Toshiba Satellite A45-S120 Notebook PC (2.6 GHz Celeron, 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, CD-RW, 15-inch Display) Review

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(More customer reviews)Howdy!
Well, so far it's been a week with my new toy, and I've come to appreciate its' strengths and weaknesses so far. First, I'll let you know why I got it. I plan on going back to school, and I needed a fairly mobile notebook to use in class and for my schoolwork, as well as light gaming and occasional DVD movies. (...) So, here are the bad points first:
Built-in memory/Hard drive - 256MB with XP doesn't cut the mustard, and with 32MB taken out of the main system memory for your video card leaves you with a paltry 224MB RAM available. This hurts performance, since the swap file is constantly used, and with a 4,200 RPM drive, it can bog the system down. I recommend an immediate upgrade to at least 512MB RAM on top of the included 256MB. Also, I know that this is a basic system, so 40GB HD space is limited, but 60GB would have been really nice. Wishful thinking, though. ;)
Power adapter - A true brick, over a pound. Yuck.
No WiFi - This is somewhat bad and somewhat good, since I was able to get a WiFi PC card that works with my D-Link router to give me double 802.11g speeds, which is cool. I wouldn't be able to do that with built-in WiFi. The antennae sticking out of the PC Card is sometimes a eyesore, though.
The good:
Display - 15" display is very nice, although viewing angle isn't all that great. Still, considering that I'll want to do some private work on this, that's probably a good thing.
Keyboard - Not too mushy, and the keys are placed a bit oddly, but nothing you can't get over after a few days of intense use.
Processor - For what I do, the 2.8 GHz Celeron is fine, and with the RAM upgrade, it rarely runs at 100%.
So, that's it. Overall, if you want a student-level or really basic notebook, go ahead and get this one, it's pretty decent. If you're even a medium-level gamer or someone that needs more than the basics, go elsewhere. =)

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The Toshiba Satellite A45-S120 is an entry level notebook that will appeal to students, families, and small businesses who crave mobility. The A45-S120 resides at the low end of Toshiba's Satellite A45 lineup, and it features a 40 GB hard drive, 256 MB installed RAM, a 15-inch TFT display, and a DVD player/CD writer combo drive. Stepping up to the next level with the A45-S150 adds a faster Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor, integrated wireless card, and larger RAM and hard drive, while the A45-S250 adds an even faster Pentium 4 processor and a DVD writer.
The Basics
Hard Drive: The 40 GB enhanced IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) will suffice for storing the majority of your software applications and document files, but it is on the low side compared with other models in this Toshiba Satellite line.
Processor: While not as powerful as a Pentium 4, the 2.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor is speedy enough for everyday computing tasks and CD burning. It also has 1 128 KB L2 cache and a 400 MHz FSB (front-side bus).
Memory: The installed 256 MB of DDR SDRAM is serviceable, but you should think of it as a starting point--especially if you plan on working with processor-intensive spreadsheets or PC games. It has two slots that can be expanded to 2 GB (2048 MB).
CD/DVD Drive: It comes equipped with a combo DVD/CD-RW drive, which enables you to play DVD-ROM discs and DVD movies as well as burn data and record music to CD discs. The CD writer has the following speeds: 24x write/10x rewrite/24x read.
Keyboard & Mouse: The A45-S120 has an 85-key keyboard with 12 function keys and a two-button touchpad.
Sound and Graphics It features an integrated Intel 852GME graphics controller with 32 MB of shared video memory. The 15-inch TFT active matrix display has a native resolution of 1024 x 768 and supports up to 16 million colors. The integrated audio card provides good sound while keeping the cost of this package down; the A45-S120 has two internal speakers.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots The A45-S120 offers a basic amount of connectivity options:
4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 parallel port for connecting older printers and scanners
1 RGB monitor port
1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type II)
1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
It also has an 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 A45-S120 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), Quicken New User Edition 2004, and ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD 1.3.
Dimensions and Weight Definitely not the smallest on the block, the A45-S120 notebook measures 13.2 x 11.7 x 1.9 inches (L x W x H) and weighs a comfortable 7.7 pounds.
Power The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery has 12 cells (which refers to the number of charge-storing components within the battery) and offers a standard amount of power for a notebook PC (around 2.9 hours of typical use).
What's in the Box This package includes the Toshiba Satellite A45-S120 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

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Toshiba Satellite R25-S3503 14.1" Laptop (Intel Core Duo Processor T2050, 1024 MB RAM, 100 GB Hard Drive, DVD SuperMulti +/- Dbl Layer Drive) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got my Toshiba R25 two weeks ago now. I was quite surprised at the lack of reviews on the computer when I was looking to buy, so I now feel compelled to write my impressions of the computer. First, I love most things about this computer. The Centrino Duo processor is fantastic! I had a 2.8 Ghz P4 before this R25, and I can't believe how much more information this R25 can handle. The difference is particularly noticeable when I'm running multiple programs at once. The keyboard is a great size for typing, the screen is nice and bright, and I love the battery life I'm getting. I'm particularly tuned into that because my Sony Vaio was pushing it to hope for 2 hours, and my R25 is 4.5 hours, and that's running a lot of different programs. This R25 feels lighter than the 6 pounds the specs say that it is as well. I'm looking forward to traveling with the R25. I'm also planning on buying an external battery for it that will push the battery life to almost 10 hours, which is going to be great for that San Fran to Beijing route I take three times a year. Secondly, because this is the first Tablet PC I've owned, I'm definitely finding out that making the most of a Tablet PC takes some time. I think in the long run it will be great, and I know that there are features that once I learn them (like OneNote), I will really be able to utilize them. But computing with a pen takes some time, and I think that everyone could benefit from it. I've really enjoyed using the Windows Journal, which is a program that you can use to make hand written notes on the screen, and you can save them as your handwriting, or convert them to text. I've also like the voice recognition software that comes with the R25. I've used it for voice commands to open programs, and in MS Word to type documents. Especially with the price of the R25, it may be an extra $150 over similarly equipped computers to get the Tablet feature, and that was worth it to me to take advantage of the R25.
In terms of things I don't like about the R25, there are two of them, and one is a bigger deal than the other. The biggest problem I have is that the icons and other text on the screen are noticeably smaller and take more effort to read than other laptops. In fact, even though I'm not using this computer any more than my Vaio it's replacing, I've had noticeable eye strain with the R25. I keep saying to myself that it will just take some getting use to..... I sure hope so! I would say that if you already have eye problems, you will definitely want to keep this in mind and go to a CompUSA or Circuit City to test this out for yourself. In fact, after noticing this on my own R25, I went to my local Circuit city to test this out, and sure enough, when you look at the screen of the R25, the text is quite a bit smaller. Of course, on a web browser or word processor, you can zoom in, which is helpful, but as I've tried to adjust the screen resolution, while it makes the icons and text bigger, it also makes it fuzzier. The other thing that I've not liked is that the latch that holds the screen down when it's in Tablet PC mode doesn't grip very well, and the screen comes loose very easily. Of course, I can just re-latch it again, but it would be nice if the latch held a little better.
Overall, the R25 seems like a great `bang for the buck,' and I'm looking forward to using it for years to come!

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Students and small business professionals alike will appreciate the power and flexibility of the Toshiba Satellite R25-S3503 convertible notebook, which allows you to work with the traditional keyboard or rotate and fold the 14.1-inch screen down for use as a Tablet PC. A digitizer pen enables you to hand-write notes, draw, edit copy or write e-mail or input data while standing, sitting or reclining. And it can convert handwriting to text or just record your own handwriting. It comes with Toshiba's exclusive LifeSmart Technology, a set of features that elevate system performance, durability and security with shock-absorbing technologies to protect the hard drive, a spill-resistant keyboard, and fingerprint security.
The R25-S3503 is the first Toshiba Tablet PC powered by Intel's powerful Core Duo T2050, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance and a more efficient power consumption. The dual execution core T2050 has a 1.60 GHz processor speed, 533 MHz system bus, and 2 MB L2 cache. Other features include a 100 GB hard drive, 1 GB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), a DVD SuperMulti Double Layer drive that reads and writes in up to 11 formats, tri-mode wi-fi LAN (802.11a/b/g), a multi-format memory card reader, battery life up to 4 hours, and Microsoft XP Tablet edition operating system.
The Basics
Hard Drive: Large and in charge, the 100 GB hard drive (5400 RPM) offers enough to room to hold a digital audio library of over 20,000 songs and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
Processor: The Intel Core Duo T2050 processor is built with the Mobile Intel 945PM Express chipset, and it has a 1.60 GHz processor speed, fast 533 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and large 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The Intel Core Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the next version of Microsoft Windows, code-named Vista. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. It's more efficient, thanks to Intel's Power Coordination and Deeper Sleep, which help to transfer power only to those areas of the processor that need it. It also features Intel's Digital Media Boost, which delivers enhanced performance on floating point-intensive applications such as CAD tools, 3D and 2D modeling, video editing, digital music, digital photography and gaming.
Memory: The 1 GB of built-in memory (PC4200, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 512 MB) is good start for power users, and it offers excellent 533 MHz speed. It has two memory slots, enabling you to add a maximum of 2 GB to handle immersive 3D video games, video editing, and graphics-intensive presentations. Also, to receive the benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
CD/DVD Drive: The double-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 2.4x DVD+R DL, 2x DVD-R DL, 8x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 4x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-RW, 3x DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 84-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad. It also offers a launch button for the Express CD/DVD media player and control buttons (play, stop, next, previous).
Screen, Graphics and Sound The R25-S3503 has a 14.1-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) and provides up to 128 MB of shared video memory. It offers both VGA and S-Video output connections for connecting to monitors and TVs. You'll enjoy crisp sound via the built-in stereo speakers, which can produce immersive SRS TruSurround XT virtual surround sound with SRS WOW sound enhancement.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots This notebook has an integrated tri-mode Intel 3945ABG wireless LAN, which is compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and wi-fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). You get a good offering of connectivity options:
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) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
1 VGA monitor port
1 S-Video out
1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type II, PCMCIA R2.01, PC Card16, CardBus)
5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Preloaded System and Software This system comes with the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system with Service Pack 2 featuring Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web. Other pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works 8.5, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, Intervideo WinDVD 5 and WinDVD Creator 2, Sonic Solutions RecordNow, and McAfee VirusScan (with 30-day trial).
Dimensions and Weight Perfect for portability, this notebook weighs 6 pounds and measures 13.7 x 10.2 x 1.6 inches (WxDxH).
Power It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery (4000 mAh), which has a battery life of up to 4 hours (depending on usage). It has a recharge time of approximately 3 hours.
What's in the Box This package contains the R25-S3503 convertible notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

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Toshiba Satellite 1135-S155 Laptop (2.0-GHz Celeron, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive) Review

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(More customer reviews)I almost didn't buy this laptop because of several reviewers mentioning issues with a "heat spot" where the right wrist would be when typing. This particular model had everything I needed, and some more to boot, and I knew I wasn't going to do much typing as I mostly use it for electronic circuit analysis which is 90% mouse use. So I bought a ... Kensington external keypad in which to facilitate entering in different component values without having to hunt an peck on the keyboard and burning my wrist badly.
For me, it is a fabulous set-up. It works well.
Oh yeah, I was curious about that hot spot, so I left the thing on all day and checked it out for myself. Just for clarification for the benefit of others, the heat spot is about 1 degree (fahrenheit) warmer than the rest of the keyboard area. There is just enough difference in temperature that our sensitive nerves can detect it, but it definately is nothing to write home about. In fact, I was disappointed. Where I live it can get chilly sometimes and I was thinking of using it as a portable heater. But alas, it is not to be so. But still, that Kensington keypad is so convenient as it comes with 2 USB ports as well. Because I thought I was going to be getting burnt by the heat spot, I also bought a USB powered fan. Now that is unique! I plug it into the little keypad USB port and the fan is positioned on a flexible, positionable rod and provides enough air circulation to keep me comfortable but doesn't blow my paper around the office. I haven't had to use it to cool down my wrist yet, but maybe with time the hot spot will grow and grow...until it is like a furnace. Then I will resolve to buy a summer time laptop and keep this one til winter. But for now, it's a winner in my book.

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Based upon a 2.0 GHz Intel Celeron processor, the Satellite 1135-S155 clearly sports less raw power than its pricier Pentium 4-equipped Satellite counterparts, but Toshiba has matched this CPU with a whopping 512 MB RAM (expandable to 1024 MB), a capable 32 MB Intel 852GM graphics chipset, and an ample 40 GB hard drive. Consequently, the system is quite satisfactory for most common business and personal applications apart from high-end games and 3-D animation packages.
Furthermore, Toshiba has incorporated an array of features normally reserved for mid- to high-end models. The unit's viewing screen, for example, is a comfortably large 15-inch XGA display capable of 1024 by 768 resolution. Its integrated optical drive combines DVD-ROM with CD-RW technology to allow you to backup your data, listen to and burn music CDs and watch the latest movies. The system's keyboard features 85 full-size keys, 12 function keys and a TouchPad pointing device with scroll capability. And if you need future expandability, the Satellite 1135-S155 features two memory slots (both of which may be occupied) and dual PC Card slots.
The long list of connectivity options includes an integrated 56K modem for low-speed e-communications, a 10/100 Ethernet LAN for high-speed Internet and network operations, an S-Video TV-out, a printer port, a microphone and headphone port, and, most impressively, a trio of ultra-fast USB 2.0 ports. The system does not include an IEEE 1394 FireWire connection or high-speed data transfer from external devices such as digital camcorders.
The Satellite 1135-S155 is unexpectedly portable at 13 by 11 by 1.7 inches and just 6.2 pounds. Under ideal conditions, battery life is estimated at three hours.

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Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5087 15.6-Inch Laptop (Trax Texture in Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The connection on the side where you plug the AC charger is BAD!! Have to wiggle the plug to get it to charge and be careful that you don't bump it or you have to wiggle the cord again. This should not be happening, the laptop is only about 6 months old. This laptop comes with no web-cam. I would not reccomend this laptop to anyone.

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Toshiba Satellite L305D-S5895 15.4-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core Mobile Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this laptop for almost three years, every day, for on average 6+ hours a day.. It's had it's bumps in the road but for a heavy user such as myself to have a laptop last this long is downright impressive.
It shipped with Windows Vista, which at the time was crap, so of course I downgraded to XP right away. It ran wonderfully, and eventually I dual-booted to Win7, to which I found ran much faster. It also came with just 2GB of ram, which got upgraded to 4GB.
To give you an idea about my usage; I'm a graphic design hobbyist. I usually have Google Chrome/Mozilla Firefox open alongside Photoshop CS4 AND Paint tool SAI, while running Windows Live! and Trillian in the background with no problems. I've had it permanently connected to a Wacom Tablet for most of it's life and never once had an issue with that. It even runs some 3D graphics programs at good speeds.
For gaming, the hardware isn't the best, which knocks off one star. It can however run most MMO's on medium settings (FlyFF, Aika, Aion, etc) and WoW on high, so kudos to this little guy. Bigger, more demanding games have no hope, namely AMNESIA and The Last Remnant did not want to run on my system due to graphics card requirements.
Like mentioned above, the hardware isn't all that great. It totes a 1.44ghz processor, which isn't ideal for a gamer, and the integrated graphics card can be limiting at times. But for the price I paid for it, and the amount of time I've used it on a daily basis, the fact that it runs beautifully still makes it a great product.

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DELL LATITUDE D810 INTEL CENTRINO 1600MHZ 1024MB 60GB CDRW/DVD WIFI 15.4" WIDESCREEN LCD XP PRO LAPTOP Review

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(More customer reviews)Great item a little on the large size but sturdy and works great. Well worth the price.

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Compaq CQ56-219WM Presario Laptop 15.6" LED display / 2.20GHz Celeron Processor / 2GB DDR2 RAM / 250GB HDD / Lightscribe DVD±R/RW / 802.11 b/g/n Wifi / 6 Cell / Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) Review

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(More customer reviews)Compaq CQ56-219WM Presario Laptop 15.6" LED display / 2.20GHz Celeron Processor / 2GB DDR2 RAM / 250GB HDD / Lightscribe DVD±R/RW / 802.11 b/g/n Wifi / 6 Cell / Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) I was somewhat hesitant to purchase this laptop, but aside from the negative reviews here, other site's reviewers were much more postive so I took the plunge and have been quite pleased with its performance.
Pros: Very easy setup . . . especially if you go wireless. I disabled the built in mouse pad and went with a wireless mouse, and use a wireless internet connection. The computer automatically picks up the signals and you're ready to go. Took maybe 5 minutes altogether.
Some folks have complained about its speed, but I found that the Norton Anti-virus Program that comes with it was the problem. After completely removing it from the computer and installing Microsoft Security Essentials . . . it became lightning fast, especially on the internet.
Cons: Just one: I couldn't get my printer to work on it, but decided to go wireless with a printer and got a new one.
All in all, this laptop does all that my old XP desktop did, but much faster and without all the wires dangling and protruding from it. No need for a monitor screen with its wires; got the wireless mouse and wireless printer. The only wire that I have inserted is the AC cord to recharge the battery. It's lightweight, portable and fast.
Some people complain that it's no good for games and such because it's too slow. Maybe it is too slow for some games. I wouldn't know because I don't play them. I use it for emailing, surfing the web, writing and research. It doesn't come with a webcam or other bells and whistles. It's a basic laptop for basic computing needs. It comes with Microsoft Office Word and Excel, but not outlook express. You can upgrade to get the additional programs for a price.
I've used computers for years and this is my first laptop. If you're looking for a good, solid, basic, fast laptop without the frills and thrills, you can't go wrong with this one.

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