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The Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945 is being marketed as a gamer’s laptop that can also be used as a mobile desktop replacement and a multimedia device. This business laptop has a large 18.4-inch LCD screen is one of the Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945’s main attractions. An Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7350 handles its processing requirements; it also packs a 6GB of DDR2 system memory and a huge 500GB hard drive.

 

After inspection, we can definitely say that the Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945’s build quality is above average. The chassis is tastefully decked with what Toshiba calls a Fusion Finish with Sonic pattern in black onyx. The glossy plastic finish does retain fingerprints so it’s good to have a handy soft cloth around to wipe those prints once in a while.

 

Because of its dimensions and huge screen, this laptop is heavy. However, we do think that it’s a reasonable price to pay if you want a large screen 18.4 inch LCD display. With its 11.6″ x 17.4″ x 1.6″ dimension and its weighty reputation, it may be rather too bulky to be carried around for long periods of time.

 

Its size does offer some benefits, foremost of which is typing comfortably with its full sized keyboard that comes with a separate numbers keypad. Typing in low lit conditions is not a problem as the keys have LED backlights. The keys are responsive and nice to touch; even a light touch would elicit an instant reaction from the keys. The Synaptics touchpad is moved a bit to the left side and not at the center. It responds readily and has a nice feel.

 

The P505-S8945 also features a Gigabit Ethernet and an 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi. It has 4 USB 2.0, an eSATA, as well as FireWire, HDMI and VGA slots. There is also an ExpressCard/54 plus a 5-in-1 Card Reader.

 

Two things that make the HP505-S8945 stand out are its large hard drive and the 6GB of RAM. The 500GB hard drive is definitely more that what other laptops in its niche offer and the 6GB of RAM should offer lots of room for computing.

 

But be ready to get disappointed when it comes to the aspects that matter most in a laptop. We feel that Toshiba should have provided the P505-S8945 with a better processor than the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7350. When running multiple programs, the P7350 is sluggish. This is quite noticeable as the device runs on Windows Vista Home Premium.

 

Another thing, the graphics processor is an ATI Radeon Mobility HD 4650 graphics processor. We believe that for really serious gamers, the HD 4650 won’t be up to task even with its 1GB video memory. It can however handle the average 3d task or the not-so demanding games.

 

Users have also lamented the lack of Bluetooth or a fingerprint scanner.

 

SPECS	AVAILABLE OPTIONS (From Toshiba’s website)
CPU	Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P7350
RAM	6GB
Screen Size	18.4″ widescreen, HD+ with TruBrite® Technology
Operating System	Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit)
Battery Life	Up to 4 hours and 30 minutes
Graphics	ATI® Mobility Radeon™ HD 4650

 

Pros
We like the Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945 because of its wide screen, the full-sized keyboard, its 500GB hard drive and the 6GB RAM. The build quality is above average and the design is tasteful.

 

Cons
What we do not like about the Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945 is its bulk and weight. The processor is not at par with that of similar priced laptops and the graphics capability does not suit highly demanding games. Like most users, we wish it had Bluetooth and a fingerprint scanner.

 

Conclusion
The Toshiba Satellite P505-S8945 is supposed to cater to gamers. However, we would rather suggest it to buyers looking for a multimedia device. Its processing prowess and graphics capability would not satisfy serious gamers who can be quite demanding with their equipment requirements. As a multimedia device this one, however, should deserve your attention. The sound reproduction, we think, is quite outstanding for a laptop.

Related posts:

1. Toshiba L735D
2. Gateway P-7808u FX – Review

Tags: gaming laptop, Toshiba

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 10th, 2009 at 8:54 pm and is filed under Other, and is tagged with gaming laptop, Toshiba. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.