Toshiba with "Tru Brite" screen. A good idea?
Thread poster: Anjo Sterringa
Anjo Sterringa
Anjo Sterringa  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 09:57
English to Dutch
+ ...
Dec 22, 2004

I am trying to make up my mind about which laptop to buy next to replace my Airis (local brand) PentiumIV (noisy!).
I'm going for an Intel Centrino processor (because of the noise of the normal Pentium), and I like the Toshiba keyboard .I've seen (here in Spain) the Satelite M30X with a 15.4" 'Tru brite' screen:
- Intel® Pentium® M 745, Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG, chipset Intel® 855GME
- 1.8Ghz
- Cache: 2mb
- Graphic card:ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9700
T
... See more
I am trying to make up my mind about which laptop to buy next to replace my Airis (local brand) PentiumIV (noisy!).
I'm going for an Intel Centrino processor (because of the noise of the normal Pentium), and I like the Toshiba keyboard .I've seen (here in Spain) the Satelite M30X with a 15.4" 'Tru brite' screen:
- Intel® Pentium® M 745, Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG, chipset Intel® 855GME
- 1.8Ghz
- Cache: 2mb
- Graphic card:ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9700
This 'Tru Brite' screen looks more like a normal computer monitor.
Has anybody got experience with it? Is it good for translating or is it too bright? Is it worth it spending a lot more money on it than I'd spend buying a Toshiba Satellite A50 or a Tecra S1?
Any comments are more than welcome!
------- I am now also checking what Dell has to offer: the Inspiron 8600c has similar and higher specs at a better price in Spain. Any experiences with Dell? I hear their service is good.
Anjo Sterringa

[Edited at 2004-12-22 14:19]
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Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:57
German to English
Noise comes from the cooling fan, not the processor Dec 22, 2004

Although this doesn't directly address your inquiry, I have a suggestion, if noise bothers you.

No matter what computer you eventually buy, you should arrange with the shop to use the computer until the cooling fan operates. Alternates to the Pentium are sometimes cooler, requiring less frequent operation of the fan, but a noisy fan could make you crazy, even with a Centrino processor.

You might also look into a support which raises the computer slightly allowing air to
... See more
Although this doesn't directly address your inquiry, I have a suggestion, if noise bothers you.

No matter what computer you eventually buy, you should arrange with the shop to use the computer until the cooling fan operates. Alternates to the Pentium are sometimes cooler, requiring less frequent operation of the fan, but a noisy fan could make you crazy, even with a Centrino processor.

You might also look into a support which raises the computer slightly allowing air to flow beneath the unit; this will allow the computer to stay a little cooler.

I sympathize with you. My desktop machine has several cooling fans, and the unit sounds like a vacuum cleaner.
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Andrzej Lejman
Andrzej Lejman  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 09:57
Member (2004)
German to Polish
+ ...
Toshiba notebooks are known for reliability Dec 22, 2004

You can also consider Fujitsu-Siemens or Acer. Avoid HP - bad quality, horrible service.
Toshiba Satellite M30X should be a good choice; in Poland Toshiba offers 2 years of warranty time, so this should be also your case. Also consider buying additional warranty for 1-2 years - repairs of notebooks are costly.
An external keyboard and mouse (prefferably cordless) will enhance your comfort.
An excellent solution is an external LCD monitor - you can split the Windows desktop int
... See more
You can also consider Fujitsu-Siemens or Acer. Avoid HP - bad quality, horrible service.
Toshiba Satellite M30X should be a good choice; in Poland Toshiba offers 2 years of warranty time, so this should be also your case. Also consider buying additional warranty for 1-2 years - repairs of notebooks are costly.
An external keyboard and mouse (prefferably cordless) will enhance your comfort.
An excellent solution is an external LCD monitor - you can split the Windows desktop into two independent parts, with different applications in each of them.

Good luck
Andrzej

P.S. You can always adjust the brightness and contrast.

[Edited at 2004-12-22 16:07]
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Anjo Sterringa
Anjo Sterringa  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 09:57
English to Dutch
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
No panoramic screen .... Dec 22, 2004

Today I had a look at some computers, and I think I'd not so much like to have a 15.5 screen, it just does not look right (old-fashioned?). The Toshiba I saw there was a 'mere' A50, but it seemed quite OK with a 15" screen, and of all the brands they had, it was the only one with the 'delete' key on the bottom. (sigh...). It has Wifi, 2mB Caché, 512 DDRRAM, DVD super multi etc. Oh well, then it's just checking the Dell Inspiron 510M with the same M725, (although they are offering 1024mb of DDR... See more
Today I had a look at some computers, and I think I'd not so much like to have a 15.5 screen, it just does not look right (old-fashioned?). The Toshiba I saw there was a 'mere' A50, but it seemed quite OK with a 15" screen, and of all the brands they had, it was the only one with the 'delete' key on the bottom. (sigh...). It has Wifi, 2mB Caché, 512 DDRRAM, DVD super multi etc. Oh well, then it's just checking the Dell Inspiron 510M with the same M725, (although they are offering 1024mb of DDR RAM memory). The key question of course remains: where has the Dell (spanidh leyboard) its delete key nowadays? (Had one a few years ago).Collapse


 
Vitaly Dotsenko
Vitaly Dotsenko  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:57
Member (2004)
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
Why not Dell? The best bang for the buck Dec 31, 2004

The new Inspiron 9200 would give you a 17" screen. I would recommend to get the fastest laptop hard drive--7,200 RMP drive (Toshiba, 60 GIG). Hard drive IS THE SLOWEST PART of any PC. It has Centrino, USB2. DVD+/- recoding is highly recommended. You can get great coupons for laptop systems at fatwalet.com

 
Jerzy Czopik
Jerzy Czopik  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 09:57
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
Consider leasing a notebook Jan 11, 2005

In Germany for example you can easily lease a notebook for two or three years. IMO three years are th best period for a notebook, as afterwards it needs either more memory, more HDD or more speed, or everything a bit...

Personally I had a Toshiba and use now a Sony Vaio - I can recommend both brands. What I would like, is to get a notebook with the biggest screen available. But this depends on how are you using it. I use my notebook only to take it from A to B and to work in B, not
... See more
In Germany for example you can easily lease a notebook for two or three years. IMO three years are th best period for a notebook, as afterwards it needs either more memory, more HDD or more speed, or everything a bit...

Personally I had a Toshiba and use now a Sony Vaio - I can recommend both brands. What I would like, is to get a notebook with the biggest screen available. But this depends on how are you using it. I use my notebook only to take it from A to B and to work in B, not working while travelling, and not working with it at home.
If you consider to use the notebook instead of the desktop, so I would take other measurments. Then the biggest HDD, fastest processor and biggest memory (and with upgrade possibility), however would then not pay so much attention on the screen. Maybe then it is better to choose one with smaller screen and get a TFT (you can get 19" TFT for not much more than 300 ¤ nowadays) and connect and exernal keyboard and mouse to it.

If I had to buy a notebook, I would now go for a Sony Vaio with 17" display - VGN-A217M (http://vaio.sony-europe.com/ShowProduct.do?site=ite_de_DE&category=MP%20A%20Series&product=VGN-A217M). The wireless mouse is comming with the notebook...

Regards
Jerzy
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Anjo Sterringa
Anjo Sterringa  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 09:57
English to Dutch
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Toshiba without panoramic screen Jan 12, 2005

As I checked the keyboard of the Dell - it will not be a Dell, it has the del key in the wrong place. So toshiba is the only one with the keyboard the way I prefer it. I also heard there had been (overheating) problems with the Dell I considered buying.
A 17" screen laptop is too big to haul around I think - I imagine I could add a screen when using it to work at home. I do not think leasing is as usual in Spain as it may be in Germany- I agree that the lifetime of a laptop is about 3 ye
... See more
As I checked the keyboard of the Dell - it will not be a Dell, it has the del key in the wrong place. So toshiba is the only one with the keyboard the way I prefer it. I also heard there had been (overheating) problems with the Dell I considered buying.
A 17" screen laptop is too big to haul around I think - I imagine I could add a screen when using it to work at home. I do not think leasing is as usual in Spain as it may be in Germany- I agree that the lifetime of a laptop is about 3 years. My 'old' laptop is almost three years old..
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Toshiba with "Tru Brite" screen. A good idea?






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