I've had this laptop for nearly three weeks, and think it's great!
Summary:
Pros:
Lightweight
Clean and understated design
Sturdy: most surfaces are made of metal (only the bezel, hinges, and a few bottom panels are plastic). You can easily lift it up by the corner with one hand.
Battery life is good (7.5+ hours with mixed usage). Also, no "battery bulge" in the back!
Battery is removable
Trackpad has a nicely configurable driver (Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Mouse > Device Settings > Settings...)
Value; saves enough money for an SSD compared to a competing system like a Macbook Pro (see below)
Cons:
Screen isn't great. (It isn't bad, though -just narrow in vertical viewing angle).
Black color means you might be tempted to clean the keyboard/trackpad a little obsessively.
Industrial smell coming from the vent in the first few days of ownership (now gone)
When closed, the lid depresses a little when you apply pressure to the middle. I suggest keeping the included fabric insert thing to protect the lid from keyboard scratches. (Note that keyboard scratches also occur on other notebooks, including the sturdy Apple Macbooks, so I'm not taking off any points).
Overall:
I'm giving this laptop five stars because it represents a great value. I paid $835 for the system, and replaced the hard drive with an Intel X25-M 120GB SSD ($175). The total cost of my system therefore was $1010, which puts it in entry-level Macbook territory.
(Note that the SSD is very easy to install -you unscrew two panels in the back, swap the drives, and clean-install your operating system).
Why the SSD? With the SSD plus Sandy Bridge processor, performance is superb -startup is fast (15 seconds from button to login screen, plus 8 seconds from login to loaded desktop). Programs launch quickly, and shutdown is quick as well. I'd say the stock system with the hard drive is a bit imbalanced (processor is too fast for the 5400 RPM hard drive) but at least it comes with plenty of room and doesn't cost much. With this configuration, program launching and startup are slower, and you are stuck with bloatware, but the computer still operates reasonably fast.
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Comparisons with other systems:
Compared with the Air, the R835 (with SSD installed) gives you:
more storage space (120GB SSD on my R835 vs. 64GB for the $999 11" MBA model)
--with SSD, similar bootup times (23 seconds for R835 vs. 15 seconds *see 6/2/2011 edit* for MBA) and wakeup times (both about 2 seconds)
a better processor (core i5-2410M vs. a core 2 duo) and more memory
longer battery life + removable battery
a DVD drive, USB 3.0 port, eSATA, VGA (no need to carry a dongle around)
0.9 or 0.3 pounds more weight (vs. the 11" and 13" MBA models, respectively).
about 0.25" more thickness
Compared with the Macbook Pro (13" entry-level model), you get:
$190 in savings (with SSD in the R835) or $365 savings (with stock HDD)
-With SSD swap, you get performance gains compared to the MB. With the default hard drive, you get twice as much storage (640GB vs. 320GB, both 5400 RPM).
Removable battery
Similar metal build quality (Macbook pro feels a little sturdier, but weighs 40% more)
1.3 pounds in weight savings (!)
Compared with the plastic Macbook (13" $999 model), you get:
Metal build quality
an SSD (for about the same total cost), or $165 in savings + 390GB more hard drive space
Better processor (two generations ahead) and RAM (4GB vs. 2GB).
1.5 pound weight savings (!)
So, I saw no reason to go with the Macbooks when I could get superior performance and save money, weight, and battery flexibility with the R835.
Compared to other PC systems -It's thinner and slightly less expensive than the Lenovo x220 (but isn't as rugged and has slightly shorter battery life), and is very much cheaper and has a better processor (but has an inferior screen) than the Sony Z series.
In short, the R835 makes its Apple competitors look seriously overpriced (or under-featured, depending on how you look at it) and costs less than its PC competitors.
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My evaluation of the unit:
I liked the design -it's quite sturdy (with its metal construction) and light (3.2 pounds). It doesn't feel as "dense" as the Macbook Air, but it's sufficiently sturdy and light enough, such that you can lift it by a corner with one hand. Also, it certainly breaks a threshold in thinness, so it certainly *looks* thin. The CD/DVD drive makes a great "but wait, there's more" parlor trick!
(The design also appeals to me because it's pleasantly different from the Macbooks' design. In my Econ class, it looks stealthy and elegant compared to the sea of glowing Apples. Funny how "Think Different" should now apply to a PC rather than a Mac...)
As noted above, the performance is good, especially with an SSD installed. The weakest point is the integrated graphics, though it's not completely pathetic; I was able to play Portal without too much choppiness.
The battery life is great -I got 7.5 hours with mixed use (web browsing, spreadsheets, including an hour of Steam running). I estimate you get about 4-5 minutes per percent used (according to the Windows battery icon), or 400-500 minutes total.
There are a few minor drawbacks. For one, the screen is merely average because the vertical viewing angle is not good. Also, a downside to the black body color is that I obsessively clean it with every fleck of dust. The unit had a distinctly industrial smell when it first came, but now it's gone. Also, its lid depresses a little, which I suspect will lead to the keyboard leaving scratches on the screen (this also happens to Macbooks, which are supposed to be the pinnacle of design, so I guess it's acceptable). To counter this, I use the included piece of fabric between the screen and keyboard when I transport the unit around.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the system overall exudes great quality, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a well-built, fast, and highly portable notebook. I would strongly recommend replacing the stock hard drive with an SSD to balance the performance, especially given that the relatively low price (for this weight class) leaves some money to acquire an SSD.
EDIT (5/16/2011): PCMark Vantage scores for my system are here: [ ... ] . You can compare with other Core i5-2410M systems here: [ ... ]
EDIT (6/2/2011): I visited the Apple Store today. The 11-inch MBA started up in about 50 seconds (not sure what took so long), while the Core i7 MacBook Pro ($1500) started up in about 35 seconds (didn't have a chance to try the i5 MBP). If I remember correctly, the default R835 took about 60 seconds to start up. Again, the startup time for my configuration is 23 seconds.
EDIT (7/24/2011): Thanks to several reviewers for bringing this up: apparently, the motherboard does support SATA III speeds, but Toshiba disabled the speed, thus getting you SATA II speeds. This would mean that it wouldn't be too valuable buying a SATAIII SSD for use in this computer. I'll update this after I confirm this limitation.
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I love this notebook. My last one was a 6.5 pound beast of a Dell that I carried around for four years and got 2 hour battery life if you were lucky. This is such a huge improvement.
PROS:
The battery life is excellent. Only if I am doing really demanding computational tasks do even think about plugging it in to the AC adapter.
The weight is fantastic. A lot of people I've showed it to can't believe how light this notebook is. My bookbag is so much lighter now. Even the AC adapter is way lighter than my Dell's.
The CPU power is more than sufficient as is the RAM at 4GB.
The trackpad is a good size. I don't think you could ever make a trackpad too big. It also has multi-touch and gesture support.
I was able to play L4D2 with this machine at medium settings. Much more than I was expecting given the graphics on here.
For the price, this is such a great notebook if you need something that is really light and still has a full blown mobile CPU.
The build quality is really good. Just a little bit of flex under the DVD drive. Everything else feels solid.
It has USB 3.0 and you can charge through USB even it the notebook isn't on. That's great for a gadget geek like me.
It also has HDMI, VGA and eSATA. So many ports!
CONS:
They just released the R830 series which offers faster CPU's and a docking port. If you have the money to spend, look at those instead. The i7 CPU R830 is actually rated at over 11 hours. They also have an SSD options too.
I am going from a 1920x1200 15.4" on my Dell to this 13.3" 1366x786. It's been kind of a shock for some of my programming related apps that require lots of screen real estate but haven't really noticed the difference for everyday home and office tasks. I am also going from matte to glare so that has lead to a couple new problem with reflections but nothing too bad.
Two finger scroll is not as smooth as I wish it could be but it's still very usable.
No bluetooth. Again, look at the R830 series.
Maybe this isn't the perfect notebook for you for whatever reason, but you really need to consider it if you are in the market for a new one.
Best Deals for Toshiba Portégé R835-P56x 13.3-Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue)
what initially got me into the portege series was the aesthetic. it has a very simple and clean look. I'm not exactly tech savvy as I don't keep up with all the latest processors and whatnot, but for all the praise and hype about the new Sandy Bridge processors, this laptop seems decently quick. doesn't blow me away compared to my several years-old core duo desktop or even my 1-2 year-old, $500 toshiba satellite. overall, I like it a lot because it's big enough that hopefully it won't give me carpel tunnel syndrome, but small enough for easy mobility, which is good for a student.
since I'm not doing any hardcore computing and just using it for a few basic functions like browsing, streaming movies, programming, etc, it satisfies me (but then again I think any computer in this day an age could pull those tasks off). unfortunately, even for those basic functions there are a few issues that Toshiba can improve on:
1) the keyboard keys CLACK... really loudly. typing in the library or in class will probably stir up a ruckus. clackity clackity clack. not that big of a deal though, I guess.
2) I don't know where everyone is getting all these claims about a 9 hour battery life (even cnet said they were able to get something like 7 hours in their tests) when I'm running the laptop in 'eco' mode with 77% battery life left and only 4 hours and 11 minutes of claimed life left. a second later, I have 76% batter life left but only 3 hours and 41 minutes left??? I'm only on my battery's second charge but I've been noticing these really sporadic projections and it's really annoying.
3) the track pad straight up sucks. I'm not a fan of mac at all, but when my girlfriend had her 13.3" macbook, one of the things I found coolest was how easy it was to surf the net. the 2 finger scroll feature they had was super cool and some other functions included: three finger swipe up to open a new tab, three finger swipe down to close a page, three finger swipe left to go 'back' and right for forward, two finger tap to function as a right click [extremely useful]. comparatively, you can't really set any three finger functions to your own liking, the two finger scroll is really jittery if it manages to detect your fingers there is no sensitivity and can go insane and jump entire pages at any given moment. overall it's pretty frustrating to use the multi-finger features.
4) could be a part of gripe #3, but the two clicker buttons for the track pack are stiff. I like to use the tap function because my thumb would probably get sore if I used the clicker too much. yes, it is that stiff.
other than that, it's really light and powerful enough that I can use it without getting frustrated and just looks awesome which is good enough for me. I would give this laptop 5 stars otherwise and while a 2-star deduction might seem harsh, I feel these basic attributes could have easily been included and are prerequisites to just being a decent laptop. I mean, how expensive could it be to develop and include a good track pad?? overall, laptop seems sturdy and reliable and I'm looking forward to using it
update: an issue with the r705 series was that the fans would get really loud or that the laptop would get hot, but for either case, toshiba has remedied the problem on this model. the laptop stays extremely quiet even after I have been using it for 6 hours with just one break. it does warm up when in my lap on top of a blanket, but on a desk it doesn't heat up at ALL.
4/25 I've had the laptop for two or three weeks now but since it's my backup/extra I'm really taking care of it and haven't used it that much yet. Mostly for school and not for browsing/videos pretty much. But one thing I noticed today was a little clacking noise that's from the chrome hinge, which is loose. I have no idea how it could have gotten loose as I've used the laptop probably less than a total of 7 times and it's only been handled with the utmost care. REALLY annoying because for a $900 laptop, this really shouldn't be an issue.
Honest reviews on Toshiba Portégé R835-P56x 13.3-Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue)
Please note: I have the Toshiba Portege R835-P70 now sold by Best Buy (as of late June 2011), which appears to have the same specs as the P56X. Thus, I post the following review, as I think it should apply:
For me, the most important features of a laptop are good processing power and portability. And when it comes right down to it, after a point, processing power would not matter so much.
I was originally considering buying the Toshiba Portege R835-P50X (Intel i3 processor) from Best Buy. The Portege R835-P56X (i5 processor) was the model reviewers all over the internet were raving about, but the P50X had a higher battery life--which I attributed to the slower processor--than the P56X. (CNET reported approx. seven hours from the R835-P56X, while PC Magazine reported over nine hours from the P50X.)
When I went onto Best Buy's website to check store inventory, though, I discovered that a newer model, with what appeared to be the same specs (including the Intel i5) as the R835-P56X, had just been released--enter the Portege R835-P70. Added bonus: it was $20 cheaper than the older (and slower) R835-P50X, and even cheaper still than the R835-P56X sold by online retailers.
The new Intel Sandy Bridge i5 processor certainly can perform. I use screen-reading software to access the computer (I am blind), and I am able to use some very memory-intensive text-to-speech voices that had previously been too unresponsive on older machines.
The battery appears to work as advertised, though I have not pushed it to its limit yet. If real-world usage tests indicate a 6-7 hour battery performance, I am inclined to believe them. The thing to remember when gauging battery performance is not the amount of time the computer says is remaining, but rather the percentage that is remaining. This is because the software calculates the amount of time remaining based on the current workload of the computer, and that changes from minute to minute.
While the keys do make a bit of a "clicking" sound when pressed, it is not annoying to me. The keys are firmer than I was used to, but there is always a learning curve with a new keyboard and the firmness is certainly not a bad thing. As far as the key placement, my response to those who say it feels "cramped" is that anyone who has used a 13-inch laptop before will have no trouble using this keyboard. But again, there is always a learning curve, especially for those who are used to larger setups.
The only thing I am not wild about is the placement of the cooling fan intake. It is on the underside of the laptop on the bottom left, and it is easier to cover it accidentally if the computer is sitting on your lap. It is not a deal-breaker, by any means--it is just something to keep in mind. (If the intake is blocked, the fan will run at a higher RPM.)
In several reviews, the sound of the Portege R835's speakers was criticized...and rightly so. The sound they put out is tinny and distorted--the higher the volume, the more distortion there is. My solution? Uninstall the preinstalled Realtek High Definition Audio driver--it makes a world of difference. When I uninstalled said driver and cranked up the volume, I was pleased (and a bit surprised) to find that the speakers were just as loud, but with no distortion! (As a general rule, I uninstall the preinstalled Realtek HD audio driver in favor of the default Microsoft one, mainly because the Microsoft driver allows independent control of speaker and headphone volumes.)
Overall, this is a wonderful little laptop--great battery life, fast processor performance, and all of that in a very lightweight (but sturdy--almost all-metal) frame. While the fan intake placement is not all that great, one can work around it. If you get nothing else useful from this review, please take my advice on uninstalling the Realtek audio driver in favor of the Microsoft one--you'll be glad you did.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Portégé R835-P56x 13.3-Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue)
The other reviewers pretty much hit the spots that needed hit.
The keyboard is a little loud, sure, but aside from that it is just about perfect. I've always liked the old IBM clicky keyboards. Typing on this reminds me of those, which I think is awesome.
The touchpad was *kinda* weird, but I got used to it quickly (have had the machine for about 2 weeks now). Another reviewer commented on the scrolling, and has a solution posted as well. After a couple hours of use, I have no problem using the touchpad (have even played Portal 2 a bit with it).
The performance is amazing, the only thing slowing it down is the hard drive. I have SSDs in my other machines, so the difference is pretty apparent to me. I'll pick up an SSD and make this the perfect little laptop.
Battery life is as advertised. I took it in to work one day and downloaded all of Portal 2, OpenSUSE 11.4 ISO, and Office, all while doing normal browsing with max brightness. I proceeded to burn and install OpenSUSE, and the battery still lasted roughly 6.5 hours. I was impressed.
The screen is definitely bright. I used it in a car with sunlight coming through the window with no issues. As most, I'd prefer a matte screen, but any glare on this is barely noticeable, I didn't even think about it while using it in the sun. I just mention it because I just read a ThinkPad review that had me thinking about it.
I mentioned above that I played Portal 2 on it, yup! Works better than I expected, the sandy bridge i5 is a beast!
I've already recommended this laptop to family and friends, it is definitely worth a look if you're in the market.
