Toshiba Satellite A505-S6005

Pros: Appearance, Features, Keyboard, Battery life, Price, Speakers

Cons: A little bulky. Battery is large but serves a purpose; Slightly heavy for traveling

Summary: This is my second laptop from Toshiba. I personally think they got it right on this machine. I primarily use it for work and internet. The only downside to it so far is the weight and the large battery, but the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. First, The Windows 7 OS is excellent. It runs smoothly and new features are useful and clever. The appearance of the laptop is above most others, with LED backlit controls on the keyboard. The touchpad is an improvement over my old Toshiba, as this one is not recessed, but smoothly integrated in with the finish. The texture of it is also a nice improvement. The i3 from Intel is superior to any of my older computers' processors. The HK speakers on this machine are excellent, especially paired with the Dolby studio software that is included that allows you to adjust sound settings such as bass and a "surround" effect. The media controls are cleverly integrated in the panel above the smooth-style keyboard and are easy to use, as they are backlit and are not buttons. The number pad is also an added plus, and the keys feel nice, although people with small fingers may find them to be tricky as they are larger than the typical application. Finally, the battery is ferocious on this laptop. It lasts longer than a tank of gas in my SUV, although charge time can be up to 3-4 hours. So far under normal internet/MS Works use the battery has lasted on average 5+ hours. The larger size of the battery serves a purpose, as it sticks out from the bottom of the computer. When setting on a flat surface, it allows for better cooling for the processor as it elevates the laptop slightly in the rear, also giving it a nice angle to work on. All in all, for the money you can't beat the A505-S6005. For anyone looking for a higher-end budget laptop, maybe even replacing their tired desktop, I would definitely recommend this one.