Updated:Friday, January-02-2009

Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Review

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Toshiba Satellite A215-S7462 15.4-inch Laptop (AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core Processor TL-60, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Laptop

Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Features and Technical Details
Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Features

    * Bright 15.4-inch LCD stylishly accented with an onyx blue metallic LCD cover, integrated webcam and media playback controls
    * 64-bit 2.0 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 processor, 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB RAM (4 GB max), Labelflash dual-layer DVD drive
    * 54g Atheros Wi-Fi (802.11b/g); 10/100 Ethernet; ATI Radeon XPress 1200 graphics (up to 319 MB of available memory)
    * Connectivity: 4 USB, 1 FireWire, 1 VGA, 1 S-Video, 1 ExpressCard 34/54, 5-in-1 memory card reader
    * Pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium (with Media Center capabilities)

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

    * Hardware Platform: PC
    * Processor: 2.0 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2
    * Number of Processors: 2
    * RAM: 2000 MB
    * RAM Type: DDR2 SDRAM

Hard Drive

* Size: 250 GB
* Type: Serial ATA

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 14.3 inches, 10.6 inches, 1.32 inches
* Weight: 20 pounds

Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Description

A great multi-tasker for road warriors, the Toshiba Satellite A215-S7462 notebook PC offers dual-core productivity from its 2.0 GHz 64-bit AMD Athlon 64 TL-60 processor. It allows you to easily run multiple programs without bogging down your system, and it features intelligent power management for longer battery life. Stylishly accented with an onyx blue metallic LCD cover, this Toshiba Satellite features a large, bright 15.4-inch XGA-resolution LCD (1280 x 800)--perfect for viewing multiple application screens or watching widescreen movies on DVD. It's also great for using as a media center, with Toshiba's unique Express Media Player enabling you to bypass the system and access CDs and DVDs with a touch of button.

Other features include a 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), ATI Radeon X1200 video card with up to 319 MB of shared video RAM, dual-layer DVD burner, 5-in-1 memory card reader, a webcam integrated into the bezel for easy video chatting, and biometric fingerprint reader for added security. Additionally, this Toshiba notebook is RoHS-compatible, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.

This PC also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

* Processor: The 2.0 GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 processor offers a dual-core architecture, which delivers additional computing resources to help expand your PC's capabilities by providing higher throughput and simultaneous computing--increasing your performance by up to 80 percent. You'll be able to perform multiple tasks such as digital rendering and gaming all while running virus scan or other background tasks seamlessly thanks to the innovative Direct Connect Architecture. And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance. You'll enjoy long battery life thanks to the AMD PowerNow! power management technology, which delivers performance on demand and can extend system battery life up to 65 percent. And the AMD Digital Media XPress technology delivers stellar multimedia performance and playback on digital entertainment such as games, streaming video and audio, DVDs, and music.

Each processing core has a 512 KB L2 cache (for a 1 MB total), and this processor can deliver up to a 1600 MHz system bus for lightning quick computing reflexes. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

* Hard Drive: The 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive provides more than enough capacity for storing a large audio and video library, as well as extra space required for video editing. However its 4200 RPM speed is a bit slower than current standard hard drives. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.

* Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (2 x 1 GB DDR2, PC5300) is an excellent start, but you'll want to add more RAM to handle today's demanding multimedia and productivity suites. It provides two DIMM slots and has a large 4 GB maximum RAM capacity. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed.

* DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer Labelflash DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x DVD+R DL, 4x DVD-R DL, 8x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 5x DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.

With the Labelflash functionality, you can burn high-resolution, high-contrast pictures on the label side of DVD discs using the same laser used for data recording. Enjoy transparency and high-quality not found in traditional printable media. All you need is a Labelflash DVD disc to start labeling without a printer.

* Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 86-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad. It also offers CD/DVD media player and control buttons (play, stop, next, previous) as well as a volume control dial.

Screen, Video & Audio
This notebook has a 15.4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the ATI Radeon XPress 1200 integrated video/graphics card, which delivers up to 319 MB of dynamically allocated video RAM shared with the system RAM. ATI's HyperMemory technology allows the chipset to run in either Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) mode or with dedicated frame buffer memory to enhance graphics performance. It also features an integrated audio card with headphone and microphone jacks.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
This notebook has an integrated Realtek 54g wireless LAN that's fully compatible with 802.11b/g wireless networks. It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 54/34 card slot (though no PCMCIA card slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Here's the full list of connection options:

    * 4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
    * 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
    * 1 ExpressCard 54/34 slot
    * Video out: VGA and S-Video
    * Stereo headphones/speakers/line-out
    * Microphone/line-in
    * 5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Microsoft Works 8.5, InterVideo WinDVD 8, Google Desktop and Picasa, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5, McAfee Internet Security Suite (30-day trial), and Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60-day trial).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 14.3 x 10.6 x 1.55 inches (WxDxH, and it weighs 5.8 pounds.

Power
It comes with a 4000 mAH lithium-ion battery pack for extra-long battery life.

What's in the Box
This package contains the A215-S7462 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Helpful Customer Reviews for Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462

By A. B. Davis
First, some background. I'm a contract sys admin, administering a bunch of disparate small businesses in a small agricultural community. I actually received a [new] Tosh' A215-S7428 (this is the Office Depot version of the A215-S7433 ...its specs are exactly the same) in trade from a very, very desperate business consultant working at one of those companies several weeks back.

My client had called me in and asked me to look at the consultant's apparently non-functional laptop; yep, it was indeed dead (you could still smell burnt electronics). The consultant asked what he could do, and I'd recently noticed both Staples and Office Depot had some very attractive prices/rebates on laptops, so I directed him there.

But! He said he *had* to have a laptop with XP Pro (and it's all Vista, all the time around here); so I recommended he call Dell ...which was also untenable: he really needed it right! now! today! (he was a very expensive consultant).

Hmm. I thought about it for a minute, and saw opportunity knocking ...so I offered to trade him my two year old (and very nice) Dell (and transfer the data from his dead laptop's hard drive to the Dell) if he'd buy *me* one of the laptops I'd seen. And he was quite happy to do so. (When the rest of the consulting team showed up a few days later, I understood why he was so happy: they were all using worse laptops than my "old" Dell: that firm really needs to cut loose with a little cash).

Really, we were both happy: I needed an opportunity to familiarize myself with Vista, and the Tosh' A215 fit my equipment needs, and his pocketbook.

Anyways, on to the A215.

I'm not going to review the equipment list ...I presume you can read, and you're already familiar with the features. Suffice to say its got excellent performance & features for a very moderate price (that said: why-oh-why did Toshiba not include an internal Bluetooth with this ...so if you want Bluetooth, be prepared to buy a USB dongle, like I did ...but the lack of BT is not a show-stopper, just something for you to keep in mind). Overall, Toshiba has a winner here.

But there are a few issues you should be aware of.

First, you need to uninstall a couple of the Toshiba provided drivers/utils right off: they're quite incompatible with the display driver (near as I can make out ...unfortunately, it was several weeks ago when I did this, and I can't recall the exact one, but I think it was something to do with the keyboard: a google search will give you a more precise clue). The "symptom" is annoying display artifacts across the top of the screen (which are about one pixel "deep"). After uninstalling the offending utility, no more problem. Actually, that is arguably the only real problem I've had.

Next. Battery life - at four hours - isn't bad at all. UNLESS you leave it in high performance mode all the time (which I do). You can expect about two hours of mixed browsing and reading (light on the hard drive access) with this configuration. For me, that's more than sufficient. I primarily use it plugged in, sitting in a recliner.

Wireless is flawless. BUT DO NOT UPDATE THE FACTORY DRIVER THROUGH MICROSOFT UPDATE. I did, and all of a sudden my connectivity was subject to "interruptions" (I'm not sure, but it seems that the wireless NIC was going into sleep mode). I rolled back the driver, and the problem went away.

Sleep mode. If you've ever used a Compaq laptop, you know how badly wrong a manufacturer can screw up sleep mode (since I bought my wife a Presario at the same time the consultant traded me for the new Tosh', I can report that HP still hasn't gotten sleep mode quite right). In contrast, Toshiba has a superior implementation of sleep mode.

...WITH one small procedural gotcha however (and particularly if you're using a wireless mouse ...which I do, as I loathe touchpads): you MUST disconnect the power prior to putting the laptop into sleep mode. If you don't, you'll be tearing your hair out to try and get it to awaken (just give it up press-and-hold the power button: you're forced to power cycle to wake the thing).

So long as you remember to pull the mains adapter before putting it to sleep (and I leave it unplugged until I'm ready to use it again), you almost never have to reboot the thing: it's "instant on", even for online sessions.

(Sleep mode on the A215 is almost as nice as the old HP OB300/425/430/530 LCD models, which inarguably had the best sleep mode implementation of any laptop ever.)

Remembering to unplug the adapter before putting it to sleep is a potentially annoying quirk to be sure, but the reward of rarely having to power-cycle your system is immensely satisfying (I've went as long as two weeks without power-cycling the laptop completely).

SIDE NOTE: I disabled hibernation on the Toshiba. Sleep mode works well, and I don't see the point of hibernation (since it stays plugged). If I'm going to leave it in sleep mode for an extended period, say, several weeks, I'd just do a proper shut-down.

Last isn't really a Toshiba issue. It's about Microsoft Vista, and the stock configuration on the A215 ...which is quite simply awful. Vista as-factory-installed simply sucks the life out of the A215: it's dead slow.

Happily, the A215 doesn't have to stay that way. The fix is simple: turn off all the Vista eye-candy effects, and tune the operating system for performance. It is quite startling how much more responsive the A215 becomes by turning off all the dreck.

I'll go a step further. Vista turns out to be a quite capable and useful (and stable) OS once you disable the thoroughly unnecessary and CPU-cycle-sucking visual effects (and by turning off the annoying UAC: google it). Indeed, Vista may well turn out to be the most stable Microsoft OS to date (and by de-tuning the UI, it is certainly the best "Windows 2000" UI ever ...and since that remains my favorite Microsoft UI, you can regard that as high praise indeed).

A good start on performance tuning Vista is achieved by going to Control Panel, opening Performance Information and Tools, choosing "Adjust visual effects" in the left hand column, and clicking the radio button for "Adjust for best performance" on the Visual Effects folder tab, and finally clicking Okay.

It's as simple as that.

Oh yes, there's more performance possible, and a google search will turn up a plethora of suggested tweaks of varying complexity and effectiveness, but turning off the eye candy alone is a fine start to reclaiming the built-in power inherent to the A215 as it comes from Toshiba.

I'll summarize by saying it's a fine machine, and with a few simple tweaks, you'll have a quite capable personal computer that should meet your needs for several years, and at a relatively nominal cash outlay (under six bills, if you keep your eyes open). It's a good value.

By Jose Marval
I'm an engineer who needs to run complex structural analysis software. For best results, i need a lot of RAM, a good processor, and a decent graphics card. This computer with an upgrade of up to 4 gb RAM, is perfect for the job!

Out of the box, I believe it would work much better with windows xp, since it has less demanding system requirements than vista. The RAM upgrade is a MUST.

For a hard core gamer thou, this laptop wouldn't work. I could run COD4, but it lags every 5 seconds or so.

Source:Toshiba Satellite A215 S7462 Review

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