Updated:Friday, January-02-2009

Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 Review

Tag:ToshibaSatelliteX205SLi1 | Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 | Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 Laptop | Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 Notebook

Toshiba Satellite X205-SLI1 17" Notebook PC (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7250, 2 GB RAM, Dual 120 GB Hard Drives, Vista Premium)

Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 Laptop

Features and Technical Details
Features

    * Portable multimedia powerhouse for HD video enthusiasts and PC gamers; includes HD DVD-ROM drive and four Harman Kardon speakers
    * 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, dual 120 GB hard drives (for 240 GB capacity), 2 GB RAM (4 GB max), dual-layer DVD burning
    * Quad-band Wi-Fi LAN (802.11a/b/g/n); Bluetooth 2.0+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; Nvidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics (up to 767 MB of available memory)
    * Connectivity: 6 USB, 1 FireWire, 1 HDMI, 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 Mobile Athlon 64
    * System Bus Speed: 800
    * Number of Processors: 2
    * RAM: 2000 MB
    * RAM Type: DDR2 SDRAM

Hard Drive

    * Size: 240 GB
    * Manufacturer: Portable
    * Type: Serial ATA

Graphics and Display

* Graphics RAM: 512 MB

Ports and Connectivity

* Modem: Fax / modem

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 15.7 inches, 11.3 inches, 1.42 inches

Description

Offering top-of-the-line multimedia functionality for HD video enthusiasts and PC gamers, the stylishly appointed Toshiba Satellite X205-SLI1 notebook PC is highlighted by its widescreen 17-inch LCD with a 1440 x 900-pixel resolution for true 720p high-def video playback. You'll enjoy smooth video rendering from DVDs and games, thanks to the high-end NVidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics card, with 512 MB of discrete video memory. And the integrated Dolby Home Theater feature set will envelope any room in surround sound via the four Harman Kardon speakers. It also incorporates an HD DVD drive that's compatible with the new high-definition DVD disc format. Enjoy amazingly crisp and vibrantly colorful imagery from this new format. You'll also be able to burn a wide range of disc formats with the integrated DVD/CD burner.

This notebook is powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor from the newest ""Santa Rosa"" chipset. Providing an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance, as well as excellent battery management, it also offers a speedy 800 MHz front-side bus and 2 MB L2 cache. It also includes Intel's 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. Other features include dual 120 GB hard drives (for a 240 GB total capacity), 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), biometric fingerprint scanner, 5-in-1 memory card reader, HDMI A/V output, Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR wireless connectivity.

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 Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 2 MB L2 cache. (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.)

      The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:
          o Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
          o Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
          o Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
          o Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.

* Hard Drive: This system offers a total of 240 GB of hard disk drive space from two 120 GB drives (5400 RPM). These Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives also quicken 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 1024 MB DDR2) will satisfy many users, but this notebook's two DIMM slots have a maximum 4 GB RAM capacity--perfect for high-end video editing and 3-D gaming. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

* DVD/CD Drive: This multimedia notebook offers the next generation of DVD entertainment with the HD DVD ROM optical drive, which provides the superior image and sound quality of high-definition images and multichannel surround sound as well as backward compatibility with standard DVD movie discs and content burned onto DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM. It also incorporates a multi-format DVD/CD burner, which is compatible with dual-layer (DL) discs that can hold up to 8.5 GB of data. It features the following speeds: 2.4x DVD+R DL, 2x DVD-R DL, 4x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 4x DVD+RW, 4x DVD-RW, 3x DVD-RAM, and 24x/10x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.

* Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 104-key keyboard--with 10-keypad on the side--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 17-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1440 x 900 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 NVidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics card, which provides up to 767 MB of available RAM/video memory (512 MB dedicated DDR3 RAM) for unmatched HD video performance on a notebook PC. (GDDR3 (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3) is a graphics card-specific memory technology that's better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications.) With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today's most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. Experience real-time photo editing, or immerse yourself in the most complex, true-to-life gaming environments.

It includes the Dolby Home Theater set of features, which provide up to 5.1 discrete channels of crystal-clear digital surround sound as well as virtual 5.1-channel surround sound experience from any pair of stereo speakers. It also features four stylishly incorporated Harman Kardon stereo speakers with a built-in subwoofer.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with this notebook's integrated quad-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). You'll enjoy wireless connectivity to a wide range of peripherals with the built-in Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR (enhanced data rate), which offers up to three times the bandwidth of standard Bluetooth.

It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 54/34 card slot (as well as a standard PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. You get a good offering of connectivity options:

    * 6 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 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
    * Standard video output: VGA and S-Video
    * 1 ExpressCard 54/34
    * 1 headphone jack (with S/PDIF digital audio compatibility) and 1 microphone jack
    * 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 10/100/1000 Gigabit 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 15.7 x 11.3 x 2.05 inches and weighs 9.37 pounds.

Power
It comes with a 6000 mAH lithium-ion battery pack for extra-long battery life.

What's in the Box
This package contains the X205-SLI1 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

By C. A. Bayko
This is a Great Laptop and the memory performance is 512 +250 Turbo as Toshiba specifies. I felt I needed to counter the reviewer before me who's memory figures are inaccurate. If you see Mr. Perez's commnet to the one star review; he explains it very well; why the original review is inaccuarte. I would add a few points: When I rec'd my x205 from Amamzon; I checked my computer and it shows 1 Gg of system RAM and not 2. That is because windows 32 and 64 bit has to allocate memory rows from the system to cover all the ram whether it's on a Video card or elsewhere. So windows uses 1 GB to cover the memory for video and some other devices. Also when you examine the amount of video memory avaiable on the video adapter; it is 1.5Gb. Mr. Perez is correct; windows can only see one Video Card; but if you go to INvidia's website and read by definition Sli, means you can have 2 cards each with 256 vram. You have to go into Graphics to enable the second one when you play a game; and windows still measures one; but in system information under Display properties it shows 2 cards on 2 separate IRQs when SLi is enabled. Toshiba assumes people buying this laptop would likely know these things; or they would spend less. When you read reviews comparing this laptop to other extreme gamer laptops; costing $500 to $1000 more; this is a tremendous value; with only a slight performance hit from the most extreme. NVidia clearly shows that 2 video cards outperform 1 card; and more memeory and faster CPUs are only slight perfromance enhancers. Fianlly the 205-sli3 is fully spec'd at a true HDDVD Resolution and meets all hardware requirements and exceeds them to play HDDVD movies. The screen is amazing! The CPU is the newer Santa Rosa chipset; and the HDDrives are a respectable 5400RPM considering heat and power requirements. This is one super laptop and Amazon is a great trustworthy Company with a great price! Comes with the latest Digital USB TV tuner also; and fantastic sound! And Toshiba's extended warranty is a really fair price. You will not be disappointed!

By Matthew Vierling
I purchased the Toshiba Satellite X205-SLI1 17" Notebook PC (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7250, 2 GB RAM, Dual 120 GB Hard Drives, Vista Premium) as a Christmas gift to myself. I am not a gamer and I'm not using this notebook computer for gaming, online or otherwise, but I do a lot of graphics art, so the powerful graphics cards are great. The SLI1 definitely has enough processor speed and RAM horsepower to move enormous files and render some huge-GB photos. Simply, this computer is incredible. I had only one problem - the DVD drive disappeared - which I fixed by re-installing Picasa and rebooting. (I don't know why Picasa fixed it, but it did, and I've seen a couple online posts to this effect.) I spent eight hours uninstalling crapware, defragging the C:/ drive, and then installing my own third-party software (such as Office 2007, Photoshop, AVG, Spybot, ccleaner, and Ad-Aware) and I did not encounter a single problem or compatibility issue, either with the SLI1 or Windows Vista Premium. I also spent a lot of time tweaking Vista and hacking the registry to customize this computer for increased speed and performance and stability, and truthfully I expected to encounter a few problems. But I did not have any trouble!!! This notebook is phenomenal, Vista is quick and stable, everything can be tweaked, performance and response times are fast, and all of my software runs on it. The screen is bright and lustrous. The keyboard is great for typists, and the number pad is a blessing. The sound is better than average for a notebook computer. I could not imagine being more pleased with my purchase. (For all you gamers looking at this computer, I wish that I could help out, but I just don't game, but if you enable the SLI1 technology and both NVIDIA cards - yes, there are two - and invest in 4 GB of RAM, this machine would truly rock!) For everyone else, I hope this review helps you.

Source:Toshiba Satellite X205 SLi1 Review

Relate Tags : Toshiba Satellite Laptop | Toshiba Satellite Notebook
Previous:Toshiba Satellite Pro M300 EZ1001X Review
Next:Toshiba Satellite P205D S8802 Review

New Comments



	Toshiba Satellite Laptop Contact US Terms Of Service Privacy Policy