Laptop Reviews: Toshiba Portege R705-P25 and Samsung Q430-11

(Page 1 of 2 )

Today we'll be reviewing two laptops, the Toshiba Portege R705-P25 and the Samsung Q430-11. Priced exactly the same, these two computers offer excellent performance, though some relatively subtle differences may lead you to choose one over the other.

The Toshiba Portege R705-P25 is a 13.3-inch retail laptop that can be found at a fixed configuration. With a well-built design, fast performance, and a full set of features, it has enough to at least lure many consumers to give it a look. The R705-P25 comes with a one-year warranty on parts and labor and is available for $799.99.

The Portege R705-P25 comes with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core i3-350M processor with 3 MB of cache. This multi-core processor gives the laptop solid performance when compared with others in its class. The multiple cores are useful for when you want to run more than one application at the same time. You should be able to perform tasks such as Internet browsing, instant messaging, some media editing, and more without much trouble. For additional multitasking support, you get a solid 4 GB of DDR3 SDRAM.

Graphics are supported by an Intel HD graphics card. This may be a downer to some who want to play more advanced games, but the integrated graphics on the R705-P25 will allow for casual gaming. A 500 GB hard drive is included to provide decent storage space for your important data. The included six-cell battery is said to give eight hours of life when fully charged. That seems like good battery life, but keep in mind you will not get the full eight hours if you are viewing media or running a lot of applications. Still, the battery life does make the R705-P25 a good option for travel. Toshiba also includes an Eco utility button that allows you to switch the laptop into energy saving mode. As far as the operating system goes, you get Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit.

Other features of the Portege R705-P25 are highlighted by its inclusion of Intel Wireless Display, which allows you to stream media from the laptop to a television. To use the feature, you will have to purchase a NETGEAR Push2TV adapter. For connecting to fast wireless networks, there is integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi. An integrated webcam and microphone are also included for video chatting with friends. A DVD drive is included for entertainment with either viewing DVDs or listening to CDs. Finally, a multimedia card reader is on board for transferring data quickly with other devices such as cameras. The reader supports SD cards, MultiMediaCards, and other formats.

The design of the Portege is stylish and incorporates what is referred to as a magnesium finish. It has a blue lid and while not flashy, it has just the right amount of flair to keep from being boring. The laptop is very portable, weighing 3.2 pounds and measuring 12.5 inches wide by 8.9 inches deep by 1 inch thick.  Its portability makes it ideal as a travel companion. The Portege's 13.3-inch display has a HD resolution of 1,366 x 768 and can play 720p content. The display is good enough to make the R705-P25 a solid choice for entertainment in addition to productivity. It also comes with integrated speakers that provide sufficient volume.

The keyboard features spacious, flat keys that are easy to type with. Its touch pad is also spacious, and it can support multi-touch gestures for quick scrolling and more. Connectivity on the R705-P25 is quite good. Its left side features a VGA port, two USB ports, one of which is also an eSATA port, and a HDMI port. The right side, meanwhile, has an Ethernet port, another USB port, microphone and headphone jacks, the DVD drive, and the media reader.

All in all, the Toshiba Portege R705-P25 is a solid laptop. Its design is easy on the eyes, and its performance is also up to par with the competition. The feature set does not seem to be missing much, and the connectivity options should be enough to please most users.

Next: Samsung Q430-11 >>
 

More Computer Systems Articles
More By wubayou

blog comments powered by Disqus