Laptops Arena

One of the main requirements of any laptop is the compact design; this allows the laptop to be as easy to carry as possible. For this reason, good laptops have small displays, from 13 to 17 inches. When you want to give a presentation from your laptop you will usually need a larger screen or a projector. The same applies when you want to watch a movie with a bunch of people; the small display on your laptop is just not enough.
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For large rooms and amphitheaters it’s recommended to use projectors because you can adjust the size of the image. For school rooms and for at home, it’s more convenient to connect your laptop to a TV; this way is cheaper and it can even give you a better quality of the image.

For connecting a Toshiba laptop to the TV, you will have to find the best way for you. ATI, SAVAGE or nVIDIA video cards which have a TV output of four or seven pin via S-video receptacle. You have to find out what type of S-video cable you need according to your laptop and the TV, because there is no standard one accepted by all. We say S-video because it’s the most common used way for connecting a TV and a laptop, not only Toshiba; one of the reasons may be the cost because a S-video cord is very cheap and most TVs come equipped with it. Make sure your Toshiba laptop has an S-video port, but most satellites have one. If you can’t find it, you should know that there are other ways: VGA, DVI, HDMI and Scan Converter Box.

First, we will talk about the VGA method. It’s unlikely to find a VGA port on a regular TV, so this applies only to HDTV s. Although the S-video is the most common used way (maybe because it works on most TVs), the VGA way will give you better image quality.

The DVI option is another way you can connect your Toshiba Satellite to the TV. DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface. “Digital” is the key word here because the digital signal provides better picture detail than the first two ways written above. Not all laptops have this port, but most Toshiba satellite laptops have one. The difference is the price- this cord is the most expensive one.

HDMI provides the best quality image by far. Newer models of Toshiba satellite have HDMI ports, but most don’t. The fact is that DVI is compatible with HDMI; this means that you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it. This is one of the best ways of connecting your Toshiba Satellite to the TV because you will get the best results.



The scan converter box applies to those who haven’t got an S-video port and a TV that requires such a connection. It’s useless for laptops; it applies mostly to desktops. The scan converter box takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video, thus providing compatible signal to the TV.

We should say another thing about using an HDTV for those who don’t know: you should take some distance from the screen when using it because the quality image is very poor from small distances. You may have to adjust the resolution when using a different screen than your own. Choose the best option for you and your laptop, because connecting your Toshiba Satellite to the TV is not hard, but it does require some knowledge about both your laptop and your TV.

Out of all the ultra portables I have ever laid my eyes upon, the notebook which I was most impressed by has to be the Toshiba Portege A605. Maybe it’s because this is a 12 inch business notebook which does not compromise the specs inside just to get a portable notebook. This is why we are going to give you details about the notebook made for both business and pleasure, all wrapped up in this super cool looking chassis, all called the Toshiba Portege A605.
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The unit comes at a price of $1399 and it is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor and 3 GB of RAM, with the possibility to extend to a maximum 5 GB (this is because you get 1 GB onboard and 2 GB in the RAM slot). As for the hard drive, this one comes with a total storage capacity of 320 GB. The graphics card which can be found on this system is the integrated Intel Graphics X4500. The dimensions of this unit are 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.2 inches while the total weight of the system is 3 lbs and 1.8 oz without the power adapter included. The 12.1 inch display of this Toshiba notebook comes at a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The unit generally comes with the 32 bit version of the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system preinstalled. The fully sizes white – silverish keys comes in great contrast with the rest of the notebook which is black and it makes this notebook quite a sight for sore eyes. The keyboard on this notebook could be considered perfect if there was not an issue with heavy flexing under pressure. The touchpad has the 3 main characteristics that we love to get from an ultraportable. It is large, quick and very responsive. When it comes to the selection of ports and connections, this unit manages to do an average job at satisfying the customers. The unit is host to 3 USB port, one eSATA combo port, a VGA out, an Ethernet port and the headphones out and microphone in jacks as well. There is no included HDMI port which is a real shame but I’m not sure you are going to need one on a 12 inch notebook which is designed for portability reasons.

I always believed that one of the most important aspect when you are looking to buy a notebook which is supposed to be your companion on your travels is the battery life. So let us find out if the battery of the Toshiba Portege A605 can live up to our expectations. With the display brightness set to 70%, the wireless card activated and the Windows Vista power management profile set to “balanced mode”, you are bound to get about 5 hours and 30 minutes of battery life which is a great performance, even if there are netbook out there that can do a lot better. This means that you can count on this notebook for use even when you are away from a power outlet.

Looking for cheap laptop computers is easy since we have a great range of both online and offline stores that offer great deals on different laptop models which come at great prices and are really affordable. In our opinion, one of the best online stores where you can search for offers on cheap laptop computers and a whole lot more electronic items is www.amazon.com.
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On the Amazon website you can find some really cool offers on different laptop models. For example, you can purchase the Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 for a mere price of $580. For your money, you will receive a unit which is based on a 2.13 GHz Intel Core i3-330M processor and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. The processor on this unit is relatively new and due to the combination of RAM and components, you will receive a laptop with great capabilities for multitasking without slowing the total performance of the system. The hard drive which can support 500 GB of files and folders is enough for you to use this laptop even as your primary computer. The display measures 15.6 inches in diagonal and it comes at a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, making it an acceptable desktop replacement as well. The graphics card found on this Toshiba laptop is the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD. The dimensions of the laptop are 10.2 x 15.1 x 1.55 inches in size and 6 pounds in weight. The unit will be shipped with the 64 bit version of the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Another example which is suitable for the cheap laptop computers area is the Asus UL30A-X5 which comes at a price of $600. This unit is based on a 1.3 GHZ Intel SU7300 Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. Even if the processor is not as new as the one on the system above, it still offers a great combination between RAM and processor to make multitasking a lot easier on your notebook. The hard drive has the same 500 GB storage as the Toshiba that we presented above. The dimensions of this unit are 12.9 x 9.28 x 0.98 inches and the total weight is 3.74 pounds.



In case you are wondering why this laptop is so thin and light, we can tell you that is comes with a 13.3 HD display which makes this laptop a very good ultraportable. Above this display you are going to discover a 0.3 megapixel webcam that can prove to be useful especially when you are traveling and are away from home but would like for your family and friends to still be able to see you during video conferences and instant messaging. The graphics card that can be found on this unit is the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 MHD. The unit is shipped with the 64 bit version of the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. We must mention that both of these systems are brand new but if you are interested in something even more cheap, you can find different refurbished models, suitable for most pockets.

When it comes to Toshiba laptop computers, we have decided to dedicate a review to the Toshiba Satellite P505-S8950. This laptop is a great desktop replacement as it comes with a 18.4 inch display and the price of this system is $1599.
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This unit is based on a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor and 6 GB of RAM. The total storage capacity of the hard drive is 320 GB and the graphics card is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 with 1 GB of video memory. The 18.4 inch display comes at a native resolution of 1680 x 945 pixels and it has a glossy coating which makes colors very rich and beautiful. This is surely a great display for a laptop which is meant to be a desktop replacement. The dimensions of the system are 17.4 x 11.6 x 1.63 inches and the total weight is 11 lbs. The unit will most likely be shipped with the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system. Most of the Toshiba laptop computers that I came across has speakers located right above the keyboard, and the P505 is no exception. This means that sound will be projected straight towards the user. This notebook comes with a set of Harman/Kardon speakers which provide even a little bit of bass and midrange. The sound volume levels are enough to cover a small room but you are going to need external speakers if you want to cover a bigger room.

The keyboard is very comfortable to type on and the keys offer great response. This laptop comes with an included numerical pad and a backlight which is going to make typing in the dark real easy. There is a soft click whenever you press any of the keys. The touchpad is very pleasant to the touch but it shows sign of lag and this may be annoying. Considering the fact that this is a desktop replacement, you can attach an external mouse for better precision of the pointer. The left and right touchpad buttons are great and they are easy to press using your thumbs.



We always have high expectation in regard to the selection of ports and features of a desktop replacement. The unit comes with 3 USB ports, one USB and eSATA combo port, a HDMI port, a FireWire port, an SD card slot, the Ethernet port, a VGA out, a Kensington lock slot, a modem port and the headphones out and microphone in jacks. I never found battery performance to be important on a desktop replacement and I don’t think it’s important in the case of the Toshiba P505 either. However, the manufacturer has decided to provide a 12 cell battery for this system. With the display brightness set to 70%, the wireless card activated and the Windows Vista power management profile set to “balanced mode”, this laptop managed to stay on for 4 hours and 25 minutes which is a pretty amazing result for a laptop so big and powerful like the Toshiba Satellite P505.

Small Laptops are also known as netbooks and this notebook subcategory is made exactly for what the name suggests it: using it for internet purposes. Small laptops generally come with displays that measure from 8.9 to about 12 inches in diagonal. Due to the small chassis, the components inside are rather weak and they lack a few things which are generally common on bigger laptops, things like optical drives, a good selection of ports and features or fully sized keyboard. Almost all the respectable manufacturers have at least 1 such small laptop in their portfolio.
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One of the best small laptops that money can buy is considered to be the Acer Aspire One D250. This unit is based on a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1 GB of DDR2 RAM. The total storage capacity of the hard drive is 160 GB while the graphics card is the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950. Since the dimensions of the unit are 10.2 x 7.2 x 1 inches and the total weight of the system is 2.4 lbs, this unit is considered to be an ultra portable. The display measures 10.1 inches in diagonal and it comes at a native resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. As for the selection of ports and connections, this unit is host to 3 USB ports, one VGA out, an Ethernet port, a 5-in-1 media card slot and the regular headphones out and microphone in jacks.


The unit comes with the Windows XP operating system preinstalled. The starting price of the unit is $300 while the price of the unit reviewed here is $330. One of the most important aspects of small laptops is the battery performance. Sadly, the Acer Aspire One D250 does not perform as one would expect a netbook to do. With the display brightness set to 70%, the wireless card activated and the Windows power management profile set to “power saver”, the laptop managed to stay on for about 2 hours and 30 minutes.


Another good example of a proper small laptop is the Toshiba NB205. Even if it is not as popular as the Acer Aspire one or the Asus Eee PC, this offers decent netbook performance for the price of $400. This unit is based on a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor and 1 GB of RAM. the graphics card is the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 and the total storage capacity of the hard disk is 160 GB. The dimensions of this unit are 10.4 x 8.3 x 1.0 inches while the total weight of the system is 2.93 lbs. even if this unit is just bit bigger than the Acer Aspire One D250, it has the same 10.1 inch display that comes at a native resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Both of these small laptops come with 0.3 megapixel webcams. The selections of ports and features of this unit is similar to that of the Acer presented above. The unit is host to 3 USB ports, one security lock slot, a VGA out, an SD card slot, the Ethernet port and the regular headphones out and microphone in jacks. As for the battery performance, the Toshiba N205 beats the D250 by far. With the display brightness set to 70%, the wireless card activated and the Windows power management profile set to “power saver”, this small laptop manages to stay up and running for 9 hours.