For home, office and on the road.
Written: Nov 19 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Full power in the right size package
Cons: No built in network connection
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| rickcomerford's Full Review: Toshiba Tecra 8100 (PT810U-12CP7) PC Notebook |
A few months back I decided to upgrade my Toshiba laptop and my Toshiba Infinia desktop PC. (Yes, I am a Toshiba fan) I wanted to buy one machine to replace both, and it was clear to me early on that the Tecra 8100 was the way to go. With the new Speed Step processor, this machine automatically adjusts clock speed for battery power or AC power. Even when "unplugged" the Tecra is fast, but plugged in it is as good as most desktop systems. The hard drive on my unit is plentiful at 18G, and the DVD player has come in handy on long plane rides. There is also a built in 56K modem and I ordered my unit with 128 Megabytes of memory.
If you are wondering if you need a DVD player on your laptop, I have found several good reasons, including Microsoft Encarta on DVD and several "trip" planning and mapping programs. These save you a lot of CD swapping to get to the data you need. I am confident that most data heavy software will be available in DVD in the future. So, go ahead and watch a few movies in the meantime. There is one trade off with DVD on the Tecra; Toshiba uses the space that normally occupies the built in network connection for a video output jack. This was not a big concern of mine as the docking stations I use have the network cards built in. But if you are staying in a hotel that offers full time high speed Internet access, you may want to carry a PCMCIA network card.
The screen is 14.1" and plenty bright and clear. The speakers are as good as I have heard on any laptop and the keyboard is very comfortable. Speaking of the keyboard, I want to say a little about track point. You know, the little mouse stick that you see on IBM and Toshiba computers. The pointing stick in my opinion is the only way to go. It is amazing to me how many laptops offer the touch pad. I have used both extensively and although the stick takes more getting used to, you can't beat it for long-term performance. Once you become proficient, it is simply faster. Plus it keeps your hands where they belong.
Just a few sentences about the design: As most of you have noticed there has been a rash of "new" laptop computer designs, but for my money most of them are afterthoughts. Toshiba designs are elegant and well thought out. The lid features a vinyl like surface that cuts down on hand prints and wear, and adds a nice contrast to the computer when it is closed. Above the keyboard is a "dashboard" like panel along the top that hides indicator lights and adds a nice simple flair. There are now four buttons on the palm rest one each for right and left clicking and two scroll buttons. All of them are programmable.
The other nice feature about this machine is its size. For a laptop that is a great desktop replacement, it is still slim and weighs around 6 lbs. I strongly recommend this machine for anyone looking to put his or her life on one PC.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rickcomerford
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Member: Rick Comerford
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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