Toshiba Satellite X205-SLi2

Description: The Toshiba Satellite X205-SLi2 is a 9.5-pound, mainstream notebook computer.Compared to other mainstream consumer notebooks on the market, it is expensive at around $1,795.The 17 inch widescreen has a native resolution of 1440 x 900, which is better than most notebooks.Runs on the Intel Core 2 Duo chip.This unit has a 160GB hard disk and 2 GB of RAM.Features nVidia GeForce 8 series graphics with 512MB of video RAM.

Pros: Comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Home premium and Microsoft Windows Vista OS, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced notebooks.The built in Bluetooth connectivity will let you pair headphones or sync your mobile contacts.Includes an HDMI port so you can easily output the notebook's audio and video to a compatible TV or monitor.The built-in fingerprint reader will speed up the log in process while adding a strong layer of data protection.This is one of the few notebooks featuring a superior sound system, even including an integrated sub-woofer.

Cons: Has a 9.5-pound weight, which is somewhat heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the Apple iBook G4, at around $1, 800, has only a 6-pound weight.The fair battery performance of this laptop means it has to be recharged more often than other laptops in its class.

Suitability: Suited for those who just need a basic notebook.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Web from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.Comes with a DVD writer, allowing you to convert home movies from your digital video camcorder onto DVDs.With 512MB of dedicated video RAM, this machine will do very well compared to most other notebooks, when it comes to multimedia applications and games.

Value: In general, this notebook's price seems a bit steep, with respect to its features.For example, when it comes to screen size, the average price of general-purpose products with a similar screen size is quite a bit less -- in fact around $1,457.

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 Internet more conveniently from any room.(2) To get the most out of this computer's Bluetooth capability, you could have a Bluetooth-enabled headset, handheld or other device, and be able to link it wirelessly to your computer within a range of 20-or-so feet inside the same room.

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.

• Manufacturer: Toshiba
• Part Number: PSPBUU-01900J

• General

• Platform Technology Intel Centrino Duo
• Built-in Devices Subwoofer, Four speakers, Bluetooth antenna, Wireless LAN antenna
• Embedded Security Fingerprint reader
• Width 15.7 in
• Depth 11.3 in
• Height 2 in
• Weight 9.5 lbs
• Color Flare carmine
• Localization United States
• Notebook type Gaming laptop
• Screen type Widescreen
• Wireless capabilities IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11 n (draft), Bluetooth

• Processor

• Processor Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 / 2.1 GHz
• Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
• 64-bit processor Yes
• Data bus speed 800 MHz
• Chipset type Mobile Intel PM965 Express

• Cache Memory

• Type L2 cache
• Cache size 3 MB

• RAM

• Installed Size 2 GB / 4 GB (max)
• Technology DDR2 SDRAM - 667 MHz
• Memory specification compliance PC2-5300

• Environmental Parameters

• Min Operating Temperature 41 °F
• Max Operating Temperature 95 °F
• Humidity Range Operating 20 - 80%

• Storage Controller

• Storage controller type Serial ATA/IDE
• Storage Controller / Serial ATA Interface Serial ATA-150

• Storage

• Floppy Drive None
• Hard Drive 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
• Hard Drive (2nd) 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
• Storage Removable None
• Hard drive type Portable

• Optical Storage

• Type DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM / HD DVD-ROM - Integrated
• CD / DVD read speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD) / 1x (HD DVD)
• CD / DVD write speed 24x (CD) / 4x (DVD±R) / 2x (DVD-R DL) / 2.4x (DVD+R DL)
• CD / DVD rewrite speed 10x (CD) / 4x (DVD±RW) / 3x (DVD-RAM)

• Optical Storage (2nd)

• 2nd optical storage type None

• Card Reader

• Card reader type 5 in 1 card reader
• Supported flash memory cards Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick Pro

• Display

• Display Type 17 in TFT active matrix
• Max Resolution 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ )
• Widescreen Display Yes
• Features TruBrite

• Video

• Multi-GPU Configuration 2 single GPU cards (SLI)
• Graphics Processor / Vendor PCI Express x16 - NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT TurboCache supporting 767MB
• Video Memory 512 MB GDDR3 SDRAM
• Max Allocated RAM Size 255 MB
• Total Available Graphics Memory 767 MB

• Audio

• Audio output type Sound card
• Audio Output Features Harman/kardon stereo speakers
• Audio Input Microphone

• Notebook Camera

• Camera Type Integrated

• Input Device(s)

• Input device type Keyboard, Touchpad, Remote control

• Telecom

• Modem Fax / modem
• Max transfer rate 56 Kbps
• Protocols & Specifications ITU V.92

• Networking

• Networking Network adapter
• Networking / Wireless LAN Supported Yes
• Wireless NIC Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
• Data link protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
• Networking standards IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, IEEE 802.11n (draft)

• Expansion / Connectivity

• Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 Memory, 1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/54
• Interfaces 1 x Display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 1 x Display / video - S-video output - 4 pin mini-DIN, 1 x Display / video - HDMI - 19 pin HDMI Type A, 1 x Microphone - Input - Mini-phone 3.5 mm, 1 x Audio - SPDIF output/headphones, 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) - 4 pin FireWire, 6 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45, 1 x Modem - Phone line - RJ-11, 1 x Remote control - Infrared

• Power

• Power device form factor External
• Voltage Required AC 120/230 V

• Battery

• Technology Lithium ion
• Installed Qty 1
• Battery capacity 6000 mAh

• Operating System / Software

• OS Provided Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Software Google Picasa, Google Desktop, Google Toolbar, Toshiba Assist, Toshiba ConfigFree, Microsoft Works 9.0, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Toshiba Disc Creator, Toshiba Game Console, Toshiba HD DVD Player, Toshiba Speech System, Toshiba Bluetooth Stack, Toshiba Security Assist, Toshiba Value Added Package, Sun Java 2 Runtime Environment, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5 for Toshiba, McAfee Internet Security Suite (30 days trial), Toshiba Extended Tiles for Windows Mobility Center, Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (Trial)

• Manufacturer Warranty

• Service & Support 1 year warranty
• Service & Support Details International warranty - Parts and labor - 1 year, International warranty - Battery - 1 year

• Sustainability

• Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 5.7

Toshiba

Manufacturer profile

• Website: http://www.toshiba.com
• Address: 1251 Avenue of the Americas, Irvine, CA. 92618
• Phone: 1-800-316-0920