A Laptop with Style -- And I Still Have Money Left in My Pocket
Written: Jun 07 '05 (Updated Oct 07 '07)
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Pros: great features for the price, integrated wireless, USB 2.0, 15.4" diagonal widescreen LCD
Cons: 1.5 hour battery life, fan is noisy, almost 7 pounds might be heavy for some
The Bottom Line: This Toshiba laptop is working well for me.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Toshiba Satellite M35X-S163 (PSA72U-2KS00U) PC Not... |
Here I am writing this review on my Toshiba Laptop (Model # M35X-S163) while I watch a DVD movie playing on the laptop screen. Who says I can’t chew gum and walk (or type) at the same time?
Why I Need A Laptop
I’ll be honest and say that I wasn’t looking to purchase a laptop computer. I had flirted with the idea for awhile. I write a lot, whether it is fiction, poetry, articles or reviews for Epinions. I also wanted the option of portability as well as the potential for doing web design should I need to work on a site while away from home and my desktop computer.
So why buy this computer if I wasn’t looking for one? A great price, excellent features and impulse buying. This Toshiba laptop came with an Intel Celeron M Processor 360 (1.4Gz, 1mb L2 cache, 400Mz FSB), 512mb DDR-SDRAM memory, 60gb hard drive, a DVD/CD-RW combo drive … and integrated 802.11b/g wireless as well as a 15.4" diagonal widescreen LCD screen. It also came bundled with the offer of a Canon Pixma iP3000 printer for an extra $9.99. And I needed a new color inkjet printer. A buying match made in computer heaven!
What Comes in the Box?
The computer came packaged in a plain factory-sealed brown box with the Toshiba logo as well as the appropriate UPC and serial numbers labeled on it. It also came with the following:
* Laptop Computer (see specs at end of review)
* AC Adapter and Adapter Cord
* Power Cord
* CD of software and recovery media
* Quick Start / Quick Tour Chart
* Resource Guide (65 pages in English)
* Instruction Manual for Safety and Comfort (17 pages in English)
* One-year Limited Warranty booklet (22 pages in English & Spanish)
* Catalog of Toshiba products & accessories
Setting Up the Computer
This is my first laptop computer. I was amazed at how little time it took to get this machine up and running. All I had to do was remove the laptop from its protective packaging and connect the power cord to the AC adapter. Then I plugged the AC adapter cord into the back of the computer and connected the other end of the power cord into an electrical outlet.
When I opened the computer and pressed the Start button, the machine started with a Windows XP setup procedure to customize the computer for my needs. During the time I had the computer plugged into the electrical outlet, the computer charged the Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery. It took about an hour for the first charge.
Computer Layout (with the lid closed)
I found this Toshiba laptop intuitively easy to operate. As I type, the keyboard keys emit a satisfying click. For some reason I associate the tap of the keys with writing. The keyboard has a solid feel to it, too, and my fingers fit comfortably on the keys.
Front of the Computer
Located in the center front is the Display Release Latch and three System Indicator Lights. The left light is the AC power light. The center light is the On/Off light. The light on the right is the Battery light. When AC power is being used, the AC light glows green. When the computer is On, the middle light glows green. If the battery light turns amber, it indicates the battery charge is low.
Back of the Computer
The back of the computer contains several ports. Facing the back of the computer, from left to right, the ports are:
Security Lock Slot, DC-in, RGB monitor port, S-video port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, Network port, Modem port
Right Side
Facing the right side of the laptop, the system includes: Volume Control Dial, Wireless Antenna On/Off Switch, Headphone Jack, Microphone Jack, USB 2.0 port, i.LINK port, PC Card Eject Button, PC Card Slot, Bridge Media Adapter Slot, Cooling Vent
Left Side
The left side is dedicated to the CD/DVD-Rom drive.
Bottom of the Computer
There are seven rubber feet on the bottom of the machine. This is also where the Battery Module is located along with the Battery Release, Battery Release Lock and Memory Cover.
Front of the Computer (with the lid open)
The LCD screen is a 15.4" diagonal widescreen. I love LCD displays since there is no flicker and they are easier on the eyes. I can work longer without tiring my vision. This widescreen is great! Even my computer-savvy brother admired the wide LCD screen.
The Qwerty keyboard is located in the center of the computer. I have no trouble typing on the keys; however, I do need a firmer typing touch. If I type lightly, sometimes the keys don’t completely click down and the keystroke does not register.
The F function keys are located across the top of the keyboard with the Home, Page Up, Page Down and End keys vertically aligned down the right side. The up, down, left and right arrow keys are located at the bottom right of the board with the Insert, Delete and ALT keys to the left. The space bar is shorter than normal with another ALT key, Fn key and the Control key to the left of it.
One thing I do miss is a number keypad. There is no separate number keypad on this keyboard. Toshiba tried to incorporate a numbered keypad into the machine by making some of the QWERTY keys serve dual purposes. For example, one can press the Fn Key in conjunction with certain F keys to change the keys on the right side of the keyboard into a numbered keypad. For instance, the letter J can also be the number 3 or the End key. However, the markings on the front edge of the keys that show the alternate keyboard options are very difficult for me to read since the markings are dark gray type on charcoal gray keys.
The left side of the keyboard contains the round Start button at the top. After the start button is pushed, a neon blue circle glows around it. Under the start button are two lights that indicate whether a CD/DVD or a music CD is playing. Beneath these lights is an oval silver button that can start a music CD playing. Underneath this button are smaller circular buttons that operate the Play, Pause, Stop/Eject, Next Track, Previous Track controls for the DVD player.
Below the keyboard is the TouchPad and the left/right click buttons. The TouchPad requires a light touch to move the cursor across the screen. With a firm press, the click buttons operate like left and right mouse buttons.
Round speakers 1 1/8" in diameter are located on both the left and right sides of the TouchPad, near the edges of the computer.
Watching DVD Movies
This movie I am watching has great quality. Granted it is not as good as watching the DVD on my dedicated DVD player attached to my television. However, viewing the movie on this laptop, the action is seamless. No jerky image movement or pixelization. The color is good, too. Being an LCD display, one has to sit directly in front of the screen or else the picture will darken and lighten if the screen is viewed from an angle. I am viewing the movie using Windows Media player that came with the machine.
Audio
This system will not win any awards for professional sound. The internal speakers work fine when I watch DVD movies. The sound is clear. However, when I listen to music on CD, the speakers have a tin-sound quality. The music is not rich and lacks depth. I’m not picky about music sound, but I can see where these speakers will be a disappointment to anyone who wants quality audio when listening to music CDs.
PC Card & Memory Card Slot
There is one PC Type II card slot. There is also a "bridge adapter" that can be used to insert other media types: memory stick, memory stick pro, secure digital (SD) card, SmartMedia, or an xD-picture card.
I do not use any of the above card types in this computer. Instead my favorite method of transferring data is with a Flash Drive. I also use CompactFlash cards with a USB memory card reader. It is great that one of the three USB ports is on the side of the computer so that it offers easy access.
Battery Life
The manufacturer says that the Li-Ion battery has a life of 1.5 hours. Short battery life is one big drawback to laptop computers. A nice feature of this laptop is that it offers two alarms that can be customized to warn when battery life is low. These alarms can be set at percentages. For example, the first alarm can be programmed to sound when there is 20% battery life remaining and the second alarm set to warn when there is 10% battery life remaining. The alarm makes sure that I have plenty of time to save my work.
My personal experience is that the battery lasts for about 1.5 hours before reaching the point where only 10% of power is left. The low-battery alarm is a short sharp beep. The loudness can be adjusted by the volume control. A printed warning will also appear at the bottom of the screen with the heading "Critical Battery Level" and advises that the computer be turned off or plugged in to an AC outlet before data loss occurs. As an experiment, I let my computer continue to use battery power so that it dropped from 10% to only 9% remaining. At that point, the computer automatically went into Hibernation mode, and I was forced to plug in the AC adapter to continue my work.
When the battery is being used, I have found that the LCD screen retains a normal brightness for about 25 minutes. Then the screen dims. It is still easily viewable; however, the screen appears grayer. I probably wouldn’t even notice the dimness except that when the change from bright to a "grayer" look occurs, it is very noticeable.
The manufacturer strongly recommends that the battery should be completely drained at least once a month to maintain optimum battery life and efficiency. The battery charges while plugged into the AC outlet, and I can use the computer to work while the battery is charging. I like this convenience. While working on the computer using AC power, it takes about 2 1/2 hours to recharge the battery. If I leave the laptop closed and plugged into the AC outlet, it only takes about 2 hours.
Going Wireless
This laptop came with integrated wireless. It didn’t take me long to purchase a wireless router to take advantage of connecting to the internet from anywhere in the house or outside on the porch. I’ve never used a wireless internet connection before and am delighted with how quickly the laptop connects to the internet. I have no trouble surfing. Uploading and downloading is easy. I’ve already posted Epinions reviews using the wireless connection. My internet connection stays strong, too.
Noise – The Fan
If I had to choose one thing to pick on regarding this computer, it would be the fan. I don’t mind the fan noise, but I can see where some people might find it annoying … particularly if they are listening to music or watching a video. The fan is loud. It stays off for about 20 seconds and then turns on for about 45 seconds to keep the computer interior cool. The fan’s “on” time may be shorter or longer depending upon how much cooling the computer needs.
You can combat the fan noise, but turning up the volume. There is also a headphone jack if you prefer to block out the noise that way.
Laptops Get Hot
This Toshiba laptop is no exception to the rule. The bottom of the computer becomes warm … the longer the computer is in use, the hotter the bottom becomes. I make sure to use this computer on a flat table-like surface. The AC adapter also becomes quite warm.
Windows XP & Software
This computer came loaded with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system. It also came installed with the following software:
Microsoft Works, Trial Version of MS Office, Microsoft Office OneNote, Quicken, Outlook Express, Napster (30-day trial), Norton Antivirus (with 3 month subscription), Sonic Solutions RecordNow! Basic, ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD, WinDVD, Windows Movie Maker, Quick Time Player, RealOne Player
Games: freecell, hearts, pinball, solitaire, spider solitaire
Purchasing
This computer normally sells for $999.99. I bought it at Circuit City for $699.99. Circuit City offered the computer at this lower price through three different mail-in rebates.
Summary
I am enjoying this laptop computer and am delighted that I purchased it. I’ve flirted with the idea of purchasing a laptop computer, but the price for the features I wanted always inhibited me. This is proving an excellent first laptop experience!
Update -- October 7, 2007
I have been using this computer for a bit over two years now, and it is holding up well. I just want to mention three things that I've noticed regarding computer performance.
1. Battery Life -- Now the battery only lasts about 45 minutes (maybe an hour)before needing a recharge. This is an inconvenience more than anything since I usually plug the computer into a wall outlet when using it. However, there are times when I do rely on the battery, and 45 minutes of battery life is limiting.
2. McAfee Virus Protection -- When my Norton Antivirus subscription ran out, I decided to install McAfee. I have Comcast cable, and the McAfee virus protection is a free download with the service. The virus protection is working great. However, now I cannot log off the computer as I have done in the past. Going to "Start" and "Turn Off Computer" no longer works. I have to press and hold down the "on/off" button. Windows XP shuts down correctly this way. I have had no error messages.
3. Computer Speed -- I maintain regular maintenance on my computer. I keep the cache emptied, run virus software and use a spyware deletion program. When using the computer for word processing tasks, it runs great. However, I do notice a slowing down in response time when using the internet. I have a fast cable connection that works great with every computer in the house. Yet, with the laptop, lately there is noticeable lag with the processing time of the computer when I am on the internet.
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
Specifications:
14.4" wide x 10.8" deep x 1.48" high
Weight: 6.8 pounds
Intel Celeron M Processor 360
1.4GHz, 1mb L2 Cache, 400MHz FSB
Intel 855GME Chipset
512mb RAM
60gb (4200 rpm) Hard Drive (user removable)
DVD-ROM / CD-RW (fixed bay)
CD-ROM (24x read), CD-R (24x write)
CD-RW (4x write), DVD-ROM (8x read)
Compatible with: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM
15.4" diagonal widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD (1280x800 native resolution)
Intel Exreme Graphics, 16mb-64mb (DVMA) shared video memory
Integrated V-2 modem
Realtek 10/100 Base – TX Ethernet
Integrated Atheros 802.11 bg Wireless LAN supporting Atheros SuperG technology
Battery: 4-cell (2150mAh) rechargeable, removable Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery pack
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Please read my other reviews:
Targus Platinum Deluxe Notebook Carrying Case
Antec Notebook Cooler
Logitech V200 Notebook Mouse
ViewSonic 19" LCD Monitor
Acer 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor
Gateway 500X Desktop Computer
Belkin Emergency Battery Backup UPS
Ott True Color Flex-Arm Plus Lamp
LiteOn DVD Player/Recorder -- Model # DD-A100GX
LiteOn LVW-5005 DVD Player/Recorder -- stay away from this one
Concord Eye-Q Digital Camera
Canon PowerShot A400 Digital Camera
Copyright 2005 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 699.99
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Celeron
Processor speed: 301-400
Screen Size: Greater than 15 inches
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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