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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest
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alaTest.com
Editors' rating: 83
Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 201 reviews of Toshiba Satellite P205 Series from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 61/100 and users 82/100. Comparing these reviews to 166610 other Laptops reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 83/100 = Very Good.
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mobiletechreview.com
Editors' rating: 70
Summary: An all around solid notebook, the Toshiba Satellite P205 is a worth a look for those who are looking for a basic, affordable desktop replacement system, though it doesn't stand amongst major brand competitors (nor does it languish). The CPU is fast ...
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laptopmag.com
Editors' rating: 60
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wired.com
Editors' rating: 70
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NotebookReview.com
Summary: I recently spent a month using Canon's new SD1000 Digital Elph and while the tiny S200 doesn't match the SD1000 in creative flexibility or manual exposure options - it is only half as thick - and it does (in my opinion) compete on equal terms with the ...
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pcmag.com
Editors' rating: 70
Summary: It's hard to complain when you have a gorgeous 17-inch widescreen and all you're paying is $999.
CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on Laptops. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of laptop.
Microsoft Windows Vista for laptop computers
In addition to the core functionality of the Vista operating system, Microsoft portioned out extra features into different editions of Vista, aimed at different market segments and at differing price points.
| Feature | Home Basic | Home Premium | Business | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU support | One physical CPU, but with multiple cores | One physical CPU, but with multiple cores | Up to two physical CPUs | Up to two physical CPUs |
| Maximum supported RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Windows defender & firewall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduled backup | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Aero desktop experience | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobility center (centralized access to controls often used on portables) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tablet PC support | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Windows SideShow (display support for a variety of secondary devices) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Extended media and entertainment capabilities (Media center, games,HD, movie- and DVD maker) | Yes | Yes | ||
| Remote desktop connection | Yes | Yes | ||
| Windows Fax and Scan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Sound Schemes, DreamScene (video desktop "wallpaper") | Yes | |||
| BitLocker drive encryption | Yes |
See more Microsoft Windows Vista products
Microsoft Windows 7 system requirements
Ready for Windows 7?
If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:
- -1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- -1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
- -16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- -DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Additional requirements to use certain features:
- -Internet access (fees may apply)
- -Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
- -For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
- -Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
- -HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
- -DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
- -BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
- -BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
- -Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on
- -Music and sound require audio output
from windows.microsoft.com
See more Microsoft Windows 7 system requirements products
Home user laptop computer
Home users are increasingly turning to notebook computers as their primary PCs, as they like that laptops can offer similar performance and features to those of a desktop PC, and can be easily moved from room to room. Though of course almost any notebook computer will do for typical home use, there are two types of laptops most suitable for home users: mid-size notebooks, which tend to be budget-friendly, and desktop replacements, which are usually packed with features.
Read more in the Laptop Buying Guide
Laptop computer memory size
To maximize battery life, notebook computer processors are often designed to save more energy and run cooler than desktop processors. The drawback is slower performance, but more memory can help, which it won't consume energy or radiate heat. Even better, up to 4GB of RAM can now be found in budget configurations. If you want more memory later, expansion is often a simple procedure.
See more Notebook computer RAM products
Notebook computer processors
The central processor (CPU) is the heart of any computer system and an excellent litmus test as to whether a desktop computer or notebook fits your needs. The trouble is, processor names like Athlon and Celeron are as cryptic as system names like Latitude and Pavilion. Here's a quick guide to see which chip is a fit:
| Manufacturer | Processor name | Processing power | Designed use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel | Core 2 Extreme Quad | Very high | Gaming and graphics |
| Intel | Core 2 Quad | Very high | Gaming and graphics |
| AMD | Turion | High | Mainstream |
| AMD | Athlon | High | Mainstream |
| Intel | Core 2 Duo | High | Mainstream |
| AMD | Sempron | Medium | Entry level |
| Intel | Celeron | Medium | Entry level |
| Intel | Pentium Dual Core | Medium | Entry level |
| AMD | Athlon Neo | Low | Netbook |
| Intel | Atom | Low | Netbook |
| Via | C7-M | Low | Netbook |
| Via | Nano | Low | Netbook |
| Intel | Pentium | Low | Budget |
See more Notebook processor products
CNET product brief
Description: The Toshiba Satellite P205-S7806 is an 8.8-pound, mainstream consumer notebook computer.Compared to other general-purpose notebooks on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $780.The 17 inch widescreen has a native resolution of 1440 x 900, which is better than most notebooks.Built around the Intel Pentium dual Core processor.This unit has a 250GB hard disk and 2 GB of memory.
Pros: Comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Home premium and Microsoft Windows Vista OS, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced notebooks.
Cons: Has a modest 1.5 GHz CPU speed, which is somewhat slower than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the MSI Gaming Series GX710-400, a 7.5-pound notebook at around $700, has a 2.3 GHz CPU speed.Also, this notebook has an 8.8-pound weight, which is somewhat heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the HP Compaq Mobile Thin Client 2533t, at around $785, has only a 3.1-pound weight.The fair battery performance of this notebook means it has to be recharged more frequently than other laptops in its class.Integrated graphics controllers that rely on shared video memory are sometimes an acceptable trade-off for budget-minded users.
Suitability: Suited for those who just need a basic notebook.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.Archive your digital videos using this computer's DVD burner.
Value: In view of its very inexpensive price, this notebook has good features for the money.Generally, not targeted at the gaming crowd, this computer will likely fulfill more modest notebook needs.
Suggestions: (1) Given this device's Wi-Fi capability, you may want to get a wireless access point for your home, so that you can browse the Web more conveniently from any room.(2) Using this PC's Firewire (1394) port, you can connect to many digital videocameras and other equipment to rapidly upload data to the laptop hard drive.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
Toshiba Satellite P205-S7806:
