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Toshiba Satellite L750 Review

Discussion in 'Portable & Small Form Factor' started by Davo1111, May 20, 2012.

  1. Davo1111

    Davo1111 Member

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    Toshiba Satellite L750 (PSK2ZA-004001)



    my photo album


    I couldn’t seem to find many “proper” reviews of this laptop, being a run-of-the-mill laptop, I’m not surprised. But here’s my attempt anyway.
    The Toshiba Satellite L750 is a simple ‘cheaper’ notebook, with an average core i5 2430M processor (2.4ghz). This model is sold for around $850 plus or minus depending on who you buy it from. This is one of two models, its big brother holding a i7-2670WM processor and a slightly larger hard drive and ram
    Specs are as expected for something of this value, 4GB of DDR3 (1333 mhz), 640GB hard drive (5400RPM), 15.6-inch 1366x768 16:9 LCD (LED). DVD burner, 2 channel audio, and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M …but I’ll get to that later

    Specs on toshiba website


    Physical

    First impressions, quite bulky, but also quite shiny. The plastic is a colour referred to as shining silver – a series of dots that range in size creating a large grid effect. Here is an image of what it looks like

    It seems Toshiba has gone for a ‘bigger is better’ approach, fortunately it doesn’t have the weight to match. It almost feels like there is a smaller computer inside the outer shell waiting to get out. I suppose this is good if it gets dropped, but this is by no means an ultra-portable. One could still go to and from work without breaking their back. Cnet also noticed the feel, describing it as feeling “a bit too hollow”.

    The touchpad is completely flat, so there is only a slight difference in feel between the touchpad and the palm rest. This means if you’re not used to it, you might find yourself ‘looking’ for the touchpad (or sliding off). Same applied to the keyboard, it’s got the numeric pad to the right, and if you’re not used to that, occasionally a few key presses go astray. One interesting feature is it has the tiny “lock touchpad” button, so you won’t have those accidental thumb taps affecting your typing.

    On the left hand side it has a Kensington lock port, gigabit nic, vga, usb 3.0 slot, hdmi and stereo headphone and microphone jacks. On the front it has the usual display lights, plus the SD card slot. The SD card slot is a little strange, it sits below the level of the laptop (as the base of the laptop curves down (creating an overhang). The SD card isn’t spring loaded, so your stomach isn’t going to accidently eject the card mid-use if you’re using it on the couch. You physically have to pinch the card, it’s tight, but my big hands can do it. On the right hand side it has 2 usb 2.0 ports, a modem port, the cd burner (where the button unfortunately sticks out) and the power input.

    Positives:

    - On startup it boots into recovery mode and asks if you want 32 or 64 bit, I quit that and found 64 bit installed by default.
    - The machine looks like it could withstand a good drop
    - Has a usb3.0 port
    - The power pack isn’t huge like Dell models

    Negatives

    - The main thing I noticed (compared to my first Toshiba laptop….12 years ago) is that it doesn’t have a physical volume level. Everything is controlled by software, meaning if the computer lags, your ears get a raping while the delay volume decides to kick in.
    -There is a little bit of bloatware installed on the machine, Norton antrivirus was first to go.
    - Graphics card is shithouse for a gaming pc, but fine for a normal workhorse. [furmark](http://imgur.com/a/Xwjka#3)
    - A bit “plasticy”, no backlit keyboard
    - CD eject button sticks out

    Neutral Points

    - Numeric keyboard may not be what you’re used to.



    Summary:

    So as a gaming pc, it’s a no go. As a general around the office computer, i think it serves the purpose fine. As it has all the video outputs, and a variety of inputs, it’s the perfect computer for bringing to events to plug into projectors etc.

    Would i buy it? Probably not. For the amount of money, i’d probably get something like this instead if i had to choose.
     
  2. glenpinn

    glenpinn Member

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    Very good review, and little wonder there are no decent ones out there, because these new satellites are pretty ordinary (no they are crap) compared to the older models from 2 years ago or older.

    They are not a gaming laptop, and if toshiba make any such claim they are idiots, and at the price you paid for yours, i think they are a ripoff to be honest.

    I personally find it hard these days to recommend any laptop in the $500 to $1000 range, simply because most of them, if not all, are considered basic budget type laptops, and not worth the money in many cases.

    Not many laptops out there now that are not made of plastic, and that satellite is no exception.

    If you had one of my 2 beautiful 16" A350 satellites or my 14" M300 (smaller brother of the A350) to compare to, you would toss yours in the bin for sure.

    I reckon if a laptop looks thick and bulky, it should have some weight to it, and i have to say, the new satellites do look a lot heavier than they really are, and i reckon they could have made the casing thinner and more compact for sure.

    You can drop my 3 satellites and not harm them, i doubt you will get away with it with the new ones.

    Its a real shame toshiba has dropped their game now days as far as build quality, and the 18.5" Qosmio i recently sold was the last toshiba laptop i think i will ever buy.

    Next big laptop i get will be a Clevo, or another one of these beautiful Asus NX90SN media laptops, which i bought late last year, and sold to a friend, and now regret it.

    http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Multimedia_Entertainment/NX90SN/

    EDIT: Got to agree, that Lenovo E530 if a far better deal than the satellite for sure (spec wise at least) but then again, i hate anything with the word Lenovo on it as well, just dont like the look or feel of any of their laptops.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2012
  3. OP
    OP
    Davo1111

    Davo1111 Member

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    hey glenpinn, thanks for the feedback.

    I tend to agree about the new satellites being ordinary. I just get a real plastic "hp consumer" feel from them, i'm not sure if it's just me.

    Oh, it's defiantly not a gaming laptop, and it hasn't been advertised as one. It's basically a run of the mill word processor, with a bunch of connections so you don't get caught out on a business trip (usb 3, vga, hdmi, cd etc). I've seen it a few times where speakers have rocked up only to find the projector has hdmi only, and they have vga (or the opposite)

    >Not many laptops out there now that are not made of plastic, and that satellite is no exception

    true, maybe it's the shiny plastic that feels strange, i just have this feeling it's going to get a bunch of mini scratches.... like steel table tops.

    >I reckon if a laptop looks thick and bulky, it should have some weight to it, and i have to say, the new satellites do look a lot heavier than they really are, and i reckon they could have made the casing thinner and more compact for sure.


    >You can drop my 3 satellites and not harm them, i doubt you will get away with it with the new ones.

    They'd definatly crack, but i don't think the internals would break. I think a "solid" build laptop would withstand a fall though. It's going to be used in the field half the time, so i think it's a good thing.. :/


    >Next big laptop i get will be a Clevo, or another one of these beautiful Asus NX90SN media laptops, which i bought late last year, and sold to a friend, and now regret it.

    I'm not a fan, it looks too top heavy to me. I can see myself having to lean it against something so it doesnt fall back... or just the hinge wearing out over time.

    > i hate anything with the word Lenovo on it as well, just dont like the look or feel of any of their laptops

    I've kind of got a secret soft spot for ibm thinkpad series (i suppose they're kind of together since the merger). A salesman closed the lid then stepped on it with both feet to prove it was tough. I like that

    EDIT: it also has a modem, something i havent seen in a computer since the 90s :p
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2012
  4. glenpinn

    glenpinn Member

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    not much more to say about the toshiba laptop, however, about the Asus NX90SN media laptop, its not as heavy as it looks, it just has 55mm wide speakers on the sides of the screen that makes the lid look very top heavy, but in fact, if you push on the top of the screen to try to push it over, the weight of the base will just make it drop back down again.

    its a wonderful machine, lacks in a few areas like shitty keyboard (all asus laptops have crappy KB) but i used to have a logitech wireless kb and mouse connected anyway.

    if you had one, you would definately get used to it, but its power is in its media playback, awesome speakers with sub, bluray, you name it.

    anyway, thats off topic, but nice to see someone take time to review their new laptops, i wish i had more time to do it myself.

    cheers
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2012
  5. OP
    OP
    Davo1111

    Davo1111 Member

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    thanks :) :thumbup:
     
  6. OP
    OP
    Davo1111

    Davo1111 Member

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    If people are genuinly interested in reading about this notebook (officeworks) let me know and ill take my lunch break and review it. If nobody cares i wont bother ;)

    It's a $500 cheap-ass Toshiba

     
  7. glenpinn

    glenpinn Member

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    looks like its not available ???

    not that good of a deal, typical budget laptop, doesnt matter what brand they are at $500 these days, most are basically the same.

    if anyone wants a very decent laptop for $899, this would be one of the best out there right now.

    dell inspiron 15R special edition, went to JB HiFI today and took a look at one, but they want $1199 :(

    http://www.dell.com/au/p/inspiron-15r-se-7520/fs

    its almost the same as my dell xps-14z but then again, most dell laptops look alike these days, even my daughters 13" XT3 tablet notebook has that typical dell look and build.

    i just love them.
     

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