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Toshiba Satellite X205-SLI2 17″ Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) Red Satin
by Toshiba

Price: $1,499.99

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Average customer review:

Product Description

Toshiba X205-SLI2 Satellite 17.0 Inch Notebook PC. The Satellite X205-SLI2 is action at your fingertips for hard core gaming in one sleek designed notebook, with eye popping views from the 17 inch diagonal WXGA plus TruBrite widescreen display. One touch launch of the Dual Mode Pad and you face off in full throttle mode with Intel Centrino Duo processor technology. Top of the line NVIDIA SLI Dual GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 512MB dedicated video RAM, provides uncompromising gaming stamina. Connect to a plasma TV in High Definition, courtesy of the HDMI connector with support for up to 1080i and 5.1 surround sound. Amp up the audio with four built in Harman Kardon speakers with one subwoofer when hordes of beings raid your planet. Dual 160GB hard drives, as well as upgraded 1GB LAN connectivity for faster transfer rates provide an uninterrupted thrill packed adventure. Burn, rip and store more multimedia files with the HD DVD-ROM with DVD Super Multi drive and play HD DVD movies. Powered by Intel Centrino Processor Technology, the Satellite X205 meets the demands of high end gamers and multimedia users who want to play games. Connect to a plasma TV for larger views of the latest terrestrials revealed in high definition, courtesy of the HDMI output interface with support for up to 1080i. Ideal for PC gamers, the S/P DIF or HDMI connector lets you easily connect to a home theater system and incredible 5.1 surround sound without the hassle or mess of cables. Amp up the audio with four built in Harman Kardon speakers with one subwoofer when hordes of beings raid your planet.

Product Details 

• Color: Red Satin
• Brand: Toshiba
• Model: X205-SLI2
• Dimensions: 1.42″ h x 11.30″ w x 15.70″ l,
• CPU: Intel Core Duo 2.1 GHz
• Memory: 2000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 320GB
• Processors: 2
• Display size: 17.

Features

• Portable multimedia powerhouse for HD video enthusiasts and PC gamers–17-inch LCD, HD DVD-ROM drive and four Harman Kardon speakers
• 2.10 GHz “Penryn” Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, dual 160 GB hard drives (for 320 GB capacity), 2 GB RAM (4 GB max), dual-layer DVD burning
• Quad-band Wi-Fi LAN (802.11a/b/g/n); Bluetooth 2.0+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; Nvidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics (up to 767 MB of available memory)
• Connectivity: 6 USB, 1 FireWire, 1 HDMI, 1 VGA, 1 S-Video, 1 ExpressCard 34/54. 5-in-1 memory card reader
• Pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium (with Media Center capabilities)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Offering top-of-the-line multimedia functionality for HD video enthusiasts and PC gamers, the stylishly appointed Toshiba Satellite X205-SLI2 notebook PC is highlighted by its widescreen 17-inch LCD with a 1440 x 900-pixel resolution for true 720p high-def video playback. You’ll enjoy smooth video rendering from DVDs and games, thanks to the high-end Nvidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics card, with 512 MB of discrete video memory. And the built-in four Harman Kardon speakers with subwoofer will envelope any room in surround sound. It also incorporates an HD DVD drive that’s compatible with the new high-definition DVD disc format. Enjoy amazingly crisp and vibrantly colorful imagery from this new format. You’ll also be able to burn a wide range of disc formats with the integrated DVD/CD burner.

It’s powered by the 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, which offers a super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus speed and extra-large 3 MB L2 cache. Part of Intel’s 45-nanometer (nm) Penryn series, this processor boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. The Core 2 Duo processor provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance. It also includes Intel’s 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. Other features include dual 160 GB hard drives (for a 320 GB total capacity), 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum), Webcam and microphone integrated into LCD bezel, biometric fingerprint scanner, 5-in-1 memory card reader, HDMI A/V output, Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR wireless connectivity.

This PC also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you’ll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 45nm Penryn series Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, which has a 2.10 GHz processor speed, super-fast 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system’s performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) The new hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. And you’ll be able to encode video on-the-go and watch HD movies with Intel HD Boost.The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It’s optimized for multitasking and is ready to support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications–such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications–while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:
  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core to help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to lower CPU voltage.
• Hard Drive: This system offers a total of 320 GB of hard disk drive space from two 160 GB drives (5400 RPM). These Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives also quicken the pace with a higher speed transfer of data–akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.
• Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (PC-5300, DDR2) will satisfy many users, but this notebook’s two DIMM slots have a maximum 4 GB RAM capacity–perfect for high-end video editing and 3-D gaming. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
• DVD/CD Drive: This multimedia notebook offers the next generation of DVD entertainment with the HD DVD ROM optical drive, which provides the superior image and sound quality of high-definition images and multichannel surround sound as well as backward compatibility with standard DVD movie discs and content burned onto DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM. It also incorporates a multi-format DVD/CD burner, which is compatible with dual-layer (DL) discs that can hold up to 8.5 GB of data. It features the following speeds: 2.4x DVD+R DL, 2x DVD-R DL, 4x for both single-layer DVD+R/-R, 4x DVD+RW, 4x DVD-RW, 3x DVD-RAM, and 24x/10x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.
• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 104-key keyboard–with 10-keypad on the side–and electro-static two-button touchpad. It also offers CD/DVD media player and control buttons (play, stop, next, previous) as well as a volume control dial.

Screen, Video & Audio
This notebook has a 17-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing). It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the Nvidia SLI Dual GeForce 8600M graphics card, which provides up to 767 MB of available RAM/video memory (512 MB dedicated DDR3 RAM) for unmatched HD video performance on a notebook PC. (GDDR3, short for Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3, is a graphics card-specific memory technology that’s better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications.) With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today’s most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. Experience real-time photo editing, or immerse yourself in the most complex, true-to-life gaming environments.It includes the Dolby Home Theater set of features, which provide up to 5.1 discrete channels of crystal-clear digital surround sound as well as virtual 5.1-channel surround sound experience from any pair of stereo speakers. It also features four stylishly incorporated Harman Kardon stereo speakers with a built-in subwoofer.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with this notebook’s integrated quad-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It’s also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and wi-fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range–great for closed office environments). You also get super-fast wired connectivity, with a Gigabit Ethernet port (10/100/1000). You’ll enjoy wireless connectivity to a wide range of peripherals with the built-in Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR (enhanced data rate), which offers up to three times the bandwidth of standard Bluetooth.

It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 54/34 card slot (as well as a standard PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. You get a good offering of connectivity options:

• 6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals–from digital cameras to MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
• 1 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
• Standard video output: VGA and S-Video
• 1 ExpressCard 54/34
• 1 headphone jack (with S/PDIF digital audio compatibility) and 1 microphone jack
• 5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• 56K modem (V.90)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family’s use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Microsoft Works 9.0, Google Desktop and Picasa, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5, McAfee Internet Security Suite (30-day trial), and Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60-day trial).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measures 15.7 x 11.3 x 2.05 inches and weighs 9.37 pounds.

Power
It comes with a 6000 mAH lithium-ion battery pack for extra-long battery life.

What’s in the Box
This package contains the X205-SLI2 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, remote control, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Customer Reviews

 excellent number crunching machine that runs autoCAD with no problems
Excellent laptop for number crunchers. Thanks to the excellent video card the computer handles autoCAD with no problems at all. This unit not only looks great it runs excellently.  

Splendid performance
This is pretty much the best gaming laptop you can buy in this price range. It’s pretty heavy-duty so don’t expect to run it for long on the battery.Games currently playing: Call of Duty IV, Crysis (runs on medium) and Sins of a Solar Empire (maxed). The shiny back of the laptop, with the TOSHIBA logo on, is pretty easy to mess up cos it gets dirty VERY easily. Fingerprints, dust and other things are the enemy of this glossy item.

One star taken off for the amount of trial software you which comes preinstalled, it took me ages to uninstall all this crap.

But I love this thing, no doubt about that.

  Great hardware from Toshiba, not bad for Vista…
This is the 3rd Toshiba notebook I’ve purchased this year. All my Toshibas are solid, fast and eye catching. I’m still not 100% sold on Vista, but this time I installed Vista SP1 first thing out of the box and didn’t have any Vista issues after that. The notebook even appears to be faster after SP1. This particular notebook is quite heavy, but I didn’t buy it for it’s weight, I bought it for it’s speed and so far I’m very impressed. Bottom line, another great product from Toshiba.

Best 17″ yet for me
I’ve owned five different 17″ laptops over the last few years and this is the best yet - in spite of a few flaws. First the flaws:

-The power chord has an odd connector that just “feels” loos or odd when connecting it. Maybe just a nerve system programming issue??

-The internal keyboard is very iffy. It just misses a lot of letters when I type them.

-The computer has a fan that sporadically decides to make a rattling noise. I just don’t have the patience to send it in for repair.

-The HD video system is outdated and apparently Toshiba is doing nothing for us in spite of this. This one is almost frustrating enough to bring it down to three stars.

The positive aspects ar many, including:

-Super fast video. The dual video SLI with 512 MB of video memory runs even modern games with beautiful graphics.

-Dual hard drives. Great for running the virtual machines I run for the technical training classes I teach. If you don’t know what virtual machines are, don’t worry. This feature just gives you better drive performance.

-The screen is beautiful. I’m not referencing the graphics card here, but the actual screen display.

-For a laptop, the sound is the best I’ve had yet. I can watch a movie on it in my hotel room from across the room and the sound is clear and even has some bass to it with the subwoofer.

Now, with the flaws, you’re probably wondering why I gave it four stars. Simple… the last positive: I can actually stretch this laptop to about 100 minutes on battery on a plane. I’ve never been able to do this with any other 17″ I’ve owned.

Hope this helps.

Awesome Laptop
Extremely thrilled with this laptop. Great graphics. Fingerprint scanner is awesome. Full size keyboard is great. Fits great into my home network.

Some tidbits that are hard to find on the net: It comes with 2GB of ram but they are 1GB chips os if you want 4GB (max) obviously you have to sell both 1GB and buy two 2GB. I have not done that. I dropped in a 4GB thumbdrive and use it as ready boost drive.

The battery does not last long, but thats to be expected with all the hardware built in. Battery pack is a little long, maybe 6 inches.

Lots of built in software but it’s mostly trial ware so there’s nothing really value added there.

Speakers sound good. They boast that it has a subwoofer but as a fan of hip hop, I’m not impressed.

Built in Webcame is 1.3MP I thought it was 2MP but that doesn’t really matter if you just want to see your families faces while on the road.

Even with these neg’s I still give it a 4.

Also, this was my first laptop in 10 years and the last was a Toshiba Satellite Pro. It still works by the way. Anyway, I must reccomend that if you buy this laptop, run down to Staples and buy a Swiss Gear laptop backpack for 17″ models. Made by the same people that make the knife. I swear this bag is AWESOME and a perfect fit for this laptop.

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