure digital card slot. A 32-bit CardBus-ready PC Card slot supports one Type II card.

The notebook includes a Toshiba remote control device with power on/shutdown, CD/DVD/digital audio play control, volume control, keyboard emulation, task change, maximize window, and a TV button. The 5205-S703’s keyboard includes 85 full-size keys with 12 function keys.

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

Reviews (14)

Additional Information on 5205-S703
Concur with the other reviews about the 703 being a great machine. I have had it for a week, and have been very pleased with the processor, screen (the UXGA+ 1600 resolution is incredible - clearly a competitive advantage), and the storage (60 Gig). But some additional thoughts -

1. No other machine like it. I looked at Dell and Gateway, but neither have both the graphics nVidia chip w/64M with the 1600 resolution screen & 60 G drive, for anything close to this price. The graphics is very important, as the graphics RAM significantly speeds up all programs!

2. Toshiba is running a nice rebate [$$$] as they close this model out - you ought to act fast if you are going to buy a laptop within 120 days... no more 703s are being built (the 705 will be out in 6 weeks and has some features I don't want and costs more).

3. THERE IS NO ROLLING LAPTOP CASE BIG ENOUGH FOR THIS MODEL OR THE 704! Targus is suppose to put out a rolling 16inch (screen size) that will fit this model. I went to [a local store] armed with my laptop (they were kind enough to let me bring it in) and I went through 20-odd cases from Targus, Case Logic, et al, and nothing was a good fit. You will have to make do with scrunching the laptop into a carry case style, and even then it is barely a tight fit...

4. I have DVD MOTION STUDIO pre-installed, so the previous post about no DVD authoring software is bogus (also included CD drag&drop program for CD-R/RW).

So far, everything is working perfectly. Bought the laptop through Amazon, went to TOSHIBA.com and bought the warantee at a discount... plus AMAZON gives $200 gift cert 4-6 weeks after purchase... this is a MUST BUY!

Amazing Piece of Machinery
As a pro new media designer, I needed a machine that would be very powerful, have lots of features, and still be pretty portable. After looking over dozens of Sony, Apple, and other machines, here's why this one won me over:

1) GeForce 460 64MB: Aside from being able to drive two monitors (excellent for video editing and menu-intensive apps), I do like to play the occasional game. This card pumped out Unreal Tournament 2003 at 1280x1024 resolution with high levels of detail set. Very impressive.

2) DVD-Burner: I've seriously wanted to get into DVD-Authoring, and this opened up the door. It's only a 1x, but it does the job.

3) Subwoofer: As part of my work, I compose and work with a variety of music styles. The sub adds a full octave of bass response to the output, which is excellent when building beats, watching DVD's, or blowing away the other team in Unreal.

4) Screen: 1600x1200 resolution looks beautiful. In my profession, I'm usually using a ton of different programs, each of which may have up to a dozen tool or option palletes open at once. The additional screen real estate is wonderful.

5) Power: 2Ghz, 512MB of Ram, and Intel's Speed-step power-saving make for a lot of efficient horsies under the hood.

6) Synaptics cPad: Very useful little gadget. Combines a touchpad with a built-in application launcher that is totally customizable. You can also customize the graphic behind the touchpad however you'd like. In my case, I put my company logo in there - I like.

7) Remote control: Great for controlling your machine from a distance, like if you're watching DVD's.

8) Output options: Dolby 5.1 surround, VGA port, Audio/Video output, etc. Why bother getting a full home theater system? All you need is this machine and some surround-sound speakers. It already plays CD's, DVD's and outputs surround.

9) SD Card slot: My video camera uses those Multimedia Cards for storing digital pictures. The SD format is a derivative of the MMC cards, so the slot reads both. Now I don't need to carry an external card reader any longer.

10) CD Player: The machine has dedicated CD player buttons on the front, so that you can play CD even with the laptop turned off. Great for conserving battery power well all you want to do is listen to music.

11) Look and feel: This thing is beautiful. I love the glossy blue screen back. It makes people go "whoa". The keys are very comfortable and actually have some travel, so they feel like you're actually typing on a real honest-to-god keyboard (unlike the Sonys, which don't have nearly enough travel). The positioning of the specialty keys (Home, PgUp, `, etc.) take a little getting used to, but actually are much better laid out than on some other laptops I've seen.

12) Last but not least: Price! This baby beats out the Sonys, Apples, and others in price-to-performance ratio and sheer number of features. I feel a got an excellent deal with this machine, and it does everything I wanted - and more!

Problems:

1) No DVD authoring software! Usually, machines with DVD burners or standalone DVD burners bring at least a copy of MyDVD. This brought nothing.

2) Battery consumption - this thing eats battery life with a quickness. A second battery is highly recommended.

3) Weight and Size: Don't get me wrong - this is no desktop-replacement battleship. However, it's not a thin-and-light by any means. It's a workhorse machine, and it's built solid.

Size-wise, it's a healthy (1.7" thick, 11Lx13W), but not nearly so big as the 16" screened desktop rep. monsters. It's actually a very comfortable size.

4) No floppy: Once in a while, I'll be at a client's who has no network, no wireless, and no CD-burner. A floppy drive is not by any means a neccesity, but it does come in handy once in a while.

Honestly, the above problems are almost nit-picky in comparison to what you get with this machine. I am absolutely thrilled with this computer, and actually enjoy using it much more than my desktop.

Check it out yourself and you'll see what I mean!

Awesome!
Outstanding computer with a great "WOW" factor. I have had this machine for a month now and still have not used all of its' features. So many great thing, but the speakers may be the best. The only negatives is the smallness because of the high resolution, but you get used to it and you can adjust it. The other is the weight, but the great amount of features more than negate it. Definitely get a second battery if you are going to be mobile.
Overall, great machine and well worth the money.

Great! But not as mobile as you'd think.
I have one of these and I just TOTALLY love it!

However, don't expect to be able to open it up fully while
flying economy.

Not as bulky as it may seem, but PACKED with features
Sleek looks, fast speeds, and packed with features. Add Toshiba quality and you have pretty much the cream of the laptop crop. You will not be disappointed with the 5205-S703! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A midlevel workhorse that offers solid but not spectacular amenities and power, the Toshiba Satellite A35-S159 Notebook PC delivers wireless communication, ample storage space and Pentium 4 processing at an affordable price point. Serious 3-D artisans and gamers and demanding multimedia fans should look toward one of Toshiba's more upscale machines (such as the P10 or P25 series of Media Center notebooks), but budget-minded shoppers should find the Satellite A35-S159 more than meets their needs.

Driven by 512 MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to two full GB) and one of the most cost-effective processors in the entire Intel Pentium 4 family, the 2.3 GHz Pentium 4, the Satellite A35-S159 is powerful enough to run any typical mobile application. However, its 3-D video performance is somewhat less impressive. Featuring an integrated Intel 852GM graphics chipset with 32 MB shared (not dedicated) memory, the system will not deliver smooth frame rates in most current mid- to high-end games or sophisticated 3-D graphics applications.

Measuring 13 by 11 by 1.7 inches and weighing in at 7.72 pounds, the Satellite A35-S159 is of average size -- far less bulky than a "desktop replacement" unit but nearly double the weight of some of today's lightweight tablets and ultra-compact models. Inside, Toshiba has included an accommodating 60 GB hard disk, a full-size 85-key keyboard with dedicated Windows and application hotkeys, a generous 15-inch XGA TFT active-matrix display capable of 1024 by 768 resolution, and a convenient DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, archive files, and enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters.

Connectivity options are satisfactory. The system features three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, an S-Video TV-out jack, an RJ-11 modem port for dial-up communication, an RJ-45 LAN port for high-speed networking, and integrated 802.11g wireless support for those times when you just can't plug in. An IEEE 1394 FireWire port (normally used for downloading data from digital camcorders) is not included. Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works and Intuit Quicken New User Edition 2003. In ideal conditions, battery life is estimated at an acceptable two hours. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great value for your money
This is my first laptop,i have no major complaints.Performance is great, not really the best deal if you`re an avid gamer, the shared video memory doesnt isnt really too powerful, but most games do run.This laptop is loaded with the 60gb hd,512mb of ram and cd burner/dvd rom, although it could hav an additonal usb port or 2. Cooling is very efficient,doesnt get as hot as a lot of other laptops as long as air flow is unrestricted. It is a bit heavy but still comparable to other laptops with the same features.The display is great,cant ask for much more with the 15" TFT.This is a great product and provides good value for your money, at this price,there isnt much more u can ask for.

Great overall machine....
I purchased the A35 recently (my first laptop) and I have found it to be an excellent machine. It is unfortunate that there are only two USB (2.0) and one PC Card slot, and the lack of firewire/ir may hurt it's compatability with accessories, but the built in WiFi (802.11G) works great and it has an exellent battery life. The 60GB drive comes in handy, and the overall design (keyboard layout, multimedia buttons, volume, touchpad) feels "Just-right". My biggest complaint would be the low-resolution (1048x786) but that is standard for most XGA TFT active matrix screens.

Insuficient Connectivity
This is my first laptop. I bought this laptop 4 month ago and did,nt have any problem at all. The keyboard is really smooth writing on it and from the hardware side, everything is working as expected.
The reason I gave only four stars to this item is that the connectivity is incomplete and insufficient since most of the todays accessories require USB. There are only two USB ports and located wrongly on the back. There are no serial, fire wire and infrared ports. Also only one PC Card slot in some cases may be resulting to short for todays requirements.
I bought a USB 2.0 PC Card Adapter to upgrade to four USB
ports, which now occupies the only cardslot. Most of todays laptops have at least two PCMCIA ports.
Anyway if you are using the notebook only to travel and not to use as a desktop and only occasionally connect some accessories, the Satellite A135-S159 Notebook may be a good choice.

Working Fine for my son
I purchased the A35-S159 as a replacement for my son's desktop that failed. This notebook fit the bill. As a notebook, it takes so much less space and less noisy than his previous desktop computer. Conductivity was "okay". It took me about a day to get the Toshiba recongnized by my network (why???) and I'm not sure what I did to get it to work. The wireless was confusing as I was using 128 bit encyrption but the Toshiba would not allow me to input the 25 character WEP, so I had to change my other 2 wireless laptops to 64 bit so that the Toshiba would work.

Other than what I descibed above, the system is perfect for my son's needs. He enjoys the large flat screen.

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Considerably larger (16.4 by 11.5 by 1.8 inches, 9.9 pounds) than the average portable computer yet packed with more high-end amenities than most desktops, Toshiba’s new Satellite P25 series is designed for discriminating individuals who won’t accept anything less than the very best. This model, the stunning Satellite P25-607, sits at the very top of the P25 lineup as one of the most capable and exciting notebooks manufactured to date.

Those who can’t live without the benefits of a full-featured stationary PC will find plenty to like in the Satellite P25-607. For starters, Toshiba has fitted the unit with a whopping 17-inch display screen capable of a dazzling 1440 by 900 resolution. It has added a pair of high-quality harman/kardon stereo speakers and enclosed a versatile DVD multi-drive through which you can not only watch the latest Hollywood releases and burn audio and data CDs, but also record your own home movies to DVD media. You can even record television programs via the integrated TV tuner. Thusly, the Satellite P25-607 is one of very few notebooks to deliver a true state-of-the-art desktop multimedia experience to your mobile world.

Moreover, the unit is blazingly fast. Driving the Satellite P25-607 is a potent 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with Hyper-Threading Technology for more efficient CPU usage and a scorching 800 MHz processor system bus clock speed. Matched with this speedy CPU is a generous 512 MB allotment of PC2100 DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to an extraordinary 2048 MB) and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics chipset with an impressive 64 MB of dedicated video memory to help efficiently display 3-D games and applications.

Other critical features include a 60 GB hard disk, four high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals such as scanners or external drives, an IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, two memory slots (both of which may be simultaneously occupied) and two PC Card slots. Communication facilities include 802.11wireless networking, 10/100 Ethernet LAN and an integrated 56K modem. Bundled with the Satellite P25-607 are Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft Works, and a variety of multimedia utilities. Average battery life expectancy is 2 hours.

More About Microsoft Windows XP Media Center

What sets this PC apart is that it is powered by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, which offers the features, reliability, and power of Windows XP Professional, plus advanced digital entertainment capabilities. The Media Center interface offers you more types of entertainment to enjoy: TV, Personal Video Recording (PVR), Movies, Music, Photos, Videos, Radio, and DVD. Use the remote control to enjoy from anywhere in your room.

TV & Movies 
Watch TV when and how you want, and never miss a moment of your favorite programs.Pause and rewind live TV. Record a TV episode, series, or category. Automaticallyrecord a personalized selection of TV programs using Keyword Record. Media Centerdownloads the latest program listings for you and even wakes up from power-savingstandby mode to record programs, so you can watch shows on your schedule.
 	 
	Photos & Video
	Easily edit your digital pictures and digital videos, and then launch a dynamic slideshow complete with animated transitions and your favorite soundtrack. While viewing a picture, zoom in to see more detail. You can rotate, correct red-eye, and print your pictures using the remote. Play slide-shows straight from digital storage devices.
 	 
Music & Radio 
All your music is stored in one digital jukebox and using the remote, shuffle your entire music collection according to artist or genre or listen to your tunes through playlists that learn what you like. Tune in FM stations and pause live radio. Full-screen visualizations pulse to the beat of the music. Cool on-screen effects show music information, such as track title, track time, and artist.

... Read more

Reviews (11)

Everything but the kitchen sink
I have not generally been kind to Toshibas, but I must say I took a liking to this one the first time I booted it up. It is impressive to look at, quite high-tech with great lines and lots of cool colored lights. But it's what's inside that counts.
It has a very, very fast 2.8 GHz CPU with an ample 512 megabytes of 800 MHz FSB RAM (expandable to 2 gigs), a 64 megabyte dedicated vidcard and a 17" display that is unbeatable. The 60 gigabyte hard drive, though, is a bit smaller than I would have expected.

That it has a digital TV tuner, can play and record DVDs as well as CDs (so it can be used as a true media center instead of just as a PC) and that it features a full function remote control are all just that much more "lagniappe" (oh, that's a cajun word for 'that little bit extra' you didn't expect but were pleased to get).
Anyway, why only 4 stars? Well, mainly because this computer is not really a laptop, unless you have a very, very big lap. This is a desktop masquerading as a laptop, and believe me, at a whopping 10 pounds it isn't going to be making very many trips. That may all be fine and dandy, but there is a significant penalty for it being called a laptop, namely a higher price than an equivalent desktop media center (look at the Gateways, for instance) would command.
For most folks, this is overkill. Where would it be perfect? I would say it would be true Nirvana in some lucky person's dorm room, though it would also look most handsome under anyone's Christmas tree!

Wonderful with a few drawbacks
Great machine, well worth the money and with what's on the market today spending over two thousand dollars you are sure to want your money's worth. This is the machine to give you just that. The 17 inch screen is the best I have seen to date on a notebook or a monitor and a double bonus of getting the new XP pro media version - - for the people that don't already know media version - - its just XP PRO with new media built in, so you still get the great XP pro. The remote functions control your dvd cd tv radio and taping features so you can now control your remote controls that run all your needs on one system. I am used power house systems so the power of this system is a little slow for being called a desktop replacement. Bootup time with nothing on the system takes up to 2 min and shut down is even slower but please don't let that stop you from purchasing this great system. I am used to power house 3.6 gig systems like Alienware, however I wanted a system that would cover what I could do on the powerhouse system and be mobile at the same time. You do lose a little speed but your all the way mobile with this wonderful 17 inch system. My other gripes are the keyboard is downright painful to use and that forced me to buy another one. I also put another 512 mem in to speed up the machine hoping that would increase bootup and shutdown times but no help. The wireless on this system is amazing I had to do nothing but turn it on and it found it and I was up and running. This machine has more extras on it than a brand new Hummer. All and all I give it two thumbs way up.

The Baddest Bad Boy out There
I teach high school and own a graphic art company. This machine can do it all. From Premier Pro to Photo Shop CS to Electric Rain's Swift 3-D, there is not another machine that can even remotely touch it. It is not a gaming machine, mostly due to the 64 megs of video ram, however, when I replaced the two slots outfitted with 256 MB of 2100 ram and put in a gig of 2700-333 MHz ram (2X512), that incidentally, fit perfectly, I could have never fathomed the results!! This is a true media center in every facet and aspect of this well deserved title. I am working on some stuff at the local state university branch, where they are using top of the line Macintosh machines, and this thing blew them all out of the water on comparative rendering times, screen resolution, and memory overload, mostly because I didn't have any memory overload. Additionally, I use Corel, Bryce, Poser, Illustrator, and a few other parametric vectoring programs, etc, etc., and I have been overwhelmed by the capability of this machine. It runs like a Lamborghini and rides like a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. The screen is deep, opulent, clear, and dazzling. The keys have a nice, natural feel to them. Every part of the machine screams out major graphics. I run and work out, so the 10 lbs. or so, that so many seem to complain about, isn't any hindrance for me. I take it everywhere because my work is that important to me. I guess it comes down to this...If you want to run with the big boys, don't whine about the load because in the final analysis, I can guarantee that this machine will walk easily through any tasks, and I do mean any tasks at all, you put to it. It is, unreservedly, the only true desktop replacement I have found out there besides its big brother, the P25-S609. Believe me, I have looked around everywhere. I recently created a 13 minute movie with the windows movie maker program, complete with music, 50 or so transitions, and several video clips for a funeral. Can you imagine something not working during a funeral??? With only a half hour to work with before the funeral, I hooked it up to an Infocus projector, and I had no doubts that this machine would pull off the job with no complications and so, I was correct. This is the one bad, bad boy, if you can handle it. This machine is not for everyone, but if you need the best, this is it. I would most assuredly stake my reputation on this machine, because I already have. It is one awesome piece of technology for the true graphics professional..RP

WOW x 2!
HI, I my name is Frank and I am currently in China. I had this brought to me by a friend whom visited the US..... I got this computer because my previous one was a Toshiba, which I sold and wanted to stay with it because this brand I trust, unlike the lemon which I bought from Compaq several years back. This computer is really good.. the sound is WOW! You can adjust equalizer to suit your music needs... from Club... to classical sounds... this is amazing.. you can even play a music and hear it as if you where in the toilet.

Now let me start....by saying that I bought mine with the Toshiba recommended Roller/Backpack case (and it is like a luggage man but very good a WELL padded). The 17" screen is awesome and very easy on the eyes.... You CAN turn off the mouse pad.... As I have an external mouse hooked to it.... The three fans that it comes with are very quite even if all of them come on at the same time... but you can hear them..... the only sound side to this is that you must leave the open to hear quality sound... even though the computer is off... unlike my 1800 Toshiba were I could actually close the display and still hear some sounds... but not as good as this though. The keyboard needs some time to get used to, but the keys are a pleasure to type on and very speedy (I do agree with the other person who said that they needed to expand the keyboard a bit and or put a keypad next to it since there is a large wasted space - but you have to also consider the components within).

The only reason I did not buy the HP is because the cooling sucks... my friend has one (not the 17" model though) and he needs an external fan to cool it. The brands with the best cooling systems are Sony and Toshiba in that order, but you get more value and more gadgets with this one. I also did not think a need for a TV tuner.. I never use it and if I was in Australia I would just turn on the TV with a bigger screen. A word of WARNING ... NEVER install anything when the XP software tells you that you should stop installation. I did that and ended up formatting the whole drive because my webcam that I used previously did not want to go to bed with XP... also ... you will need a boot CD to completely format your drive... the quick format that the restore cd comes with does not clean it and leaves some nasty bugs, which won't let your system to boot up again. You must completely format it... once you have completely formatted the drive, you then can insert the Toshiba Restore CD and then reinstall everything.

Another downside to it is that it weighs a lot.. but that does not matter since most of the time it is at home and when I want to travel, it just goes straight into the case and onto somewhere else.

Oh.. the only good thing about this computer coming with a TV tuner is that you can leave it in and take out the battery so that you do not reduce its life considerably if you leave it in the computer while it is plugged in.

That is all.. I do recommend this machine to anyone over any other machines.... Toshiba is a QUALITY brand name and I will continue to buy their products... but make sure you do a lot of research into other brands before making your decision... thanks and take care

Frank
http://clik.to/myurl

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

Amazon.com Product Description

In many respects similar to Toshiba's stunning P25 series of desktop replacement notebooks but sporting a lighter, more portable chassis, slightly downgraded components and a more affordable price point, the Satellite P10 series is a good solution for power-hungry business and personal users and multimedia fans who can't financially justify absolute top-of-the-line gear. This model, the Satellite P15-S479, is the current high-end unit in the P10 series.

Those who can't live without the benefits of a full-featured stationary PC will find plenty to like in the Satellite P15-S479. For starters, Toshiba has fitted the unit with a sizeable 15.4-inch widescreen display screen capable of dazzling 1280 by 800 resolutions. It has added a spacious 60 GB hard disk spinning at a snappy 4200 RPM and enclosed a versatile DVD Multi Drive through which you can not only watch the latest Hollywood releases, but also burn your own home movies to DVD media.

Moreover, the unit is fast. Driving the Satellite P15-S479 is a potent 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with a scorching 800 MHz system bus clock speed and Hyper-Threading Technology for more efficient CPU usage. Working in conjunction with this CPU are a generous 512 MB alloent of PC2100 DDR SDRAM memory (expandable to a full 2048 MB) and an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics chipset with 64 MB of dedicated video memory. Thusly, the system will handle most anything you can throw at it, including most 3-D games.

Other critical features include an IEEE 1394 Fire Wire port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, a trio of high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals such as scanners or external drives, one PC Card slot supporting the Type II card format, and an impressive variety of interior and exterior one-touch controls. Communication facilities include 802.11a/g wireless networking, 10/100 Ethernet LAN and an integrated 56K modem.

Measuring 14.2 by 10.8 by 1.7 inches and tipping the scales at 8 pounds, the Satellite P15-S479 is substantially smaller and two pounds lighter than notebooks in the more powerful, more expensive P25 series. The estimated battery life is better too at 2.28 hours. Bundled software includes Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Intuit Quicken New User's Edition 2003, and InterVideo's WinDVD Creator Plus.

More About Microsoft Windows XP Media Center

What sets this PC apart is that it is powered by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, which offers the features, reliability, and power of Windows XP Professional, plus advanced digital entertainment capabilities. The Media Center interface offers you more types of entertainment to enjoy: TV, Personal Video Recording (PVR), Movies, Music, Photos, Videos, Radio, and DVD. Use the remote control to enjoy from anywhere in your room.

TV & Movies 
Watch TV when and how you want, and never miss a moment of your favorite programs.Pause and rewind live TV. Record a TV episode, series, or category. Automaticallyrecord a personalized selection of TV programs using Keyword Record. Media Centerdownloads the latest program listings for you and even wakes up from power-savingstandby mode to record programs, so you can watch shows on your schedule.
 	 
	Photos & Video
	Easily edit your digital pictures and digital videos, and then launch a dynamic slideshow complete with animated transitions and your favorite soundtrack. While viewing a picture, zoom in to see more detail. You can rotate, correct red-eye, and print your pictures using the remote. Play slide-shows straight from digital storage devices.
 	 
Music & Radio 
All your music is stored in one digital jukebox and using the remote, shuffle your entire music collection according to artist or genre or listen to your tunes through playlists that learn what you like. Tune in FM stations and pause live radio. Full-screen visualizations pulse to the beat of the music. Cool on-screen effects show music information, such as track title, track time, and artist.

... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great notebook and excellent value!
This was my first notebook and only my second computer so I put a lot of research into it. Bottom line was this Toshiba was the most bang for the buck. I've had it now for about 2 months and haven't had a single problem with it. Media center is great. What did I do with out it? Most anything with music or video can be controlled via the included remote control. you can even put the noteboook into standby mode with it. The tv tuner is great and the ability to record to HD is icing. Media center does use a lot of memory and processor power though. It's also a little buggy. Nothing closing and reopening wouldn't fix. After hearing the built in speakers in the store I was a little worried, but once I got it home, they did the job better than expected. Of course ext. speakers most of the time, but in a pinch the built in speakers aren't that bad. Maybe another 20G on the HD would be nice but now I'm just getting greedy. All in all I have no regrets, it is everything I expected.

Great Product
Pros. I'm a pretty technical computer and this is my second laptop. All the bells and whistles are great. Fast speed 800FSB is the best of it's kind right now. The screen is very bright and big. Also, the ram slot is expandable up to 2048.. this is great because you can update it. most laptops max out at 1024. Buring CD's couldn't be easier... takes around 7 minutes with verification process, around 4.5 minutes without.
* This laptop is everything you would expect for you money... Shop around, this laptop has a great range of 2500 to 1600.. yeah..so wouldn't want to be ripped off... I got mine for 1600 after 400$ rebate. :0

Cons. You need to buy an external mouse. I think all laptops need external mouse cause the touchpad is just weird, and most pep don't want to re get use to somethings else. Windows MEdia Center is buggy, so just download updates from www.microsoft.com.. update often. The machine is a power sucking beast.. but you could get 4 hours plus if you adjust the power management. depend on how birght the screen you want. I use mine in normal, so it lasts about 3 hours.
IT's pretty heavy too.. 7.9 lbs. but i'm used to carrying a heavy bagpack. so no biggy.

Actually I would give it 4.5 stars given the option!
This is a very solid machine. Bought this a few days ago as I have been looking for a while. After review of several other machines Dell 8600, Gateway 17", IBM Thinkpad, and Apple Powerbook 17" this and the Apple really stood out. As I chose to go Windows it was this. I also looked at the 17" version of this but it is REAL big, as are all the other 17" machines. This is almost too big as it is to be really portable anyway. IE....I wouldn't want to travel too much with the 17" of any of them. If you're an apple fan, get the Powerbook.

I am also impressed with the overall build quality. Very good in a world of cheap crap. The Dell is garbage in comparison and to get anywhere near the same Video, HDD, P4 etc on the Dell is several hundred more. Everything is very sturdy. Even the power cord is above average.

...

My only complaint is the keyboard. The top of this thing is PLENTY big enough that Toshiba could have fit a full sized board. Instead there are some idiot lights that let you know the HDD is spinning and wireless is working etc. I could easily do with out that for a full sized board. Few keys in some funky places too. It also has a remote and TV tuner that are external but I will never use them Could be a good idea for a college dorm or similar though.

I'm using it for portable video editing and so far so good. Ripping and burning a full (4.38 gigs) DVD takes a bit over an hour. Streaming from camera over firewire no problem. HT technology on the P4 2.8 with the included 512 ram seems to handle video processing better than my desktop AMD 2.8 w/ a Gig of memory. Haven't done any 3D gaming or such but it wasn't bought for that.

Had a question before I bought it so I tried tech support. They shipped some of them with "32 meg video" stickers (removeable) but they all have 64. Just a typo. A quick check of the system confirmed that it really did indeed have 64 as the specs say. Got through in literally 90 seconds, answered my question right away. Maybe a fluke but hey, when was the last time you got a tech support question answered in under 3 minutes?

So Toshiba if you're reading this....BIGGER KEYBOARD would have gotten you 5 stars!

Truly a Desktop Replacement
I spent about 8 hours online and another 4 hours in stores comparing all the available laptops and features. For the price, you won't find a better combination. I've had this machine since Christmas, and it's been GREAT so far! I almost went with the 17" model of this very same computer, but chose the 15.4" to have some sense of portability. Even so, this IS fairly large for a laptop.
That said, it's worth it. The only drawback I can really make any mention of is the keyboard. It's not a true full-size (no number pad), and some of its keys are somewhat oddly placed. It can be disconcerting if you accidentally hit the keys directly to the right of the Enter key, or hitting the touchpad, which can easily be turned 'off' (which still allows for maneuvering the cursor) so it doesn't interfere with typing (default setting on mine was to have the 'tapping' feature on, so I turned it off).
The screen on the Toshiba was the best of any model I was able to use in any of the stores-bright, easily adjustable, and crisp. Excellent DVD playback, and games run without any hesitation. For those who require excellent sound, external speakers are necessary. For a laptop, the sound is decent. Photo editing is a snap (I wondered if the 512MB RAM would be enough, and haven't had to wait long yet while editing even VERY large photos).

With this computer and broadband, my home page is up and readable before my old computer would've recognized that I had clicked on the IE icon...COOL!
SUGGESTION: get a firewall! Zone Alarm PRO is excellent. The ease of using the Media Center is a treat. Also, any 'store-bought' computer will be out of date with updates/patches, etc. First thing to do is visit windows update. A pain for dialup users, a 15 minute process on broadband. If you don't yet have broadband, take advantage of your cable company's free trial just to do your updates!
I got this machine because of the built-in wi-fi, and the fact that the computer now goes in the living room on the coffee table (only one wire to plug in (power cord) with the wifi and no peripherals....even print wirelessly with a router).
All in all, once you've seen this laptop in action, if you don't need a super-portable machine, this is the one to pick unless you need a full-size keyboard. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

If your pocketbook says economy but your heart says power, why not consider the all-new Toshiba A45-S151 Notebook PC? At little more than the cost of a bargain-basement unit, the Toshiba A45-S151 delivers plenty of speed, ample storage space and wireless communication. Multimedia fans and true power users should investigate one of Toshiba's many upscale models, but budget-minded shoppers won't find a much better bang for the buck than this, one of Toshiba's newest midlevel notebooks.

Driven by a snappy 2.8 GHz Intel Celeron processor and a solid 512 MB RAM memory, the Satellite A45-S151 offers enough raw power for the vast majority of personal, leisure and business tasks, and easy multitasking too. Toshiba has also equipped the system with a 32 MB Intel 852GME graphics controller. Though not ideal for high-end 3-D games, this chipset will allow you to efficiently play older and less demanding games and perform some 3-D graphics work. This level of 3-D capability is uncommon in this price range.

Measuring 13.2 by 11.7 by 1.9 inches and weighing in at 7.7 pounds, the Satellite A45-S151 is of average size -- less bulky than a "desktop replacement" unit but nearly double the weight of some of today's lightweight tablets and ultra-compact notebooks. Inside, you'll find a large 60 GB hard disk, a full-size 85-key keyboard with 12 hotkeys, a midsize 15-inch XGA TFT active-matrix display capable of 1024 by 768 resolution, and a convenient DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs, archive files, and enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters. If you wish to burn DVDs, you'll either need to upgrade or utilize an external DVD writer.

As to be expected in this price range, connectivity options are only fair. The system features a traditional 56K modem port for dial-up communication and an RJ-45 LAN port for high-speed networking, but does not include wireless facilities or an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (normally used for fast downloads from digital camcorders). Furthermore, Toshiba has fitted the unit with four traditional USB ports rather than the new USB 2.0 standard, thus limiting data streaming speed from external devices such as digital cameras and the like.

The bundled software package features Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Microsoft's Works productivity suite, and Intuit's Quicken New User Edition 2004 financial center. In ideal conditions, battery life is estimated at an impressive 2.9 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great laptop and great value
This is my second Toshiba laptop and I'm very happy with the purchase. My first one is over 4 years old and still has no problems, but I decided it was time to upgrade and purchased this laptop and it's lived up to my expectations. Performance is fast and the big screen is great, I haven't used a desktop in years and do all my work for internet development on this laptop. The wireless connection is excellent and the keyboard is comfortable. I've seen other friends' laptops go bad or the touchpad/mouse function go awry, but not my Toshiba. There's some easy software that comes with it to write to CDs, and I played a DVD on it and the picture was sharp. It is heavy, but as a desktop substitute, I don't mind it.

What a perferct product!
The product is very good!I am very like it!Do you think so?

Toshiba A45 S151 Big Beauty
This is our first fully funtional laptop. Previous units have always sacrificed power, flexibility, and or speed for size/portability. Can be used as a desktop replacement, BUT is HUGE for daily transportation. Do NOT suggest for someone who must be joined at hip to computer at all times. Given this reality - this unit is GREAT!!
Does everything required of it; and does it EXTREMELY well.
Keyboard is about the most substantial I've seen on a notebook; layout of ports is mostly excellent -only complaint is re. use of USB 1 instead of newer 2.0. All in all a GREAT BIG TREAT to use.

Great performance, medium transportability
I pretty much agree with the other reviews. The computer is awesome, Toshiba keeps showing it is the leader. Esthetically way superior than Dell, great reliability and with an straighforward installation process. BUT... I would only note that in my opinion the computer is not for everyday trips school-home. It is kind of heavy and actually I found that most backpack-style computer cases do not fit this computer without being really pushed to their capacity limits (or even beyond them). Suggestion: compare carefully the dimensions of this computer and of any backpack or case you may be considering.

It is basically a Great desktop replacement.

Like it.
Nice keyboard. The touchpad works well. No glitches so far that couldnt' be fixed. Phone support is a bit sketchy but you shouldn't need it very often.

The programmable touchpad works well. Each of the 4 corners of the pad can be programmed to launch commands or programs when pressed, while the sides of the touchpad can be configured as scroll regions. The keyboard is sized well for big hands and has very good tactile feeback.

Amazon's review has a couple of significant errors. First, this PC uses a Pentium 4M CPU, not a Celeron as Amazon states. Second, the PC comes with 4 USB 2.0 ports - Amazon's review implies the ports are not 2.0. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed for uncompromising individuals who feel the need to explore theabsolute cutting edge of portable computing technology, the Toshiba Satellite5105-S607 notebook brings high-end desktop performance to your mobileenvironment. It may be a bit bigger than a typical notebook at 11.6 by 13 by 1.8inches and 7.04 pounds, but demanding users and multimedia fans should find theextra size a workable tradeoff for all that power.

Unlike many notebooks, the 5105-S607 cuts no corners. The fun begins right atthe heart of the machine, where Toshiba has positioned a massive 512 MB ofPC2100 DDR SDRAM alongside Intel's potent 1.7 GHz Pentium 4 processor (400 MHzbus speed, 512 KB of Level 2 cache). To help ensure your fast-moving datadoesn't bog down on its way to the jumbo 15-inch Toshiba Personal Theatre UXGAactive-matrix viewing screen, the 5105-S607 also packs one of today's mostcapable mobile video cards, the nVidia GeForce4 440 Go. Sporting 32 MB of DDRvideo RAM, the 440 Go will make short work of virtually any multimedia source. Ahigh-powered Harman Kardon three-way stereo/subwoofer system capably broadcastsboth 2-D and 3-D audio.

With the 5105-S607, the movement and storage of data is never a concern. Anaccommodating 40 GB hard drive offers oodles of space for even the mostsoftware-intensive applications. A convenient DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination driveallows users to play and record their favorite music, back up valuable data, andwatch the latest and greatest Hollywood flicks, and a 3.5-inch disk drivehandles smaller programs or files you might still store on a floppy disk.

The unit's keyboard section is second to none, featuring 85 full-size keys, 12one-touch Internet and multimedia buttons, and a monochrome LCD cPad touchpadthat graphically displays important functions and houses several convenientsecondary applications of its own. The roster of ports includes three USB portsfor plug-and-play peripherals, a FireWire port for high-speed data transfer, aninfrared and NTSC/PAL port, and two multipurpose PC card slots. A 10/100 MbpsEthernet network connection and integrated 56K modem ensure connectivity in anysituation.

Toshiba has fitted the 5105-S607 with a surplus of popular software, includingLotus SmartSuite Millennium Edition, Intuit's Quicken Basic 2001, andMicrosoft's latest operating system, Windows XP. All in all, this is a top-levelsystem that not only mimics the finest desktop computers but may very wellreplace them. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

2 failure in less than monh after purchase
Hi I bought my Toshiba laptop in October 2002. After only 15 days my HDD was dead. Toshiba fixed it for 10 days. Few weeks later my CD burner died. I burned only few CD before it happend.
This time I was waiting 2 weeks. So in less then 2 months, my Toshiba died twice, and I spent 4 weeks instead of enyoing my new computer, waiting home and with new ulcer on my stomach.
Now is working good, but I do not know for how long.

Some people talk a load of Tosh
The severely negative offputting reviews of the Tosh 5105-607 are garbage. I have just bought a second machine (a used one from e bay) after having the first one for nearly two years. The multiple postings by the same person are grossly unfair and I suspect just sour grapes from some malcontent. I know several serious users who swear by this machine. Personally I am in high tech mechanical engineering and would not be without my Tosh. It gets hammered, travels all over the world, (it is a bit heavy - but then it is better than most PC's for performance and storage)
I could have any make or madel Laptop I want, paid for by my company, but chose the Toshiba after extensive use of various other makes over the years. I used to upgrade to a new laptop every 6 months but you would have to prise this one from my dead fingers...! Others in the firm lower down the chain are angry with me because they used to get my cast offs but not this one, I am not parting with it.. Maybe I will when the new RW DVD's are proven and working faster than they do at the moment but otherwise I can see no reason to change from the 607.
I cannot comment much on the official Toshiba backup except the one problem I had with a modem blowing up (I think the phone line got hit by lightning) was fixed by my local repair shop simply and efficiently. Toshiba spares department were so weary and slow (under the warranty) that I just bought the parts myself and had them fitted.Price of parts and fitting was very reasonable and I would not justify anyone sensible paying out for extended warranty from retailer. I love the fact that I dont need the backup from Toshiba cos the thing never goes wrong...!
The machine flies, if it ever gets virused or crossed up, you just simply reset it to an earlier time and away you go again.
Id give it 95% out of 100 for performance. So it runs a bit hot underneath,, I use it in UK and also in Florida and the heat never stopped it yet........ Try a cold drink when using it Cheers...!

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.

From a Computer Pro in NYC
This laptop sucks. Can you believe they are using a software modem that can not connect even at 14.4 kbps. The machine heats up like a fireball. Battery life is non existant. It is over-sized, won't fit in a bag. This computer combines the worst of desktop and laptop computers. As far Toshiba customer support is concerned, it is non-existant. Shame on you Toshiba for selling this piece of junk at $3,000 ( the original price ). I know that I will NEVER EVER buy anything Toshiba again.

Elegant and high performance
I've had this computer for a year and still love it. It is nice to look at, has a beautiful screen, performs well for graphics and multimedia, and has never given me any trouble. Also, I love the sound system speakers, the C-pad and CD interface on the front. The negative reviews below puzzle me because my experience has been extremely positive for this machine. The features are some of the best for the price, and I looked around quite a bit before buying. I highly recommend this machine, and from my experience I will probably buy a Toshiba for my next computer.

(What a contrast to the defective Sony Vaio PCG-F250--an utter disaster that should have been recalled. I will never buy a Sony again!) ... 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

Amazon.com Product Description

Toshiba's Satellite P25-S509 combines the computing performance of a desktop computer and the audio/video performance of a personal entertainment system into a single, portable system. It features an 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, spacious 80 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, and built-in 802-11g wireless connectivity.

The Basics

• Hard Drive: The large 80 GB hard drive is on the high end of hard drive sizes for currently available notebook PCs. It's more than enough for storing your business documents or a very respectable collection of digital audio files.
• Processor: A 2.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with Hyper-Threading technology (which allows a single CPU system to behave in some aspects like a dual-CPU system--see more in Tech Talk section below) powers the P25-S509, which offers more than enough speed for everyday and business computing tasks.
• Memory: The P25-S509 comes preloaded with 512 MB of DDR SDRAM; the computer has two slots with a maximum memory expansion of 2 GB.
• CD/DVD Drive: The DVD multi-drive is capable of reading and writing DVD (DVD-R/RW format) and CD disks. It has the following write speeds: CD-R (16x), CD-R/W (4x), DVD-R (2x), DVD-R/W (1x), DVD-RAM (2x).
• Keyboard & Mouse: The P25-S509 has a full-sized 85-key keyboard with 12 function keys and two-button touchpad.

The Realtek ALC202 sound card (18-bit, full duplex, AC'97 standard) is integrated into the computers main board. The P25-S509 features built-in Harman Kardon speakers, and it has headphone, microphone, and line-in audio jacks.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
You get a wide range of connectivity options with the P25-S509, including two PC card slots (with support for two Type II or one Type III card) and the following external connections:

• 4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link; 1 in front and 1 in back) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
• 2 infrared ports
• 1 RGB monitor port
• 1 TV-out (S-Video)
• Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot

It also has an an integrated 802.11g wireless LAN (which is compatible with the more widespread 802.11b and offers faster data transmission rates), integrated 56K modem (V.92), and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Preloaded System and Software
The P25-S509 comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Norton Antivirus 2003 (with 90 days of complimentary live updates), Adobe Acrobat Reader, AOL (with three-month trial membership), Quicken 2003, InterVideo WinDVD SE (for playing DVD movies), and DragÕn Drop CD+DVD software.

Dimensions and Weight
A little heavier than similarly priced notebooks, the P25-S509 weighs 9.9 pounds and measures 16.4 x 11.5 x 1.8 (L x W x H).

Power
The included 12-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery weighs 1.4 pounds and has an approximate 2-hour battery life (during normal use). It also comes with a 120W AC adapter.

What's in the Box
This package includes the Toshiba Satellite P25-S509 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

Tech Talk
Hyper-Threading: A Hyper-Threading processor helps a PC to run multiple demanding applications at the same time. This technology enables the processor to execute two threads (a part of a program) in parallel, boosting performance during key high-drain procedures. This results in more efficient software performance (such as faster reaction times in gaming applications) and enhanced multitasking. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The ideal replacement for a desktop machine.
I absolutley love this computer. When my old Toshiba 4015 CDT developed some hardware problems I decided to bite the bullet and get a new machine. After reading numerous reviews and articles I narrowed my manufacturer choices to Sony and Toshiba. This is a rugged, large for a laptop, fast and great looking machine. The screen is truly spectacular and the performance surpases all but the fastest most expensive desktops. I use the computer primarily for my job as a real estate broker in CT. As I write this review I am in FL on vacation. Taking this 9 plus pound unit on the AMTRAK sleeper was not really any more of a problem than my old, significantly smaller laptop. With all the usb ports, using the computer to input photos while on vacation is a snap. This is not a cheap computer, but worth every penny. If extreme portability is your primary concern, it is probably a little too large for you. On the other hand, if you only need a portable machine with uncompromising performance then I highly suggest you consider this computer.

Fast, FULL of features, consumer desktop replacement.
This laptop is big, 17" XGA screen. Bright and nice. Its kinda heavy if you want to carry it around (10punds) If you need a laptop to carry around then buy a 15" or a Centrino powered notebook.

The hardrive has only 5200rpm so this is the only thing I don't like about this laptop. I whish it was 7200rpm.

Battery does not last so long, but where would you go with this big and heavy laptop without a DC or AC adapter? So this not an issue for me.

I really like the power on button, turn it on and it turns red, then when windows boots up it turns blue, on standby mode it flashes slowly... it's beautiful!!

I only wish it weight less, kinda like the powerbook.

Yeah, this machine is fast, I currently have a Dual Athlon MP 1800+ as my desktop, at work I have a Pentium 4 HT 800 FSB at 2.4mhz and this Toshiba laptop can put up a nice fight between them. Of course when rendering, the dual athlon MP wins.

All the menus just "pop up" instantly, programs open up fastly. Boots up and turns of fastly. Windows XP PRo, great!

For all the specifications on this laptop just click on the link TECHNICAL DATA on the left side on this page.

Biggest POS In the PC World
I've gone through 2 in 6 months. Optical drive failed on both. The good thing is is that the first one was swapped on the spot. Bad new is that the second will be gone for 4 weeks while they "fix it". Look elswhere....

No muy portátil, pero realmente poderosa
Si buscas mobilidad, este no es el modelo de notebook que necesitas, pero si lo que quieres es una super poderosa notebook que puede hacer todo lo que hace una desktop( y hasta más), esta máquina superpoderosa es para ti.
La pantalla de 17" te da imágenes realmente claras y asombrosas y si combinas eso con los parlantes Harman/Kardom y la unidad DVD, tienes tu propio centro de entretenimiento portable. Puedes quemar DVD's y la función de Hyperthreading combinada con los 512 MB de memoria hace que el prcedimiento sea rápido y no deje "inoperantes" el resto de programas que estas utilizando. Realmente es una máquina poderosa y muy útil.
Yo compré la mía en Amazon después de comparar precios con Best Buy y Circuit City : en Amazon estaba $400 más barato!

Cmon
Cmon... If you need any better than this in a laptop, you're crazy! This fits the needs, and it's enough to go on. Although it's pretty expensive, it's reasonable for all of these full upgrades on a laptop. It has more things than it does on my computer right now! Plus mobility. That's just amazing. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Basics:
An excellent entry-level portable computer for students or "notebook lite" for businesspeople, the Toshiba Satellite A65-S126 Notebook PC delivers adequate speed, wireless communication and plenty of storage space at a favorable price point. If you want to play games, burn DVDs, or impress your friends with raw power, you'll want to explore one of Toshiba's other models, but for basic computing such as word processing, finances, Internet/email and CD burning, the Satellite A65-S126 is up to the task without breaking the bank.

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. Intel's cost-effective Celeron processor often forms the basis for budget-priced machines, and the Satellite A65-S126 is no different. A 2.8 GHz Celeron powers the unit, delivering sufficient speed and power for general duty but not enough for serious multitasking, super-sophisticated business apps or the latest games. Power users would do well to check into Pentium 4-powered notebooks.

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 A65-S126 incorprates 256 MB of RAM, the bare minimum for the vast majority of today's notebooks and not enough for efficient multitasking. The unit does allow you to increase the amount of RAM to 1280 MB, but at extra cost.

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 7000 IGP with 64 MB of shared video memory. The Radeon name is highly regarded in video technology, and indeed this system and this chipset will efficiently deal with 2D graphics and do a reasonable job with simple 3D visuals such as those found in older games and entry-level 3D animation. However, it will not competently display the latest high-end 3D computer games and the like.

Display:
The unit's 15-inch TFT active matrix display is standard for midlevel notebooks. It is not a widescreen display such as those found in some of today's more pricey units, and therefore does not offer the panoramic perspective favored for movies. Its highest supported resolution of 1024 by 768 is also standard.

Hard Disk:
The Satellite A65-S126 features a solid 60 GB of hard disk space. This amount of data storage is surprising in a notebook at this price range, providing 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 all of these tasks. This system features a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive that supports all of the above apart from DVD recording.

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 HotKey function and a TouchPad pointing device.

Connectivity and Expansion:
The Satellite A65-S126 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 a TV-out port. An IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders) is not included.

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 A65-S126 is considered average by today's standards, at 13.2 by 11.7 by 1.9 inches and 7.7 lbs.

Power:
The system is equipped with an 8-cell Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery that delivers 1.5 hours between charges. This is not particularly efficient when compared with notebooks making use of Intel's Centrino technology and Pentium M processor, and is just slightly less than average even for most entry-level notbooks. ... Read more