Summary:

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Features:

  • Intel Core Duo processor
  • Wifi networking card
  • Bluetooth
  • 6 cell Li-Ion battery
  • The price starts from £850

PROS:

  • Best lightweight laptop (just 4.1lbs), and ultra thin (1.4 in)
  • 6 cell battery lasts up to 4.5 hours
  • Sturdy and well built

CONS:

  • Windows Vista requires more memory for good performance
  • Long charging times

Detailed Specification:

Processor Intel Core Duo T2300E 1.66 GHz
Memory 2x512MB DDR2 @ 533MHZ SDRAM
Chipset Intel 945GM Express Chipset
Hard drive Toshiba Serial-ATA 100GB, 5400RPM
Optical CD / DVD drive Matsuhita Super-Multi Double Layer DVD+/- RW
Display 12.1 in TFT XGA
Video RAM 128 MB RAM
Weight 4.1 lbs
Dimension 11.6 x 8.7 x 1.4 in
Network type Modem, Ethernet, Intel Wireless 802.11 a/b/g card, Bluetooth,
Graphics Intel  Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Audio Speaker, headphone (2x)/microphone jacks
I/O ports (Data) Three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, 6-in-1 media adaptor, PC card
OS Windows XP Home edition
Price starting at £850

Expert Review:

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The Satellite U200 (known as U205 in U.S.) laptop from the Toshiba family is ultra portable, sturdy and has sleek looks. Its air pocket cushioning and padding provides protection against shocks and vibrations. The magnesium alloy chassis gives it strength being at the same time lightweight.

With dimensions of 11.6 x 8.7 x 1.4 in and weight of just 4.1 lbs this Toshiba laptop in the Satellite series is highly portable. It has 12.1″ wide screen with active TFT matrix and a WXGA screen resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels which is on par with comparative models.

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The processor used is Intel Core Duo T2300E 1.66 GHz with memory of 2x512MB DDR2 @ 533MHZ SDRAM. The memory would be enough for Windows XP but is on the lower side for Windows Vista. The hard disk has a capacity of 100GB, though it shows up as 93.1 GB when reading system information. The graphics processing is handled by Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with 8MB to128MB RAM space dynamically allocated to shared graphics.

The sturdy build is reinforced by 2 robust hinges with no wobbling or noise while using. There is also a central transport hook which maintains the display securely locked without wobbling.

It has a well laid out keyboard which is comfortable to use with media buttons at the top. The keyboard is claimed to be spill resistant. There is a small touch pad with buttons and also a finger print reader which allows convenient logins without entering password. The touch pad has horizontal and vertical scrolling facility near the bottom edge and right edge respectively. The laptop has an Intel wireless card for connecting to Wi-fi networks and Bluetooth for connecting to peripherals like mouse, printer etc. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports for communicating with external devices like PC, digital camera etc. In addition there is a PC card, 6 in 1 card reader, RJ11, RJ45 and RGB ports and Firewire port for fast downloads of video from external devices like digital camcorders.

The optical storage is through Matsuhita Super-Multi Double Layer DVD+/- RW, with DVD burning capability. The audio is handled by small speakers, and there are headphone and speaker jacks and a built in microphone which provides clear recording. The 6 cell battery lasts approximately 4.5 hours with normal usage which is quite good. But recharging takes 4 to 5 hours when the system is switched off and about 12 hours when it is on.

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The Operating System is Windows XP Home Edition with system recovery disk, power saving feature, and hard disk protection software. In addition the Express Media player software allows playing CD / DVD without booting the system. Windows Vista can also be loaded but requires more RAM for optimum performance. Toshiba gives 1 year international warranty for the laptop including the battery.

To summarize, Toshiba Satellite U200 laptop is a fine choice for the price and features it provides. It is a good travel companion.

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