What you thought you didn't need ...
Written: Sep 03 '00 (Updated Nov 03 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 5 pounds?!?, nice bright large screen, fast, full featured.
Cons: speakers, non ergonomic shape, no network card, of course the price!
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| 2300's Full Review: Toshiba Tecra 8100 (PT810U-12CP7) PC Notebook |
There are things that never cross your mind until you are confronted with it straight on.
As with all new technology, oftentimes, your needs and desires aren’t really known until they’ve been addressed and you say to yourself: how could I have ever gotten along without it? The Toshiba Tecra 8100 does just that. After a day of using this marvel of high end technology you will be saying just those words. After a week? You’ll be hooked for good.
Now there’s rarely perfection afterall, with the advantages there are sacrificed tradeoffs which the 8100 does have. First off, your first listening experience will probably go something like this: What the @#$#%! Where’s the sound? You can adjust the volume on a small wheel at the very front which is convenient but if only the speakers were worth listening to! The speakers are mounted on each SIDE of the computer and have the same tinny sound you get with no name brands. Let’s first address the speaker placement. What in the world were the designers thinking with this one? We don’t have the room so let’s mount the speakers facing to the right and left and maybe the user won’t notice how bad/cheap they are? Or maybe we can mount them to the right and left to deliberately give the best sound effects to the person sitting to the right and left of the user and bother the heck out of them. This to me is just a blatant flaw. Squeeze them on the top above the keyboard or below the keyboard for Christ’s sake. There’s a reason everyone else is doing this hint, hint. And then as for the quality of the speakers, I KNOW they can do better than this. Checkout the Compaq 1800t for the best sounding speakers on a notebook PC, I’ve ever encountered. They’re good enough to play stereo music/theatre sound on for sure …
From a more subjective standpoint, the trackpoint device falls short of the touchpad available on the compaq 1800t and most other computers. It’s harder to manuver and if you’re on the computer for hours like I am, using your index finger (right or left) will prove to be tiresome for a while if you expect instantaneous response times. Additionally, for those (almost all) of you needing an ethernet connection you will need to buy a PCMCIA network card as this comes with everything but that. (Compaq 1800t does however have a network RJ-45 outlet built in included with their series of notebook computers).
One last minor drawback would be suggested re: ergonomic considerations, if Toshiba should ever like to move away from the angular simple and uncomfortable box shape aka IBM and Dell. Slope the wrist rest down for the user, Guys! Make it softer and tailor it for the user. Like I said, negligible but noticeable.
On the flipside of all my haranguing, there are the improvements that will take you by surprise and remind you of the reasons why anyone would consider a 3000 plus price tag. First off, the weight. This is an amazing 5 pounds that I did not think I would see on a full featured notebook at the present time. For all that is included DVD etc. If all fullsized, full featured notebooks were five pounds … Wow. This sure beats the hell out of the Dell Inspiron 10 pounder and Compaq 1800t 7 or 8 pounder if you’re carrying this around daily. If you can’t do with a subnotebook minute keyboard and screen with 3 pounds then this beauty will do it for you.
The other big big plus is the screen. Thinner than can be imagined AND as bright as any active matrix notebook or desktop! Just how do they do it? As a lover of flatpanel technology I compare this to the desktop active matrix monitors some of which I find really bright and easy on the eyes but they are still several inches thick … why is that? They obviously can fit it into less than half a centimeter thickness like on this notebook. Anyways, back to my point which is that although 14.1 inches (not 15 available on compaq's 1800t) that extra inch isn’t so noticeable when the brightness and quality more than make up for the size. Putting the Toshiba 8100 and Compaq 1800t side by side there is a glaring (excuse the pun) difference between the two. The Toshiba’s whites are whiter and the Compaq just simply looks dim … exactly what you would expect when viewing an active matrix and passive matrix monitor side by side in fact (both are supposed to be active matrix). I cannot emphasize this difference enough before you buy notice this fact. It turns out that Toshiba has indeed done additional research and development and has designed a flat panel to be 50% brighter than your average active matrix screen. I may sound like I’m quibbling but if you’re gonna be staring at something for more than an hour (or two hours if you’re watching a dvd movie) then think ahead and save your eyes the needless strain!
I could go on but there’s nothing like actually trying it out for a test run. Go ahead, if you’re prepared for the hefty price you’ll love the non hefty weight and features packed into this workhorse.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
2300
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Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 4 members
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