I have been thinking of buying a new laptop from past 6 months was goin thru the internet and checking out all laptops under $1000,i personally hated Dell ( coz i work for dell ),then came HP,but there support sucks in India ( this is what i heard from lot of people),then came Toshiba (chaos suggested me to check their new laptops as he had one long time ago )Toshiba is in India thru HCL as all u know HCL service is kind of ok compared to others,then some where in June my parents Left to the U.S and i thought this is the best time i can ask them ,my pop strictly said that nothing above $1000 ,then i started spending most of my time on the internet and goin thru each and every website in the U.S for the best laptop deals ,that is when i came across Toshiba Satellite A305-S68861 ,which was at Costco for $940 + Tax total came upto $989,called my bro in the U.S took his card details and ordered it ,but i took long time for the Costco guys to ship it to Chicago ,my parents left the U.S on August 2 laptop was shipped to my bro's place on the August 3 ,i lost hopes of getting it here ,later after 1 month got a guy(bakra) who was coming from the U.S and finally i got my love.
PS: Sorry for the entire story of me getting my girl friend(laptop) ,i love her a lot
Please Click on the last page for performance tests and audio quality of the laptop
[BREAK=Technical Specifications]
Processor & Memory:
* Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5750 (2.0GHz)
* 667MHz front side bus speed
* 2MB L2 Cache
* 4GB DDR2 SDRAM memory
Drives:
* 320GB (5,400 RPM) SATA hard drive
* Labelflashâ„¢ DVD-SuperMulti Double Layer Drive:
Graphics & Video:
* 15.4" widescreen TruBrite® TFT LCD display; 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution
* 128MB ATI Mobility Radeonâ„¢ HD 3470 graphics
Communications:
* Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN WLAN
* 10/100 Ethernet
* FM tuner with antenna
* Webcam and microphone built into LCD bezel
Audio:
* Built-in harman/kardon® stereo speakers
* Sound volume control dial
Keyboard:
* 86 key US keyboard
* TouchPadâ„¢ pointing device
Expandability:
* Two main memory slots (occupied)
* ExpressCardâ„¢/54 slot
* 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter accepts Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture card
Ports:
* REGZA LINKâ„¢ (HDMI-CEC)
* RGB port (monitor)
* TV-out (S-Video)
* S/PDIF output (shared with headphone port)
* i.LINKâ„¢ IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port
* Four USB 2.0 ports with Sleep and Charge
* RJ-45 port (LAN)
* Headphone output
* Microphone input
Operating System:
* Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium with SP1 (64-bit)
Power Supply:
* Li-Ion battery pack (4,000mAh)
* 90W (19V x 4.74A) AC adapter: 100-240V / 50-60Hz
Additional Information:
* Dimensions: 14.3" W x 10.5" D x 1.36"/1.52" H
* Weight (approximate): 6.0 lbs.
* LCD Cover Color: Fusion finish with Horizon pattern
* Warranty: One year (limited) on parts and labor
The tech details speak everything about my girl ,looks like she's worth the money i paid .
[BREAK=Build and Design]
The first thing any one would notice about her is the gloss finish its completely glossy(Fusion Finish) from the screen cover to the palm rest, and even the keyboard keys,the laptop is heavy
,and makes it difficult to carry around .The new Toshiba Fusion finish on this notebook is incredibly durable, and has yet to actually scratch throughout my testing. With multiple trips in my backpack, I can't find any visible scuffs on the cover, where other notebooks would show fine scratches almost out of the wrapper.
Build quality is excellent in most areas, giving the notebook a very solid feel. Squeaks and creaks are not present, and panel flex is at a minimum.
[BREAK=Display]
The screen quality is above average for glossy screens, with an evenly bright back light and vibrant colors. Back light bleed is minimal, meaning better game play in dark scenes without areas getting washed out. Viewing angles are adequate, with a wide horizontal range, but shallow vertical range. When tilting the screen back, you will have to find a sweet spot.
[BREAK=Keyboard and Touchpad]
The keyboard looks great and the feel is awesome but since its glossy it loves finger prints ,while i was writing this review i could see that every letter i type in has my finer print ,lil bit difficult to maintain but KMD's 3M Fibre cloth came handy ,since the surface is glossy and soft it makes long time typing very comfortable,One disappointing aspect of the keyboard is that it is not backlit, as that could be the only possible way to make it even more awesome.
The touchpad is mounted flush with the palm rest, with the only indication of it being a touchpad at all is a semi-smooth textured overlay. I don't know what the surface is made out of, but it is oddly slippery. No matter if your fingertip is mildly sweaty or perfectly dry, it doesn't stick to the surface. For anyone who has used a notebook for hours on end, you know that eventually your fingers start to stick on some touchpad surfaces, this surface somehow prevents that. In use the sensitivity is excellent, with a wide range of adjustment offered through the Synaptics driver control panel.
The touchpad buttons are very nice, reminding me of the chrome bumpers on older cars. They feel soft to the touch without any hard defined edges, and even though they have very shallow feedback, they are probably some of the best touchpad buttons i have used.
[BREAK=Audio]
Audio on the laptop seems par from the rest it comes with built in harmon/kardon speakers which are good for music and watching movies ,they are placed near the keyboard ie on the top ,Unlike many normal notebook speakers, you can actually hear a hint of bass, which is welcome for speakers of this size. Volume levels that would easily annoy those around you could be reached without distortion.Volume control for the speakers is a scroll at the front will post the ports in the next page.Will also upload a audio file abt the music quality by this weekend took a day off from work to write review
[BREAK=Ports and Features]
The ports are all on the sides and at the front ,the left side contains one VGA,Lan,S-Video,HDMI,2 USB,Firewire, Expresscard/54.
The right side contains Kensington Lock Slot,AC Power,Optical Drive,FM Tuner,2 USB.
The front contains Wireless On/Off, SD-Card Reader, Mic/Headphone, Volume(check the scroll wheel for the volume control)
The laptop comes with a inbuilt FM tuner( Application bundled from Toshiba) which is good when ur on the GO ,it comes with a small antenna for the same and has a slot on the right side of the laptop.
Above is the FM Antenna for the laptop
The laptop also comes with Sleep USB that means one can charge their devices when the laptop is in sleep mode
[BREAK=Performance]
I ran 3DMark 06 on the laptop and got a score of 1729 which is kind of ok for laptops ,i am yet to run more utilities on it as i am damn tired now ,will post the results later and could some one PM me what all tests should be run on the laptop and what are the utilities to be used for the same.
Some miscellaneous images of the laptop
Above is the pic of touch sensitive media keys
1.3 MP Webcam+ Mic
Lights on the Laptop
[BREAK=Pros and Cons]Pros
Above average LCD
Slick keyboard (literally)
Touch sensitive media keys
Flush mount touchpad with great surface texture
Excellent performance
Outstanding price
Great Harmon/Kardon Speakers
Cons
Warm touch pad( coz the processor in just below the touch pad and it becomes warm while using the laptop for long time)
PS: Sorry for the mistakes i have made ,this is the first time i am writing review for a laptop and took about 3 hours to write the same ,will complete the review by this weekend.
[BREAK=Performance Test includes Audio Clarity of the Speakers]
Hi folks i have recorded few songs played on the laptop,please click on the following link's they are in rapidshare mp3 format for proof i have converted the video files to .3gp and uploaded same in rapidshare
Speakers Test
1) Audio tests in MP3 Format
2)Audio Tests in .3gp Format
Results of HD Tune Pro
1) File Benchmark
2) Read Test on HDD
Battery Test
I was comfortable in watching 2 DVD rips at high clarity i get about 3 hrs of battery back which is guess is decent enough for a laptop ,please let me know if there are any tests i can run on the battery
Will post PC Mark Tests in a while sorry for the delay
PS: Sorry for the entire story of me getting my girl friend(laptop) ,i love her a lot
Please Click on the last page for performance tests and audio quality of the laptop
[BREAK=Technical Specifications]
Processor & Memory:
* Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5750 (2.0GHz)
* 667MHz front side bus speed
* 2MB L2 Cache
* 4GB DDR2 SDRAM memory
Drives:
* 320GB (5,400 RPM) SATA hard drive
* Labelflashâ„¢ DVD-SuperMulti Double Layer Drive:
Graphics & Video:
* 15.4" widescreen TruBrite® TFT LCD display; 1280 x 800 (WXGA) native resolution
* 128MB ATI Mobility Radeonâ„¢ HD 3470 graphics
Communications:
* Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN WLAN
* 10/100 Ethernet
* FM tuner with antenna
* Webcam and microphone built into LCD bezel
Audio:
* Built-in harman/kardon® stereo speakers
* Sound volume control dial
Keyboard:
* 86 key US keyboard
* TouchPadâ„¢ pointing device
Expandability:
* Two main memory slots (occupied)
* ExpressCardâ„¢/54 slot
* 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter accepts Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture card
Ports:
* REGZA LINKâ„¢ (HDMI-CEC)
* RGB port (monitor)
* TV-out (S-Video)
* S/PDIF output (shared with headphone port)
* i.LINKâ„¢ IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port
* Four USB 2.0 ports with Sleep and Charge
* RJ-45 port (LAN)
* Headphone output
* Microphone input
Operating System:
* Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium with SP1 (64-bit)
Power Supply:
* Li-Ion battery pack (4,000mAh)
* 90W (19V x 4.74A) AC adapter: 100-240V / 50-60Hz
Additional Information:
* Dimensions: 14.3" W x 10.5" D x 1.36"/1.52" H
* Weight (approximate): 6.0 lbs.
* LCD Cover Color: Fusion finish with Horizon pattern
* Warranty: One year (limited) on parts and labor
The tech details speak everything about my girl
,looks like she's worth the money i paid .
[BREAK=Build and Design]
The first thing any one would notice about her is the gloss finish its completely glossy(Fusion Finish) from the screen cover to the palm rest, and even the keyboard keys,the laptop is heavy
,and makes it difficult to carry around .The new Toshiba Fusion finish on this notebook is incredibly durable, and has yet to actually scratch throughout my testing. With multiple trips in my backpack, I can't find any visible scuffs on the cover, where other notebooks would show fine scratches almost out of the wrapper.
Build quality is excellent in most areas, giving the notebook a very solid feel. Squeaks and creaks are not present, and panel flex is at a minimum.
[BREAK=Display]
The screen quality is above average for glossy screens, with an evenly bright back light and vibrant colors. Back light bleed is minimal, meaning better game play in dark scenes without areas getting washed out. Viewing angles are adequate, with a wide horizontal range, but shallow vertical range. When tilting the screen back, you will have to find a sweet spot.
[BREAK=Keyboard and Touchpad]
The keyboard looks great and the feel is awesome but since its glossy it loves finger prints ,while i was writing this review i could see that every letter i type in has my finer print ,lil bit difficult to maintain but KMD's 3M Fibre cloth came handy ,since the surface is glossy and soft it makes long time typing very comfortable,One disappointing aspect of the keyboard is that it is not backlit, as that could be the only possible way to make it even more awesome.
The touchpad is mounted flush with the palm rest, with the only indication of it being a touchpad at all is a semi-smooth textured overlay. I don't know what the surface is made out of, but it is oddly slippery. No matter if your fingertip is mildly sweaty or perfectly dry, it doesn't stick to the surface. For anyone who has used a notebook for hours on end, you know that eventually your fingers start to stick on some touchpad surfaces, this surface somehow prevents that. In use the sensitivity is excellent, with a wide range of adjustment offered through the Synaptics driver control panel.
The touchpad buttons are very nice, reminding me of the chrome bumpers on older cars. They feel soft to the touch without any hard defined edges, and even though they have very shallow feedback, they are probably some of the best touchpad buttons i have used.
[BREAK=Audio]
Audio on the laptop seems par from the rest it comes with built in harmon/kardon speakers which are good for music and watching movies ,they are placed near the keyboard ie on the top ,Unlike many normal notebook speakers, you can actually hear a hint of bass, which is welcome for speakers of this size. Volume levels that would easily annoy those around you could be reached without distortion.Volume control for the speakers is a scroll at the front will post the ports in the next page.Will also upload a audio file abt the music quality by this weekend took a day off from work to write review
[BREAK=Ports and Features]
The ports are all on the sides and at the front ,the left side contains one VGA,Lan,S-Video,HDMI,2 USB,Firewire, Expresscard/54.
The right side contains Kensington Lock Slot,AC Power,Optical Drive,FM Tuner,2 USB.
The front contains Wireless On/Off, SD-Card Reader, Mic/Headphone, Volume(check the scroll wheel for the volume control)
The laptop comes with a inbuilt FM tuner( Application bundled from Toshiba) which is good when ur on the GO ,it comes with a small antenna for the same and has a slot on the right side of the laptop.
Above is the FM Antenna for the laptop
The laptop also comes with Sleep USB that means one can charge their devices when the laptop is in sleep mode
[BREAK=Performance]
I ran 3DMark 06 on the laptop and got a score of 1729 which is kind of ok for laptops ,i am yet to run more utilities on it as i am damn tired now ,will post the results later and could some one PM me what all tests should be run on the laptop and what are the utilities to be used for the same.
Some miscellaneous images of the laptop
Above is the pic of touch sensitive media keys
1.3 MP Webcam+ Mic
Lights on the Laptop [BREAK=Pros and Cons]Pros
Above average LCD
Slick keyboard (literally)
Touch sensitive media keys
Flush mount touchpad with great surface texture
Excellent performance
Outstanding price
Great Harmon/Kardon Speakers
Cons
Warm touch pad( coz the processor in just below the touch pad and it becomes warm while using the laptop for long time)
PS: Sorry for the mistakes i have made ,this is the first time i am writing review for a laptop and took about 3 hours to write the same ,will complete the review by this weekend.
[BREAK=Performance Test includes Audio Clarity of the Speakers]
Hi folks i have recorded few songs played on the laptop,please click on the following link's they are in rapidshare mp3 format for proof i have converted the video files to .3gp and uploaded same in rapidshare
Speakers Test
1) Audio tests in MP3 Format
2)Audio Tests in .3gp Format
Results of HD Tune Pro
1) File Benchmark
2) Read Test on HDD
Battery Test
I was comfortable in watching 2 DVD rips at high clarity i get about 3 hrs of battery back which is guess is decent enough for a laptop ,please let me know if there are any tests i can run on the battery
Will post PC Mark Tests in a while sorry for the delay
hyeah: