Specs: Operating System - Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM Processor 2.0 GHz (2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology), 6MB L3 Cache Mobile Intel® HM65 Express Chipset NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M with NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology featuring 1024MB GDDR3 discrete graphics memory NVIDIA Optimus™ technology automatically switches graphics Total Available Graphics memory 3793MB Configured with 6GB DDR3 1333MHz (max 8GB) 2 main memory slots. Both slots occupied. 750GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive Toshiba Hard Drive Impact Sensor (3D sensor) DVD SuperMulti drive supporting 11 formats 15.6” diagonal widescreen TruBrite® TFT LCD display at 1366 x 768 native resolution (HD) 16:9 aspect ratio Built-in harman/kardon® stereo speakers Dolby® Advanced Audio® Waves MaxxAudio® 3 Premium Raised Tile LED backlit Keyboard with 10-Keypad (black) Touch pad pointing device with multi-touch control Media Control Buttons Webcam and microphone 10/100/1000 Ethernet Intel® 802.11b/g/n wireless Memory Card Reader - Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure Digital Extended Capacity, Memory Stick™, Memory Stick PRO™, Multi Media Card, xD Picture Card [adapter may be required; shared slot] RGB (monitor) output port HDMI Microphone input port with Toshiba Sleep and Music Headphone output port 4 USB ports (1 USB 3.011 with USB Sleep and Charge12 + 3 USB 2.0) RJ-45 LAN port Slot for Security Lock Fusion® X2 Finish in Platinum Dimensions (W x D x H ): 15.0” x 9.8” x 1.1”/1.4” (with feet) Weight: Starting at 5.8 lbs., depending upon configuration 6 cell/48Wh Lithium Ion battery pack Battery Life Rating (measured by MobileMark™ Productivity 2007) Included 6 cell battery: 5 hours, 42 minutes 90W (19V x 4.74A) Auto-sensing ,100-240V/50-60Hz AC Adapter
Coupons that work with this deal: Coupon Code ... Item Name ..................................... Min. Order .... Expiration
433331507 ..... Rolling Duffel Bag ............................... $250 ........ 01/28/12 878045431 ..... Tote and Umbrella ................................ $150 ........ 01/28/12 492946491 ..... $10 Gasoline Gift Card ........................... $125 ........ 01/30/12 809452756 ..... Personal Blender ................................. $200 ........ 01/30/12 197038677 ..... Personal Blender ................................. $200 ........ 01/30/12 143505575 ..... Valet Station .................................... $150 ........ 01/30/12 368865667 ..... Yoga Fitness Set ................................. $200 ........ 01/30/12 835115170 ..... Yoga Fitness Set ................................. $200 ........ 01/30/12 746622203 ..... $10 Lunch Gift Card .............................. $125 ........ 02/06/12 529810192 ..... Fit & Fresh Lunch Tote With Salad Shaker ......... $200 ........ 02/06/12 856155942 ..... Mystery Gift ..................................... $100 ........ 02/12/12
I carefully shopped around and settled on this Toshiba some months ago, which has an i7, Nvidia GT540M dedicated graphics card and had a sale price of $799 at Office Depot. (The price seems to be wondering up & down a lot lately.)
I do some HD video editing on the road, so I needed a pretty powerful laptop, with a good graphics card to handle it. I wanted a laptop with the more powerful GTX560M card, but most of those machines were 17" (too big) and over $1000, which I really didn't want to spend. The first thing I did when I got this laptop, was to replace the hard drive with an SSD (solid state drive) and the laptop really flies!! Just a few seconds to boot up in Windows 7. Programs start very fast.
Did a fresh install of Windows 7, put all the latest drivers on, and none of the commercial "bloatware" that Toshiba gets paid to stick you with. The laptop comes with a nice back-lit keyboard, which is preset to turn off 1 second after you stop typing. I reset it to 5 seconds in the bios, it was making me a little nuts, always going on & off as I typed.
As I am used to looking at my hi-res desktop screen, I found the laptop screen a little soft on the sharpness, but not severe. A higher res screen would have taxed the graphics card a bit more, so this will be fine. You can also plug in an external monitor.
No blu-ray, but the standard DVD player/burner is just fine.
The Nvidia graphics card has a feature called Optimus, which makes the graphics switch between using the Nvidia card and the Intel HD 3000 graphics controller built into the i7 processor, depending on the software you are running at the time. This seemed to work well, although I noticed some people online are looking for a way to force the Nvidia card to run all the time without switching. I didn't notice an easy way to do that, although I am not sure that I will need to.
The case finish is nice, but the touchpad buttons tend to pick up fingerprints, and the Toshiba logo on the lid seems bizarrely huge. The power supply brick seems larger than others I have had in the past. The webcam produced a very fuzzy image, until I noticed it had a very thin plastic strip over the lens, which I gently removed and discarded...problem solved.
I am very pleased with its performance, for my uses. It probably would be fine for many gamers too (I don't play PC games), but this machine is overkill for most laptop users that do mostly internet and email. If that's you, you can easily save a lot of money buying a similar laptop with an i3 or i5 processor. Toshiba seems to make a good product (so far), and the amount of different laptop models they make is dizzying, so do your homework and you'll get what you need at a good price.
FWIW, bough my kid Toshiba laptop in November for Christmas, kid opens Christmas morning and there is a slightly darker area on the screen but it still worked fine so proceeded to set it up for her. 2 days later the imperfection becomes a crack (I believe it was already cracked under the bezel). BestBuy refused return because it was bought more than 14 days prior and had been setup. Said send to Toshiba, call Toshiba arrange to send it back, a week later Toshiba says "The damage is outside normal wear and tear and is not covered, it will cost $328 to replace the screen." So we are having them send it back and we are disputing the charge with the credit card company as our last line of defense. The laptop cost $267 the week before BF. So Buyer beware, because Toshiba is ruthless.
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Jan. 23, 2012 @ 1:32p
I did the online chat and the agent said you could order this and it would be placed on backorder. You would receive a call once it arrives in stock to confirm your purchase. The checkout process shows ZERO dollar value and does not charge your CC. I presume this process is just to help see how many units they may need to order from Toshiba. Online eta shows 01/26/12. Not sure how accurate that is though. She said you could always cancel the order. My main concern would be that it arrives within the rebate window of 01/22 - 02/04.
mousepotato said: I did the online chat and the agent said you could order this and it would be placed on backorder. You would receive a call once it arrives in stock to confirm your purchase. The checkout process shows ZERO dollar value and does not charge your CC. I presume this process is just to help see how many units they may need to order from Toshiba. Online eta shows 01/26/12. Not sure how accurate that is though. She said you could always cancel the order. My main concern would be that it arrives within the rebate window of 01/22 - 02/04.Shouldn't be a concern. According to the rebate, "For online or telephone purchases, you must include a copy of the order confirmation or packing slip."
The order confirmation is your confirmation email.
OOS for me also. Do you think they are still making this model or is this typical and done for JIT inventory control?
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 10:11a
I went ahead and put an order in back on Jan 24 since the system was taking back-orders. I received a call on the 31st asking to verify my CC information. The unit now shows as being shipped and due to arrive on the 6th. If you are still thinking about this deal then I would go ahead and place an order if the system is still allowing for back-orders. Should be an excellent chance you get the unit. But the rebate window closes on the 4th so don't delay. I verified that the purchase date for rebate purposes is the actual date you order, not the date it ships. Hope this helps.
I have a feeling I will have to file a Cash Back dispute later though. I think the order/rebate link process was probably broken going through the whole back-order procedure. We'll see I guess.
I bought this laptop about a month ago at its currently listed OD price of $730, no rebates or anything. Even without the extra discounts, I considered it to be a really good deal considering 3 big things: Core i7, dedicated graphics, and backlit keyboard. Those options alone are rare/good enough to justify the cost. The extra discounts are just icing on the cake.
It's a fantastic laptop and the only complaint I have is that the screen is way too bright. So bright, in fact, that if you don't calibrate it and lower the brightness some, some things will appear washed out. This is most evident on Facebook where comments on posts/statuses are supposed to be a light blue, but on an uncalibrated screen, it's barely visible.
Laptop is ridiculously fast, and like the last reviewer said above, I tossed in an SSD drive and it's unbelievably fast. Videos play very smoothly, my apps take only seconds to launch, and boot is ridiculously fast. Even without the SSD drive, the 7200RPM is pretty fast. Getting this for $630 AR is a steal!!
invar said: Laptop is ridiculously fast, and like the last reviewer said above, I tossed in an SSD drive and it's unbelievably fast. Videos play very smoothly, my apps take only seconds to launch, and boot is ridiculously fast. Even without the SSD drive, the 7200RPM is pretty fast. I have read this type of comment over and over, but what I do not understand given the size of SSD drives, what are people doing for hard drive storage?
External HD. This comes with a USB3 port. I have a 3TB external connected with that port. USB3 is a LOT faster than USB2 which lets me transfer stuff back and forth only when I need it.
I don't store my movies and music on my laptop. Only what I need to be portable at all times. If you're one of the those people that just have to have all their media with them at all times, then you're not going to like the size limitation of an SSD.
ashrock
Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 10:57a
Quick question: Configured with 6GB DDR3 1333MHz (max 8GB) 2 main memory slots. Both slots occupied.
Can this be later upgraded to 8GB(4+4)
Thanks
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 11:09a
ashrock said: Quick question: Configured with 6GB DDR3 1333MHz (max 8GB) 2 main memory slots. Both slots occupied.
Can this be later upgraded to 8GB(4+4)
Thanks
Yes. It states that in the product details section on the OD item page.
yes, you would need to pull out a 2GB stick and add a 4GB AFAIK.
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 11:13a
us said: yes, you would need to pull out a 2GB stick and add a 4GB AFAIK.
I'm waiting until I receive it, to see what brand DIMM's are in there. I will want to match the 4GB DIMM if at all possible. Otherwise it's not too expensive to just get a 8GB kit from Newegg or where ever.
rahlquist said: FWIW, bough my kid Toshiba laptop in November for Christmas, kid opens Christmas morning and there is a slightly darker area on the screen but it still worked fine so proceeded to set it up for her. 2 days later the imperfection becomes a crack (I believe it was already cracked under the bezel). BestBuy refused return because it was bought more than 14 days prior and had been setup. Said send to Toshiba, call Toshiba arrange to send it back, a week later Toshiba says "The damage is outside normal wear and tear and is not covered, it will cost $328 to replace the screen." So we are having them send it back and we are disputing the charge with the credit card company as our last line of defense. The laptop cost $267 the week before BF. So Buyer beware, because Toshiba is ruthless.
How do you know it didnt crack in your possession.. how would you feel if you sold an electronic device to someone and they had such a poor excuse.. I mean really you gave a laptop to your kid and they cracked the screen... what a suprise. btw.... by a replacement screen online for $50... install yourself in about 20 min
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 11:34a
invar said: What do you guys do that use up that much memory?
Video editing and Photoshop in my case. You can never have too much RAM though, as long as the OS is capable of seeing it and using it to it's full capacity. Having more RAM just speeds up the entire system in general.
mousepotato said: invar said: What do you guys do that use up that much memory?
Video editing and Photoshop in my case. You can never have too much RAM though, as long as the OS is capable of seeing it and using it to it's full capacity. Having more RAM just speeds up the entire system in general.No, I know it doesn't hurt to have more memory. Just wondering if people realize how much the OS/apps actually need to run efficiently. Video editing and Photoshop can benefit from more, depending on what type of video editing and Photoshopping you're talking about. Light photoshop use (a few filters, cropping, resizes, and touchup) really doesn't need that much memory. Video editing could use that much, IF the type of video editing you're referring to involves work on large size videos and splicing different clips together and muxing audio. BUT if by video editing you mean you're ripping BluRay/DVD movies and compressing them or something, it won't help.
I'm not saying YOU are, but some people love to say that what they do is Photoshopping and video editing when in reality, you can barely consider it that. At some point, you get diminishing returns. The difference from 6 to 8 will be barely noticeable for most people.
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 12:08p
invar said: mousepotato said: invar said: What do you guys do that use up that much memory?
Video editing and Photoshop in my case. You can never have too much RAM though, as long as the OS is capable of seeing it and using it to it's full capacity. Having more RAM just speeds up the entire system in general.No, I know it doesn't hurt to have more memory. Just wondering if people realize how much the OS/apps actually need to run efficiently. Video editing and Photoshop can benefit from more, depending on what type of video editing and Photoshopping you're talking about. Light photoshop use (a few filters, cropping, resizes, and touchup) really doesn't need that much memory. Video editing could use that much, IF the type of video editing you're referring to involves work on large size videos and splicing different clips together and muxing audio. BUT if by video editing you mean you're ripping BluRay/DVD movies and compressing them or something, it won't help.
I'm not saying YOU are, but some people love to say that what they do is Photoshopping and video editing when in reality, you can barely consider it that. At some point, you get diminishing returns. The difference from 6 to 8 will be barely noticeable for most people.
The points you make are true. Many tasks are more CPU intensive and RAM does not factor in. I suppose each person needs to weigh their own needs. It's not like in days past though, when RAM was over $100/GB. You can get a 4GB stick for less than $20 now. That to me is a worthwhile upgrade based on the price/performance ratio.
Any expert comment on deciding which one I will choose.Both are almost the same price. This one (Toshiba) and another one ASUS with the following specification.. Any experts comments will be greatly appreciated
ASUS U46E-RAL7 14" Laptop with Core i7-2640M, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD. High-performance 2nd Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Offers extra power to handle today's complex software. Great for multi-tasking, too. Huge 8GB memory lets you run your most demanding programs. Extra-large 750GB hard drive holds thousands of songs, photos and documents. Wireless-N (802.11n) for high-performance, cable-free networking. Lets you access wireless networks to share files, surf the Web and exchange email. Fully compatible with 802.11b/g as well. High-speed wired networking is supported, too. Compact 14" diagonal LED-backlit display. LED backlighting permits a thinner and more energy-efficient screen. Plays and burns CDs and DVDs. Memory card reader for fast, easy photo transfers. Transfer your digital photos, music and other files from these types of memory cards: SDXC (including Secure Digital and SDHC), Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture Card. HDMI port lets you view videos and photos on your HDTV. (HDMI cable sold separately.) USB 3.0 port for ultra-fast data transfers. Up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Fully compatible with USB 2.0 devices. Built-in webcam and microphone let you keep in touch with others via video and voice messaging. Face recognition software provides hassle-free logins, without typing passwords. Provides up to 8.2 hours of battery life on a single charge. Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit. The newest version of Windows makes everyday tasks simple. Supports Energy Star® standards.
mousepotato
Ancient Member
posted: Feb. 2, 2012 @ 1:49p
ghoshdd said: Any expert comment on deciding which one I will choose.Both are almost the same price. This one (Toshiba) and another one ASUS with the following specification.. Any experts comments will be greatly appreciated
ASUS U46E-RAL7 14" Laptop with Core i7-2640M, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD. High-performance 2nd Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Offers extra power to handle today's complex software. Great for multi-tasking, too. Huge 8GB memory lets you run your most demanding programs. Extra-large 750GB hard drive holds thousands of songs, photos and documents. Wireless-N (802.11n) for high-performance, cable-free networking. Lets you access wireless networks to share files, surf the Web and exchange email. Fully compatible with 802.11b/g as well. High-speed wired networking is supported, too. Compact 14" diagonal LED-backlit display. LED backlighting permits a thinner and more energy-efficient screen. Plays and burns CDs and DVDs. Memory card reader for fast, easy photo transfers. Transfer your digital photos, music and other files from these types of memory cards: SDXC (including Secure Digital and SDHC), Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture Card. HDMI port lets you view videos and photos on your HDTV. (HDMI cable sold separately.) USB 3.0 port for ultra-fast data transfers. Up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Fully compatible with USB 2.0 devices. Built-in webcam and microphone let you keep in touch with others via video and voice messaging. Face recognition software provides hassle-free logins, without typing passwords. Provides up to 8.2 hours of battery life on a single charge. Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit. The newest version of Windows makes everyday tasks simple. Supports Energy Star® standards.
The obvious differences are the screen size, amounts of RAM and the fact the ASUS is integrated graphics only. The fact the Toshiba comes with a larger screen, dedicated graphics chip and a backlit keyboard outweighs the additional 2GB RAM you get with the ASUS imo.
I also suppose the ASUS has a slightly faster processor, but the Toshiba might have better quality sound. They're both pretty similar systems outside of the graphics chip thing I think.
I can't speak to the quality of the ASUS but the speakers on the Toshiba are very nice. Bass sounds good, and they are able to reach a high volume without distortion.
Another drawback I forgot to mention: The Toshiba's webcam is pretty crappy. It's only 1280x1024 (1.3MP) but if you're doing video, you should lower it to 640x480 for it to run smoothly.
The biggest reason you might select the ASUS over the Toshiba is the 14" vs 15.6" size difference. Portability/compactness matters for some people. It didn't matter to me, so picking this Toshiba would be a no brainer.
ashrock
Member
posted: Feb. 3, 2012 @ 10:25p
It is still back ordered. Does anyone know if this could be delivered?
infinitespecter
Member
posted: Feb. 4, 2012 @ 4:52a
The processor on the Toshiba is MUCH faster than the one on the Asus. The Toshiba has a quad core processor (the Asus has a dual core processor).
Personally, I would not waste any money with Asus. They have left a VERY bad taste in my mouth because of their Customer Care (more like "We don't care") experience in the past. Toshiba is a great laptop and I am in for 1. Thank you OP!
I keep getting this error after clicking the final "order" button..
"We're Sorry. We are unable to process your last request.
Rest assured we are working diligently to resolve this issue. If you'd like to place an order by phone or speak with one of our Customer Service representatives please use one of the following options:
Email A Representative
Call 1-800-GO-DEPOT"
ghoshdd said: It is still available in back order.. Just now ordered one..
jaihindpatil
New Member
posted: Feb. 6, 2012 @ 7:07a
is it available? I dont find it ...saying out of stock?
sbaynard
New Member
posted: Feb. 8, 2012 @ 5:53a
They cancelled my order yesterday, after I did an online chat with them asking how long it was going to be - already had been on back order 11 days. They were very nice, left a voice mail that the buyer was not able to get this model any more. Now I'm out the $100 rebate and they won't let me apply it towards a different model.
When I started this process/purchase I thought I would like Office Depot...now - not so much.
justwanna
New Member
posted: Feb. 9, 2012 @ 7:11p
Anyone still have one on backorder like I do and hear something different than the above? I'm not going to contact them and give them a reason to cancel. We'll see what happens.
omni1da
New Member
posted: Feb. 10, 2012 @ 2:33p
I ordered mine 1/23/012 talked via chat today, after receiving email saying was backordered and getting link to rebate saying they will still honor, and he said was discontinued and would i be interested in another product. I pointed out that 2 days ago the OD website showed product at $879 and today they are promoting for the same, $729 as I paid, but no $100 rebate, he said he would send to resolution (?) dept and I would receive email in 4 hours, 5 hrs ago, still no response. I then called the 1-800 # and was told by rep that was discontinued and when I pointed out the illegality of blatant bait-and-switch, promoting him to get a manager assuring me the original order WILL be fulfilled when inventory is replenished, no idea when, and rebate WILL be honored. I am skeptical but we will wait a bit longer or until similar excellent deal.
justwanna
New Member
posted: Feb. 10, 2012 @ 6:04p
omni1da said: I ordered mine 1/23/012 talked via chat today, after receiving email saying was backordered and getting link to rebate saying they will still honor, and he said was discontinued and would i be interested in another product. I pointed out that 2 days ago the OD website showed product at $879 and today they are promoting for the same, $729 as I paid, but no $100 rebate, he said he would send to resolution (?) dept and I would receive email in 4 hours, 5 hrs ago, still no response. I then called the 1-800 # and was told by rep that was discontinued and when I pointed out the illegality of blatant bait-and-switch, promoting him to get a manager assuring me the original order WILL be fulfilled when inventory is replenished, no idea when, and rebate WILL be honored. I am skeptical but we will wait a bit longer or until similar excellent deal. Thanks for the information and persistence. It showed as in stock when I ordered on the 4th in the early a.m., though they appeared to only have 2 based on playing with the quantity in cart. Got the backorder email a day or two later. Good to hear that they may at least be trying to obtain more product. Hopefully OD will come through eventually. Skeptical, but will hang on until they cancel or I find something better.
justwanna
New Member
posted: Feb. 11, 2012 @ 7:51a
FWIW, as of right now, it is once again letting me add this laptop to the cart as in stock--no indication it is on backorder. Yet, my order status still lists "Waiting for backordered items." What kind of game is OD playing?
Skipping 3 Messages...
omni1da
New Member
posted: Feb. 20, 2012 @ 11:03a
Received final email from OD this morning. They will not be filling the order. The manuf will not be sending the sku number. So I chatted with them to cancel order so as to all of a sudden not be charged to my cc.
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