Average Rating: 
Rating:  - This one's made by Compal
Toshiba used to make their own laptops just until a few years ago. Now they outsource to another company for some of their lower-end laptops. I was under the impression that this laptop, priced as it is, would be one of Toshibas more quality products aimed at power and professional users. I really love the 16 inch screen (it's not uxga though, and can't get the higher resolution) but this unit is made by a company in Taiwan called Compal. Two ways you can tell this is by the voltage rating on the AC adapter. Compal models use 19 v, and Toshibas made by Toshiba uses 15 v. And all of the models (so far) that Toshiba makes personally uses the mobile processor, which this one doesn't. You'll see the difference in build quality and design quality between units made by Compal and Toshiba, and this laptop is no different. That's not to say that units made by Compal are piece of junks! It's probably equal in quality to other laptops from the likes of Dell or Winbook or other brands that outsource to other companies. This laptop is okay, if you don't mind the heat and the short battery life due to its use of a desktop processor. The wireless, detachable keyboard [costs $] to replace as well. If you're a little rough with your laptop, you might want to consider a word of advice from a senior tech who works at Toshiba: when they order parts for a "real" Toshiba, well over 95% of them show up the next day Fedex overnight, but with Compal units, it can take weeks of waiting. So if you really depend on your laptop, take that into account. I'm not slamming this notebook by any means. But I think people should be aware of these issues before putting down so much of their hard earned money... it's a big investment.
Rating: - Laptop for those who need a moveable desktop
First things first. This laptop is not for everyone. If you spend 6 days a week on the road, or need a computer on those long cross-country flights, this is not the machine for you (Heavy, battery life can be a problem).However, if you are like me, and typically just move large files and computing power from point A to point B and back again and don't want to press out a new DVD or FTP every day to move information from one computer to another, this is the machine for you. You can't find a cheaper laptop with this much memory, processing speed and hard drive space (thanks to savings from the desktop processor). The large screen means you really don't need to worry about hooking up the machine to a larger monitor even when you are working for long hours (though the resolution is an issue). While the detachable keyboard and wireless mouse may seem like a novelty, they are notable for one reason. They essentially allow you to create a docking station without the docking station. Pop out the keyboard, set-up the mouse and essential turn the rest of the laptop into a monitor. Presto, a desktop-style working situation that has the advantage of being easily moved to any location. I would not recommend for people who need traditional laptops. But for anyone who needs a mobile desktop, definately worth a hard look.
Rating: - A tale of two notebooks
You may have noticed Toshiba is selling two very different notebooks for the same price: the 1955-S803 and the 5205-S703. So which is better? The 1955 cost about the same as the 5205, has the same memory, same HDD, a bigger screen and faster CPU, so it must be the best choice right? Well maybe not.The 1955 has a nice big 16" LCD, but the *quality* of that screen is much lower than the 15" screen on the 5205. Also the 1955 is using a P4 desktop CPU, whereas the 5205 uses a P4 mobile CPU. The desktop CPU runs hotter and drains the battery faster. So which is better? Well it depends on what you want. The 1955 is a great choice if you are going to plug into a wall socket and don't plan to use your notebook on your lap (the bottom gets hot). It more like a desktop computer you can move around easily. The 5205 is a better choice if you need more battery life or want a very high quality screen to reduce eyestrain, do CAD work, or to play the latest 3D games. Personally I prefer the 5205 for the longer battery life and high quality screen. The build quality is also a little better (both are good). CPU:
1955 2.5 GHz P4 Desktop CPU
5205 2.0 GHz P4 Mobile CPU (cooler, battery last longer) Screen:
1955 16" LCD 1280x1024 pixels (that pixel count is too low for a 16")
5205 15" LCD 1660x1200 pixels (provides a much sharper image) Graphics chipset:
1955 NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (good enough for some 3d games, light CAD)
5205 NVIDIA GeForce4 460 Go (about 30% faster than the 440) Weight:
1955 9.5lbs (getting a little heavy)
5205 7.5lbs (not bad) Both offerings have serious competition ... so look around.
| 
