Not too long ago, I needed to buy a new laptop computer since my old Dell computer nearly died. (There was some sort of hard drive problem that would only allow me to start up in 'safe mode.') After scouring Amazon for several days, I decided upon this Toshiba Satellite computer. It seemed like the best value for the money I was willing to spend.
Pros:
Big screen -This is great for watching movies in true 16:9 ratio. The screen is also really bright so you won't miss any details.
It has a number pad -I really like being able to use 10-key typing to enter numbers in documents and web sites. Having a number pad is surprisingly necessary.
Fast start-up / Fast wake-up -This computer has enough resources to start up quickly from an off state. The start-up feels like it could be a little bit faster, but, again, it is still significantly faster than my old Dell. I usually don't put my computers in hibernation mode when I walk away for any extended period of time, so I can't critique that feature of this computer.
Stylish -This computer looks sleek and sophisticated. It is a real joy to look at.
Generous system resources -This computer has 4GB of RAM and 500GB of hard disk capacity. It also has those new Intel processors that feature "hyper-threading" technology. Since Windows 7 is a system hog, a new laptop should at least have 6GB of RAM, but 4GB seems to be just fine for this machine. I can switch quickly between programs, start programs quickly, and end them quickly, too. A 500GB hard disk is just an astoundingly huge amount of storage space. There is more than enough space for photos and movies.
The mouse-pad -I don't know how Toshiba did it, but the mouse-pad is the coolest feature of the laptop. The mouse-pad looks like it was spray-painted on top of the plastic shell. It also works really well AND it offers multi-touch functionality. If you need to increase the size of the font on a web page, all you do is spread two fingers on the mouse-pad. It is actually pretty damn cool.
Cons:
Atrocious speakers -OK, the worst feature in this computer are the absolutely horrible speakers. The sound that comes from them is tinny and without depth. I find it interesting, to say the least, that Toshiba would have a mid-range computer with decent hardware specs but include insufficient speakers. Whoduthunk?
Not enough ports / Bad port locations -Again, for the amount of hardware specs this computer has, Toshiba only included 2 USB ports. The laptop shell is spacious enough to include 4 USB ports without any problems. My old Dell laptop had 4 USB ports. Also, the USB ports and power DC-in locations are really inconvenient: They are located on the right side of the machine. Most people are right-handed BUT protruding cords interferes with desk space which, in turn, limits the space that most people might have because of the locations of the ports. The USB ports and DC-in power port should be re-located to the back of the machine.
Other details:
The computer is finished with a matte black plastic shell. Just so you know, matte (any color) shows off every single speck of dust and finger print! After I type this review I'm going to wipe down the whole machine with a clean cotton cloth. Also, the keys are matte black, too, so they really show off finger prints! Don't laptop manufacturers know that laptops are dirty machines?! This laptop also weighs 6lbs. For me, it isn't heavy, but for others it might be too heavy.
Final thoughts:
Overall, I really like this laptop. It has plenty of resources for a multitude of applications. I can play some graphically intense games without too many problems. It has plenty of processing speed, RAM, and hard disk space for just about anything you can throw at it. This is a great all-around mid-range laptop. The only reason I didn't give this laptop a 5-star rating is because there simply are not enough USB ports, and the locations of the ports should be on the back of the machine instead of the right side. The speakers are also sub-par for what could have been included.
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I got this laptop about 1 week ago, and I am generally pleased with the quality. Everything worked smoothly out of the box, and it's been working flawlessly with my wireless N D-link router. Toshiba's functions key controls for hibernating, changing video output, etc are well designed and intuitive to use.
On the minus side, the speakers are a bit tinny sounding. The video output is adequate for casual movie viewing, but will not satisfy someone looking for HD like video. This notebook has integrated graphics without a discrete video card and would not support high end games with 3D graphics. I also could not get an older game like diablo 2 to work. Additionally, Toshiba does note recommend trying to upgrade the video card (although it's possible), and doing so would void the warranty.
On a side note, I tried this computer with Toshiba Dynadock and did not find the speed sufficient for smooth operation. I would not try to dock this computer, or in general any computer that is not designed to be docked.
Overall, this is good computer for the price. It will be good for work and casual video viewing, but do not plan on playing games or using it for watching high quality video.
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I purchased this Toshiba Satellite laptop approximately one month ago and I love it. It does everything I want it to do and more. The display on the monitor is gorgeous. The keyboard is the perfect size and I absolutely love the number pad. I always said that if they would just put a number pad on a laptop that I would buy it. So I Did! I have had a few little quirks with Windows 7, software wise, but I was able to navigate through them. The webcam works well enough for what I use it for. The facial recognition software can sometimes be a bear, but for the most part works.The only think I would change about this computer is the glossy black keyboard and outer shell. It shows fingerprints like you would not believe, but I have learned to adapt. I also love the mouse. It is integrated into the keyboard surround and looks the same but it has a different texture. Overall, two very enthusiastic thumbs up and a great buy for a busy mom, college student or anyone just looking for a functional computer that is relatively inexpensive.
Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
I love this laptop, but must confess that I bought it for my son so I have had little time with it. He also loves it, but isn't into reviewing, so here goes:
This is an absolutely beautiful laptop that does anything anyone could expect or want it to. It's fast and there's plenty of room for photo, music, and video storage without upgrading the RAM, though it is an available option in the future. As always, Amazon processed the order and it arrived the date that it was scheduled to. I did two-day shipping with the entire order. I thank Amazon for perfect service.
Once I charged this laptop I removed several programs that we didn't need or want the QuickBooks, the Norton 30-day trial stuff, the Google Toolbar, and a few other programs. I later installed Open Office and removed the MS Office Home and Student trial version. Windows 7 Home Premium is great! I waited till the Vista phase was over to purchase because I knew I didn't want Vista. The only thing that I didn't appreciate is that MS Word is not included, but as stated I solved that problem with Open Office and it works great. I also installed Mozilla Firefox as the default browser, including a variety of Firefox add-ons, but left IE in it.
Watching DVDs on it is better than watching them on a tv, but of course that depends on the quality of your tv. I tend to dislike track-pads and ordered a Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 Winter Blue at the same time, but as track-pads go, this one is pretty good and better than any I have ever encountered. Still, it all works perfect with the mouse. I don't know what problems other reviewers had with the wireless connection, but for us it was fast Wifi and perfect from the very beginning. The keyboard is also great, accurate, and easy to use. We haven't tried the webcam yet. There is no need to contact customer service, so I cannot comment on that. We are tech-intelligent so it's not likely that there will ever be a need.
Now for the cons:
Every reviewer that mentioned the tinny sound of the speakers is correct, although my son didn't have any issue with them. I think Toshiba could have done better with the speakers though.
Yes, you'll never get away from those fingerprints, but aren't almost all laptops like that these days? It is a gorgeous glossy case!
The battery life leaves something to be desired, but then I couldn't find a similarly priced full laptop that promised anything better. My son gets about 3 hours from the battery when watching a DVD, browsing the internet, and using IM all at one time.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone and intend to purchase one for myself in the next couple of months.
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This is a great laptop for everyday computing. It's not a powerhouse, but still very nice. Media center is great, with netflix you can stream movies right to your laptop. I'm not sure what the other reviewers problem was with his wireless connection. I'm guessing his wireless card had some issues. I connected to my network within minutes of completing the set-up. I would recommend this laptop to anyone looking to watch movies, listen to music, browse the web, or any other everyday computer stuff. Also, there is a jack to hook this computer directly to your TV, so you can watch your high def movies on the big screen.
Why not 5 stars? No Bluetooth.
EDIT: *One year later*
So 13 months later-one month after warranty expiresHard Drive dies. Take it for what you will. I took my rating down one star. Will not buy another toshiba laptop. Or a toshiba tv for that matter (almost the same scenario with the tv). I'm pretty much just going to avoid any toshiba product from this point forward.
