Toshiba-Notebook Reviews

This laptop is a steal for the price. I have had it a month now and I love it. I did a lot of checking around before I bought a laptop because I didnt know a lot about laptops at the time. If you were to buy a Dell with the same scymatics as this laptop, you would easily pay double. Compaq's are about $500 more for the same thing. Right now I am in Mosul, Iraq and I use this laptop for about 8 hours straight everyday and I havent had a single problem. The wireless internet is definently a plus. I can sit in my tent and get signal off a wireless router 50yds away no problem. The ease of use of this computer is great. Compared to the pentium 4, the Celerion is still a great operating system. If your looking for something cheap yet reliable, this is the laptop for you. Look on epinions.com or pricegrabber.com and read other peoples reviews and you will see how great of a computer this is.

As an owner of a Toshiba S127 and this S157, I can tell you that this thing is pure quality. Dell's laptops have gotten almost pitiful in quality, while IBM are insanely priced. Where's the quality, inexpensive laptops? Toshiba is your answer.

Trust me guys. Get this model. I bought the S127 and ended up giving it to my mom. This model comes with the built in wireless Internet (which is awesome), 40GB of storage, 512MB DDR (XP uses MUCH more than 256MB even doing the simplest tasks), and 2.2Ghz Celeron (you can't tell the difference between 2Ghz & 2.2 Ghz,trust me).

I scored my S157 in brand new condition for $825 off some really nice guy off eBay I struck a deal with. (I picked it up locally)

I'm going to review every single thing about this laptop, sequentally. Please note that this is an unbiased review:

1.) Keyboard: Probably the best keyboard i've ever used in over 18 years of computers. I loved these soft key laptop keyboard. Doesn't have that annoying cursor thing in the middle of the keyboard that some people like to use. (Most despise it, though)

2.) TouchPaD: Works great. Two basic buttons, silver color, and work perfectly.

3.) 15" XGA screen. The screen is nice, bright, and vivid, but I definately could use SXGA (1280x....) XGA is only 1024x768 and is just enough for basic tasks

4.) Speakers: Silver titinium stereo speakers. They work adequately for basic needs. What can I say? They're laptop speakers. Go pickup some Logitech Z-340s for $30 at Best Buy. They will compliment these nicely.

5.) Design: Design is superb. The laptop is suprisingly thin (1 inch) and the colors are perfect. Really great job.

6.) Weight: 6.15 lbs, according to my measurements.

7.) LEDs: The LEDs are great. 5 basic small LEDs that tell you what's going on. Nothing fancy.

8.) 802.11b Wireless (S157 only). This is great. You can save your PCCard slot; you can also disable/enable the device whenever you want. Someone mentioned somewhere that the built-in wireless card means it uses the notebook as an antenna. I don't believe that though.

9.) CD-RW/DVD ROM: Works perfectly. I would've perferred a trayless drive (like the Pioneer 16x DVD drives) but hell, this is great. They both work great.

8.) Battery Life: Battery life is not as good as I would like it to be. I get 2 1/2 hours max out of this computer on a full battery charge, assuming light working conditions. Extra battery costs $150+tax at Best Buy or Circuit City. I'm using my mother's S127 batter. ;)

9.) Noise Level: Both computers are dead silent. There is a fan that turns on once in a while to cool the computers. The fan isn't loud at all.

10.) PC Card Slot: It only has 1 PC Card slot, but that's not an issue anymore now that I have built in wireless internet

11.) Ports:
Serial: Great but I don't use it.
Parallel: Ok, I still don't use it.
2x USB 2.0: Now, this is beautiful. I have several USB devices, some even USB 2.0, that I use with this computer.
Neither models come with S-Video, DESPITE what some specifications say. The model also comes with external VGA for connecting to a projector or external monitor.
RJ45 (Ethernet) AND Modem already installed. What a great value.

12.) Performance:
Hard drive: Works decently. Only 4200 RPM, so don't expect mind-blistering performance, but it's fast enough even for an end user.

Processor: 2.2Ghz Celeron is like a crippled P4; nevertheless, it performs almost all basic functions with ease. Gamers apply elsewhere.

Sound: No comments. Sound works. :)

Video: This is my biggest complaint (besides the microphone) about this model. Comes with 32MB Intel Extreme Graphics (Shared). Because it's shared with system memory, people tend to think it's 64MB Intel graphics; believe me, it's NOT. It's 32MB Intel extreme graphics that will let you do only the basic video or gaming. Don't expect any kind of performance from this. I really wish Toshiba had put an ATi Radeon mobility in here, but for the price I'm not complaining. :-)

* Software: I don't use the software that comes with this bundle, but make sure to check the personal cons below for additional details.

* Toshiba Utilities: As with most utilities, I don't like running manufacturer's utility files, but Toshiba's aren't _that_ bad. (I still don't run them, though). They allow you to control most of the function buttons at the topic and assign them different functions.

Build Quality: This is where the laptop truly shines. Putting IBM's insanely high quality and price tag, this is the best laptop you can get for budget-price quality. Toshiba rules.

Personal Cons:

* No built in Microphone. The thing has a port for a microphone, but I really, really wish Toshiba had put one in. I know this isn't an issue for most people, but I use microphones on a daily basis. They're cheap, granted, but that's another thing to lug around.

* Rebates: Ugh, I hate rebates. I got my S127 for $760 (after 8.5% tax) and after $250 rebates. I got my S157 for $825 cash from some guy on eBay.

* One thing that annoys me is that Toshiba has loaded this comp with plenty of useless junk like AOL, Special offers, etc. This is an easy fix. I just wiped the drive and put XP Professional on there and boom, it's done. :) The S157, IIRC, comes with Microsoft Works, which I don't use.

If you want more detailed pictures of this laptop, search on www.newegg.com. They have both models and detailed pictures on it.
I hope I haven't missed anything. :)

Had this computer for 20 days. Its a great computer for the price. The built in wi-fi works like a charm. Screen, keyboard, and size is great. Processor and memory was sufficient for my purpose including a little use of paint and drawing programs. Only thing I didn't like is their touchpad. They have something called Draglock feature turned on which makes it hard for me to do what I normally do with my touchpad. I only found out after fiddling around with adjusting all sorts of touchpad settings that it was the Draglock being turned on that was bothering me. If you having trouble with making your touchpad act smoothly, I suggest you turn this feature off. However it is not easy to get to. It is under 5 layers of menu screens. The final menu you will find it is under "tapping settings". Overall, a super buy when you consider the rebates I got this with.

The perfect stick of SODIMM for a wonderful price. I bought two of these and now my laptop is screaming fast with 1 GB of RAM. If you haven't purchased a RAM upgrade for your Toshiba, what are you waiting for? This is a night and day difference!

This RAM is wonderful! I would recommend it highly for your Toshiba notebook.

i buy it and now i have a great performance in my laptop

I purchased this product for an awesome price online. I debated whethe I should give this product a 4 instead of 5, reason being I had some installation issues. The issues were primarily due to my ignorance of wireless networking.
What changed my mind was their excellent customer support. There is a toll free number listed on the outside of the box, touting free customer support.
After struggling with getting my network up and running for 3 hours, I decide to try the toll free number. I did not try the number earlier, since I have found in the past that those toll free customer support numbers were primarily used as marketing hype to push the product, and needless to say the tech support was marginal at best.
Not the case with Toshiba. No long hold times. No incoherent Chinglish (Chinese-English). The tech actually new what he was talking about, and had me up and running in less than 15 minutes.
Highly reccomend this router.
Please be aware that there have been two firmware upgrades on this router, both available online, on Toshiba's website.
I use this router with an SMC Wireless Cardbuss Adapter (SMC2635W), and I get excellent range, never dropping less than 90% in signal strength within about a 200 foot radius from the router.
I'm not sure if this latter fact is due to the router, or the wireless cardbuss adapter.

AN EXCELLENT BATTERY FOR THE BEST LAPTOPS IN THE WORLD

Pros. I'm a pretty technical computer and this is my second laptop. All the bells and whistles are great. Fast speed 800FSB is the best of it's kind right now. The screen is very bright and big. Also, the ram slot is expandable up to 2048.. this is great because you can update it. most laptops max out at 1024. Buring CD's couldn't be easier... takes around 7 minutes with verification process, around 4.5 minutes without.
* This laptop is everything you would expect for you money... Shop around, this laptop has a great range of 2500 to 1600.. yeah..so wouldn't want to be ripped off... I got mine for 1600 after 400$ rebate. :0

Cons. You need to buy an external mouse. I think all laptops need external mouse cause the touchpad is just weird, and most pep don't want to re get use to somethings else. Windows MEdia Center is buggy, so just download updates from www.microsoft.com.. update often. The machine is a power sucking beast.. but you could get 4 hours plus if you adjust the power management. depend on how birght the screen you want. I use mine in normal, so it lasts about 3 hours.
IT's pretty heavy too.. 7.9 lbs. but i'm used to carrying a heavy bagpack. so no biggy.

This is a very solid machine. Bought this a few days ago as I have been looking for a while. After review of several other machines Dell 8600, Gateway 17", IBM Thinkpad, and Apple Powerbook 17" this and the Apple really stood out. As I chose to go Windows it was this. I also looked at the 17" version of this but it is REAL big, as are all the other 17" machines. This is almost too big as it is to be really portable anyway. IE....I wouldn't want to travel too much with the 17" of any of them. If you're an apple fan, get the Powerbook.

I am also impressed with the overall build quality. Very good in a world of cheap crap. The Dell is garbage in comparison and to get anywhere near the same Video, HDD, P4 etc on the Dell is several hundred more. Everything is very sturdy. Even the power cord is above average.

...

My only complaint is the keyboard. The top of this thing is PLENTY big enough that Toshiba could have fit a full sized board. Instead there are some idiot lights that let you know the HDD is spinning and wireless is working etc. I could easily do with out that for a full sized board. Few keys in some funky places too. It also has a remote and TV tuner that are external but I will never use them Could be a good idea for a college dorm or similar though.

I'm using it for portable video editing and so far so good. Ripping and burning a full (4.38 gigs) DVD takes a bit over an hour. Streaming from camera over firewire no problem. HT technology on the P4 2.8 with the included 512 ram seems to handle video processing better than my desktop AMD 2.8 w/ a Gig of memory. Haven't done any 3D gaming or such but it wasn't bought for that.

Had a question before I bought it so I tried tech support. They shipped some of them with "32 meg video" stickers (removeable) but they all have 64. Just a typo. A quick check of the system confirmed that it really did indeed have 64 as the specs say. Got through in literally 90 seconds, answered my question right away. Maybe a fluke but hey, when was the last time you got a tech support question answered in under 3 minutes?

So Toshiba if you're reading this....BIGGER KEYBOARD would have gotten you 5 stars!

This was my first notebook and only my second computer so I put a lot of research into it. Bottom line was this Toshiba was the most bang for the buck. I've had it now for about 2 months and haven't had a single problem with it. Media center is great. What did I do with out it? Most anything with music or video can be controlled via the included remote control. you can even put the noteboook into standby mode with it. The tv tuner is great and the ability to record to HD is icing. Media center does use a lot of memory and processor power though. It's also a little buggy. Nothing closing and reopening wouldn't fix. After hearing the built in speakers in the store I was a little worried, but once I got it home, they did the job better than expected. Of course ext. speakers most of the time, but in a pinch the built in speakers aren't that bad. Maybe another 20G on the HD would be nice but now I'm just getting greedy. All in all I have no regrets, it is everything I expected.

If you buy this model or something closer to this model please know that it gets heated. I have Sony laptop. It is very cool. Similar heating problem was there with a Dell laptop (12.1" screen) that I had earlier. I thought Toshiba should not have this problem. No professional review tells about this. After buying the computer only, I saw another customer in this page has already written about it. The key board also gets heated up. I don't feel very comfortable working under such a heat.

Just bought the Toshiba M35-S359 after much debate and research on which laptop will best benefit needs of wireless connectivity and good processing power without being penalized by the short battery charges of many laptops. Centrino is just a marketing ploy by sticking a less powerful Intel chip then some of the more readily available of 3.0 Ghz and around that, but that didnt concern me...Processing doesn't need to be so powerful anyway, unless you're manning a mission to Mars. Admit it, the majority of your time will be spent on a basic application like Word or the Internet. If you're a gamer, buy a Playstation. Anywho, what sold me on this laptop was the widescreen...Period. It's beautiful and a much needed change from the square screens the corporate world of design has left us with over the years. Using an nVidia GeForce FX graphics controller with 32 MB of dedicated video memory, the screen display really makes your mouth water even if your stomach is full. The 512 mg of RAM should be standard on all computing devices by now, which is true for this well designed machine. Everyone is watching their weight and figure more then ever now, and the M35-S359 is on the same track as us weight watchers. It's not heavy around 6 lbs at all...I don't mind carrying around this 6 lb diamond. It looks just as pretty, but actually is just a more practical gem to have then what's out there right now. One broohaha as I would call it is the lack of a manually operated volume dial around the outside of its' waistline. Ah, who cares! Another negative is lack of a 802.11g wireless networking. I know 802.11b is the standard right now, but the "G" is much faster and the 'future'. Even the lower priced laptops you find in stores have the "G". Hmmmm, what was Toshiba thinking?? Oh, and the keyboard layout could have been just a little bit more sensible. You'll get used to it after a while, but don't be surprised when you goof to your conventional PC keyboard and find yourself lost looking for the Windows button. This thing is gorgeous to look at though. The negatives seem to fade away quickly after she looks at you with that twinkle in her eye. So if you're looking for a Cindy Crawford with a brain and muscle to match, she's the one for many of us. The right balance of practicality and luxury, she may just be right one for you.
One last tid bit though...Hunt around for the price...I paid 1399 after rebates, so don't pay more then that! If you're wondering where I got it, due to Amazon's interest I can't say it's circuit ci...Whoops! Don't wanna upset Amazon now;)

I have just bought a new M35-S359. This is my first laptop and I have thought very much about the brand and the model of it. Toshiba was a very good choice for me. In this price range it offers a Centrino Processor which has indeed a very good performance with low battery consumption. Also its Widescreen feature makes you to watch DVD's in great quality and comfort.
All software comes within a DVD and you don't bother much with tons of CD's.
It has international warranty and an universal frequency adapter which allows you to use the laptop anywhere around the world.
It has got quality Harman/Kardon speakers which sounds very good. The keyboard layout is very comfortable.
I can say in this price you won't find any model with Centrino processor and with the quality of Toshiba..

This is Kingston Part #KTT3614/256

I have had this laptop for over 6 months now. Here's my review:

PROs:
- Good lookin!
- Nice wide screen
- P4/ 2.8 GHZ/ 60GB HDD is great
- Love the DVD/CD burner

CONs:
- It comes with XP Home. It SHOULD have XP Pro. I had to upgrade mine, but you have to take care to upgrade it before you install SP1. This was a big issue for me.
- Battery life is about an hour. With P4 and all the applications, this is expected I guess.
- No INFRARED port!! I was disgusted when I found this out recently.
- Toshiba Support is NOT good. They do not even have a decent user forum on their site!!!

EVERYTHING else is fine. I love this laptop, despite its 3 shortcomings above.

overall the computer is a great buy. everyone was like who that is a big screen. after a while you get used to it and you love it. and so do they. 2.8 ghz is amazing and the hard drive is the perfect size for any gamer, or business man/woman. the only problem i had and still have is finding a carrying case for it. again it is a great computer for anyone.

It took me a long time to decide which Toshiba notebook model to chose. I had an old model Toshiba notebook that rendered excellent service through four years and I never thought of replacing it with any other brand notebook.
The P15-S409 has been an excellent choice. It is a very good combination of a relatively lower price with every service needed.
Wireless, DVD burner, an excellent 15.4" widescreen, an incredibly fast start up and downloading. There is practically no time delay in the printing process.
I use it for my business replacing my previous desk PC with
excellent results because it has a very easy to handle keyboard.
I took a big chance being from Argentina as I had the Toshiba sent by air freight. But a good packaging brought me a perfect working unit. As a matter of fact, Toshiba has a good service unit in my country. This is a highly recommendable notebook.

I bought my P25-S609 brand new from Circuit City on 1/24/04. I bought the $300 mega-warranty through Toshiba upon registeration. I have never hated a computer or a company like this before. 45 days after shelling out over $3000 for everything listed above, my HD starts clicking and sputtering. Long story short, total hard drive failure and data loss. After a week of waiting, my repaired laptop came back to me. I spent over $200 on software suites to create back-ups and restore disks to try and avoid ever losing everything like that again. Big help they turned out to be. Here we are, less than 5 months after buying it and already having the HD replaced.....the HD has failed AGAIN. The situation is such that I cant even get my back up disks to restore data. Toshiba wants to just replace the HD again. FORGET IT! I have a warranty that covers replacement should I physically break the unit, yet when I I politely request that my lemon of a notebook please be replaced, I am told no. I am fed up. I lost everything, AGAIN!!! Toshiba could care less. Looks like my notebook is headed for a head on collision with my Range Rover....OOOPS! And Toshiba America is being handled through my state's Attorney General's Office.....better luck to those of you out there with this computer!

This laptop is everything it is said to be. It is a desktop replacement, you can't be weak and be able to take this laptop around with you all day. From the 17" screen to the DVD burner, it amazes me every day. This computer is a little on the pricey side, but right now you can get a $200 rebate. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. I believe this machine will last quite a while. I have not had a use for Toshiba's customer service, but I am pretty sure that I would be able to get adequate service from them. I bought this laptop from a seller on eBAY. The only thing with eBAY is the problem of fraud. You have to be careful who you pay. Be sure that they at least take Paypal, but better yet use Escrow or COD. If you want a great laptop, get a Toshiba, in my opinion, it kicks all the big brand name's ass.

This computer (next to my beau) is the light of my life. I've had it for 11 months and am head over heals in love. I use it for photo manipulation with Photoshop CS, web development with Dreamweaver MX 2004, animation creation with Flash MX 2004, authoring multimedia projects with Director MX, a bit of music mixing with Adobe Audition, streaming music from Rhapsody, listening to NPR and watching DVDs.

All my peripherals (Epson Photo printer, iRiver mp3 player, SanDisk media reader, cordless mouse) plug and play nicely together, all at the same time. The big, beautiful monitor is the best feature. Watching DVDs in bed is such a treat!

The computer is a dream to type on. Feels like there are shock absorbers or pockets of air beneath each key.

The harman/kardon speakers are the only drawback. Having heard the speakers on the Toshiba Satellite 5205-S704, which are fantastic, rectangular speakers that actually raise up above the keyboard area, I had high expectations. But the volume on the P25 speakers is far too low. I overcome this with Creature speakers plugged in.

Whilst I wouldn't want to transport this computer with me every day due to the weight, it does fit in my bike messenger bag for those occasional trips across town or overseas. Not many laptop backpacks will fit the 17" screen.

The WiFi is wonderful. Even in a small apartment. I love being able to take it to the kitchen table, the living room couch or the bed with no cords dangling off.

I've worked on 2 laptops and 4 desktop computers for multimedia in the past and this one is by far the best.