Tecra does not dissappoint
Written: Jul 26 '00 (Updated Jul 26 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast and feature-packed. Travels well.
Cons: Internal modem hangs Windows 2000.
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| jtamburi's Full Review: Toshiba Tecra 8100 (PT810U-12CP7) PC Notebook |
Are you looking for a great high-end laptop that you might want to use as a desktop? The Tecra 8100 series is the way to go. Just look at the features ... 100MHZ bus, 128M memory, 12GIG drive, works with Windows 2000, really fast (mine is 650MHZ), ultra fast DVD drive.
I bought the Toshiba for use as a desktop machine that could travel. With it I got the port replicator, expansion station, monitor stand. I'll explain the features of each. The Expansion Station is for adding new PCI cards (2) and hard drive storage. I use it to house an Adaptec SCSI card and hard drive. The really neat thing about this device is that it has a cable that runs between the port replicator and the box, which means you can store it a few feet away. I have it in a little out-of-the-way cubby hole in my computer desk.
The port replicator is awesome. I didn't know what one was until buying this machine, but if you want a laptop as a desktop, you'll need one. The job of the port replicator is to allow you to quickly connect and disconnect a laptop from the rest of the cables you are likely to have attached to your system. Examples include Ethernet, sound, rs232 (modem), printer, power, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and others. The ethernet port can only be found in the replicator device and runs at 100/10 (standard).
I think it's 3Com. Anyway, back to the laptop ... it's very feature packed, and runs Windows 2000 and Windows 98 well. It has two PCMCIA slots and a 56K internal modem. The LCD display device is very nice.
The battery lasts around 2-3 1/2 hours depending on what you're doing. I think there's support for two batteries at once although I only have one. Another neat thing - if you buy the port replicator, you'll get TWO power transformers. The nice thing about that is that you can leave one with the replicator and throw the other in your laptop travel bag.
Cons ... The internal modem does NOT work well, at least with Windows 2000 - it tends to completely hang the OS from time to time, even when you aren't using it heavily. But throw an external modem on the port replicator and you're all set. (I recommend an external modem because then you'll be able to take FULL advantage of the port replicator ... you'll have less wires to mess with.) If you buy a PCMCIA-based modem you'll have to keep disconnecting/reconnecting it.
Other cons ... the internal modem does not work with the port replicator; you have to disconnect it seperatly.
The sound card does not have a proper Windows 2000 driver. This means that the sound still works from 2000, but it cannot be controlled. This means that I am unable to redirect the sound to the port replicator like I can in Windows 98. But maybe there's a new driver out by now.
Windows 2000 does not come with a driver for the display driver. It was very difficult for me to get ahold of one as the driver wasn't listed on toshiba's driver site when I looked (it may be now). But the Toshiba representitive was very helpful in helping me locate one.
That's about it ... I can't think of anything else at this point. Happy computing!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jtamburi
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Location: Hudson, Massachusetts
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 1 member
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