Last year for my job I bought a Toshiba Satellite A210. Here's a quick look at this versatile laptop.
1GB RAM - 2x512MB DDR2 (667 MHz)
Backing this up is an ATI RS690M/SB600 chipset combination and 1GB of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory, which is an impressive amount given the price tag.
200GB SATA HDD
Making it easy to store huge quantities of files, as well as save games and movies direct to your laptop, a 200GB hard drive is in place.
AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60
Dual core AMD Turion X2 TL-52 processor which is clocked at 1.60GHz with an 800MHz FSB and 1MB L2 cache.
Microsoft Windows Vista
DVD Super-Multi Double Layer Drive functions
15.4" Wide XGA TFT with TruBrite
The screen is a 15.4-inch widescreen unit and is pixel-sharp thanks to its TruBrite coating and 1,280 by 800.Where this laptop works best is in the home. Its vibrant 15.4-inch screen provides a strong picture for multimedia use as much as home office tasks. DVD movies look great, and so do digital photos, so multimedia enthusiasts will feel right at home.
ATI Radeon X1200 GPU
Powering the graphics is ATI's Radeon X1200 chipset which has 128MB of dedicated video memory plus the ability to use up to 700MB of system memory.It ran up a score 3,181 in our 3D Mark 06 test so it'll handle the latest gaming titles with most of the detail cranked to the max.
802.11b/g WiFi, 10/100Mbps wired Ethernet and a V.92 modem.
As usual with a Toshiba notebook, all the software to get you up and running is pre-installed; Norton Internet Security 2007, Ulead DVD MovieWriter and Microsoft Works 8.5.
The majority of the remaining ports are housed in the left hand side; VGA, S-Video, LAN, two USB 2.0 ports, the card slot and a 4-pin FireWire port. The right side makes do with just two more USB ports and the modem port, joining the optical drive.
Inside the A210 is nestled in some cardboard inserts. Accessories (accessory brochure, manual and power adapter) are packed in cardboard and there is a minimum of plastics. A thin cloth wrapper protects the A210's screen and lid (which is finished in 'Onyx Blue Metallic' color).
This is a refined and understated looking notebook.The light colour keys look good but quickly become discoloured so need cleaning frequently. i found it quite easy to get used to having a flat pad instead of a tracker ball mouse although i do sometimes click on it by mistake. It is fast enough to run a few programmes at once and hasn't crashed yet. It weighs only 2.7kg.
