CNET editors' review
- Reviewed by:
CNET staff
- Edited by:
Michelle Thatcher
- Reviewed on:
08/25/2005
While every
thin-and-light Toshiba Satellite M55 ships with a somewhat shocking peacock-blue lid, the identically sized, customizable Satellite M50 comes in three colors: Peacock Blue, Mist Gray, and Sunlight Copper (Toshiba plans to add Mist Gray to the M55's lineup in October 2005). Though you can't currently change the M55's lid color, you can choose between two sets of internal components. The $1,049 (as of August 2005) Satellite M55-S135 consists of a 1.5GHz Celeron M processor; an 80GB, 5,400rpm hard drive; and an Atheros 802.11b/g card. The more expensive Satellite M55-S325 model features a faster 1.73GHz Pentium M processor; a giant 100GB, 5,400rpm drive; and an Intel 802.11b/g card. Despite their differences, these two Satellite M55 versions offer some of the same parts, including 512MB of sluggish 333MHz memory; an average-size 14-inch wide-screen display with a standard 1,280x768
native resolution; an economical Intel 915PM chipset with an integrated Graphics Media Accelerator that borrows up to 128MB of video RAM from main memory; and a killer
double-layer DVD burner. You can nab either configuration at retail stores such as Best Buy and CompUSA, as well as through several online resellers. If you want to build your own system, choose the Satellite M50 option on Toshiba's Web site and fill it with a Celeron M or Pentium M processor, up to 1GB of memory, a DVD burner, integrated graphics or a dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon chip, and more. For its reasonable $1,399 price (as of
August 2005), the Satellite M55-S325
we reviewed has a lot of components to like--not to mention respectable speed and battery life.
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