Next up in the sales ring!

[njcurveball]

This laptop costs $1550, goes on-sale with a $200 rebate on Sunday at Office Depot.

It has two hard drives and I am thinking it is a great candidate to set up a dual boot.

If you have any comments positive or negative, please post them here.

Thanks!

TOSHIBA A205-S4639 Satellite Notebook

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit version
Processor and Chipset: Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology featuring: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5300
1.73GHz, 2MB L2, 533MHz FSB with 64 bit
Chipset: Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset
Integrated Wi Fi compliant wireless LAN
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 802.11a/g/n

Memory: Configured with 2048MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM both memory slots may be occupied. Maximum capacity 4096MB

Hard Disk Drive: 280GB using two Serial ATA hard disk drives, Primary plus Secondary drive: 120GB plus 160GB

Fixed Optical Disk Drive: DVD SuperMulti positive/negative R double layer with Labelflash drive supporting 11 formats
Supports Labelflash media to burn high quality labels directly on the disk

Display: 15.4 inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display at 1280x800
native resolution WXGA
Native support for 720p content

Graphics: PCI Express x16 graphics subsystem, featuring: NVIDIA GeForce Go7300 with 128MB DDR2 discrete graphics memory

Sound: Built in harman/kardon stereo speakers, Sound Volume Control Dial, Built in microphone

Input Devices: 85 key US keyboard, TouchPad pointing device, TouchPad Enable/Disable, Control Buttons: Internet button to launch default browser, CD/DVD control buttons

[DanG]

Reyes and Jim “3”

Dan “0”

(Inside joke :D )

Sorry Jim, not much help on your computer huh? :)

[njcurveball]

Dan's "team" just beat the best pitcher in baseball, so he deserves to be a lil giddy! :D

New owner, New GM, New Manager, give them a chance Dan, they may finish last, but as they said in the movie For Love of the Game, they don't stink today! ;)

Jim

[DanG]

Dan's "team" just beat the best pitcher in baseball, so he deserves to be a lil giddy! :D

New owner, New GM, New Manager, give them a chance Dan, they may finish last, but as they said in the movie For Love of the Game, they don't stink today! ;)

Jim
Yes…I’ll take the new Owner and GM…but if you want a manager for a good price on E-Bay? ;)

OK…Enough baseball…Back to your computer…

Thanks for the indulgence Jim. :)

[njcurveball]

Just saw the spec on the hard drives. They are

120GB 4,200RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive; 160GB 4,200RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive

A lot of money to spend for the slowest hard drives out there.

Back to the Sales Ring.

[MikeDee]

I have a TOSHIBA A75 Satellite Notebook. It is my second Toshiba. The first one still works it is just older and slower (like me). I find them to be very reliable. The only problem I ever had was a hard disk crash on the first one about 5 years into its life. I use my laptop every day, it is usually on from 7AM to 7PM.

Tomcat and Dawgfan are TOSHIBA Satellite Notebook users as well and as far as I know they have not had problems with theirs.

Can't speak to drive speed, I have nothing to compare it to. Waitng for the hard drive to get something has not been an issue for me.

[Donnie]

Exactly how will you be using it Jim? Is this a laptop to go on the tournament road with? Is this going to be your main HTR computer? Run video off of it at all?

I agree with your comment about the hard drives. I need speed myself. I like to see HTR open in an instant.....also with my age, I prefer the larger 17" screen. Much easier to read as I sit back and scan the TV monitors looking for my next tournament choice. Some of my fellow tournbament players are hunched over into their screens....no wonder they are done by 2PM!

[tomcat]

My Toshiba Satelite p35 (after listening to MikeD) is great, and I have no probems.

[dehere]

I'm a toshiba user as well - tablet though. No problems other than the fact that i keep finding myself drawn to those apple commercials on tv.

[njcurveball]

Exactly how will you be using it Jim? Is this a laptop to go on the tournament road with? Is this going to be your main HTR computer? Run video off of it at all?



YES! YES! YES! All of the above. PLUS Oracle programming, Multi-media, Internet apps, etc.

I have a 17 inch display on my Compaq and now it has 11 lovely colored vertical lines on it. Since my $2,000 did not buy any courtesy from their Customer Service people, Compaq is definitely OUT of the running.

I have had laptops since the early 80s and this is the first display to do this to me. I usually run them 50, 60 hours a week or more with the only usual problems being the battery.

I have since learned and run the machine without the battery unless I am moving around.

From what I hear from you guys, TOSHIBA is now #1 on my list. I also think two separate hard drives may be the way to go. Following Rick's suggestion of a dual boot, I can put XP on one and keep Vista on the other.

Good thoughts guys! Thanks and keep em coming! I trust what I read here much more than I would somewhere else.

Jim

[AwolAtHTR]

This laptop costs $1550, goes on-sale with a $200 rebate on Sunday at Office Depot.

---
TOSHIBA A205-S4639 Satellite Notebook[/B]

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit version
Processor and Chipset: Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology featuring: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5300
1.73GHz, 2MB L2, 533MHz FSB with 64 bit
Chipset: Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset
Integrated Wi Fi compliant wireless LAN
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 802.11a/g/n

Memory: Configured with 2048MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM both memory slots may be occupied. Maximum capacity 4096MB
--


jim,

Two questions:
1. PCIMCIA port?
2. USB ports?

I understand the NEW Vista systems do NOT support the PCIMCIA.
However, since this has built in Wireless, the old Wireless modem cards are not needed.

How many USB ports?
noting that USB ports can be used for a wireless mouse and external hard drive for archiving.
BUT, with the NEW Vista, maybe USB ports are also history? !!!
--------------

re: Slow disk

I agree VERY slow but with two gig (and maybe four!!). You could create a RAM disk and have HTR run at your CPU speed!! Yes, '..access your disk..' at the high speed of your memory instead of the slow speed of the physical disk.

there are some issues about the RAM disk which you may already know.
---------
re: video

yes, like seeing 128 Meg of video, ie, do not lose memory for fast video.
-----------

duane

?: How many USB ports?

[njcurveball]

Great thoughts Duane!!!

With a mouse, external HD and printer, need at least 3 USB ports, that is for sure!

You are right about Wireless being built-in. I am optimistic and will try to get a Wireless N connection in the hopes it may brings dividends in the future when the Internet is offering video streaming at the speed of dish.

2 gig expandable to 4 is a neccessity as well. I don't know about the RAM disk yet. I would like to have hard drives at 5400 rpm at the minimum.

I also would like to 256 meg video, so I continue to shop now.

thanks for your help,
Jim

[OPM]

The hard drives are a little slow, the chip is also a little slow, however, I don't think you will notice this much and the price is right. My opinion is that you need to get a new laptop every 3-4yrs anyway.

In terms of slot for pcimcia, my HP came with what's call an Express Card slot which is different than the pcimcia slot in the older computers. If you have a wireless card I would check if this computer has pcimcia or express card slot.

By the way, I switch from Verizon card to Sprint Novatel express card and my reception and speed are almost broadband. this is the one instance where the commercials are actually true.
Gupta

[njcurveball]

Great thoughts Gupta!

I have to take into account the prices may drop and I could get Verizon or Sprint access in the future.

With Oracle YOU NOTICE the speed hit. Especially from the hard drive. I would love to find a 7200 RPM, but manufacturers rarely build a laptop sturdy enough to cool it and keep the noise down.

Like you say most people do not notice the speed hit and Toshiba doesn't have to worry so much about cooling and noise, especially since they are putting two hard drives in the laptop.

My price point is $1,500, so perhaps I need to wait a few months for the market to come down to that with what I want.

Jim