Toshiba says that its new range of laptops is as much about making a fashion statement as it is about features, specs and multimedia capabilities.
“Consumers are no longer just looking for a list of specs and features but instead want notebooks that match performance with style.” said Justin White, Product Marketing Manager for Toshiba (New Zealand).
Ultrabooks and tablets are not in this launch, but they're on the horizon. “Today’s launch signals a new design direction for us, but also introduces the first in a series of new products from Toshiba that will be followed by an exciting range of Ultrabooks and Tablets in the coming months,” said Mr White in a press release.
In the meantime, there's a good selection of laptops for those who want power or affordability.
Qosmio X870 - gaming powerhouse
Most interesting for
PC World is the top of the line Qosmio X870 gaming laptop. The original Qosmio, released back in 2007, was one of the first quad-core laptops ever produced, and the newest addition to the seies features Nvidia 3D vision technology for 3D multimedia and gaming.
Taking a leaf out of Apple's book (no pun intended), the Qosmio X870's grey and red design also feaures an illuminated red Toshiba logo.
With a 17.3in 1920 x 1080 screen, it sounds as though it's designed for video playback and it has a handy 1.75TB of storage to keep your favourite movies at your fingertips. But it's powerful enough to manage much more: the Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor, 16GB RAM and Nvidia GeForce GTX 670M will also make it capable of video editing, gaming and more. Of the two hard drives, one is a hybrid -- it combines a 750GB standard with 8GB SSD for super-fast boot times.
The Qosmio X870 will be available soon from Harvey Norman.
Satellite P850 - multimedia central
While the 15.6in Toshiba Satellite P850 may not be as showstopping as the Qosmio, it's still a formidable laptop for $2,299.
For video playback, there's a DVD player (Blu-ray optional) with HDMI output and premium Harman Kardon speakers. While this isn't top-of-the-line for headline games, it'll provide a great experience for movies and music.
It also features the new "Ivy Bridge" 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processor alongside 8GB RAM and a 1TB hybrid hard drive. A Sleep & Music feature lets you relax and listen to your favourite sounds whilst your computer is sleeping, and Sleep & Charge ports will charge your camera and phone at the same time.
It will be available soon.
Sateliite P870 - high-def multimedia
If you like the sound of the Satellite P850, but you want a bigger screen, the satellite P870 may be for you. At $2,899, it's a little more expensive, but that extra cost buys you a 17.3in HD or 1920 x 1080 screen resolution, four Harmon Kardon speakers (two more than the P850 above) 16GB RAM and up to 1.5TB of hard drive capacity. It will be avilable at the end of May -- slightly later than the other models on offer, to allow inclusion of the 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 processor.
Lower-priced crowd-pleasers
For the more budget conscious, There's a selection of laptops under $1600, including the Satellite L850 ($1,599), Satellite L840 ($TBA) and Satellite C850 ($1,099).
The 15.6in Toshiba Satellite L850 (in white, silver or blue) is available mid-May and features SRS Premium Sound HD speakers. It also features facial recognition login, 750GB hard drive and powerful Intel Core i7 processor.
The 14in white Toshiba Satellite L840 is exclusive to JB Hi-Fi, and is available now. It has SRS Premium Sound HD, 640GB hard drive, face recognition log in and an Intel Core i5 processor. It's not quite as powerful as the L850, but it comes with twice as much RAM (8GB) and an AMD Radeon graphics card (which is available on only some configurations of the L850).
At the bottom end of the price range, the 15.6in black Toshiba Satellite C850 is designed for a family in need of a budget machine that can handle work, study and entertainment. It has a smaller hard drive than it's more expensive siblings, with either 320GB or 640GB. With an Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM it should perform basic tasks wells, and the included Blu-ray drive and LED backlit LCD screen should provide bright crisp video playback.
It's available now.
