Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I looked at netbooks for about 2 months, comparing all of the various features. Then I went on the road to see them in person and put my hands on the keyboard. I ended up choosing the Toshiba NB205-N325 because it met all my criteria (Windows 7, upgradable RAM, great battery life, and overall quality construction) and because it has the best keyboard for my hands. The chicklet keys are great and the sub-sized keyboard only slows me down a little from a full-sized version.
After shopping all around I ended up buying it direct from Amazon. They had the best price on cyber monday of 329.99. Interestingly, the price is now back up to 380+ so I guess I got lucky with the timing.
I tossed the 2GB RAM upgrade into my shopping cart and the machine showed up at my door about 8 days later.
Start up was a breeze. It found my home network and network printer without a problem. I downloaded chrome as my browser with no problem, activated the Norton trial (still shopping for an antivirus program), and activated the free trial of Office (I actually have the software but haven't gotten around to activating my copy). I've plugged in several USB devices without issue including a wireless mouse and external hard drive. No problems. The 160 GB hard disk has plenty of space and unless you plan to make and store movie files you should never need more. After about an hour I shut back down and installed the 2GB RAM chip which is simple to do. You just remove one screw on a small cover on the back and the chip is right there. Pop the old one out and the new one in, then start back up. The user manual spells it out perfectly. I didn't run it long enough on the 1GB chip to give you a comparison on performance but with 2GB it seems as quick as my other laptops. I think this upgrade is a no-brainer if you plan to use your netbook for anything more than reading e-mail.
The only glitch I've had is with the display. About 2 hrs after I started it up the display suddenly went crazy, jerking all over. I was talking on a cordless phone at the time and assumed it somehow interfered with the display. It happened again one time two days later only I wasn't talking on the phone. Both times I got it to stop by putting it to sleep and then starting back up (which only takes a couple seconds). I don't know what to make of this but so far it hasn't repeated itself and at least I know how to stop it. If it happens again I'll call Toshiba.
My overall impression is that I love this little guy. It does everything I wanted it to do and is the ultimate in portability. I use it on and off all day, closing the lid when I'm done which puts it to sleep. It wakes up almost instantly, so this is a great way to extend the battery. The only time I plug it in is at night. I've never come close to running the battery down. The fit and finish of the machine are terrific.
Toshiba hit a home run with this model. It gets 5 stars from me.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Mini NB205-N325BL 10.1-Inch Royal Blue Netbook - 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter)
Small enough to throw in a purse or bag, the affordable, super-compact 10.1-inch Toshiba mini NB205 netbook--which weighs just under 3 pounds--is designed with smart features like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, 3 USB ports (including one Sleep and Charge port) and a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data. You'll also get excellent battery life with the included six-cell battery that provides up to 9 hours of battery power--enabling you to go through an entire day of school, work or errands without worrying about a recharge.
It comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Starter operating system, which combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows. It includes new Windows 7 features like Jump Lists to help you to better find and manage files, and connecting to printers and peripherals is easier than ever. (Learn more about Windows 7 Starter below.)
Created especially for mobile devices, Intel's 1.6 GHz Atom N280 processor uses an innovative design structure and hafnium-infused circuitry that helps reduce electrical current leakage in transistors--which means longer battery life when you're on the go. It also includes the Intel 945GSE graphics chipset, which provides browsing the internet, emailing, running basic PC applications and enjoying online digital media. This model of the Toshiba mini NB205 (NB205-N325BL) has a distinctively styled cover in Royal Blue, which is accented by a textured finish with a Matrix pattern. It features a 160 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Fast Ethernet, and a Secure Digital memory card slot.
Key Features
10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display (1024 x 600-pixel resolution) provides richer colors and clearer definition--perfect for browsing the internet
Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do--less waiting, less clicking, less hassle connecting to networks. And Starter combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows. (Learn more)
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. A small notebook PC running Windows 7 Home Premium is even easier to use. The new taskbar and advanced navigation features make launching programs, opening files, managing windows, and getting around your PC faster and easier. Personalize your PC to be just the way you want it with helpful gadgets and desktop themes--even turn your desktop into a slideshow of your favorite photos. And you get the best entertainment experience on a PC. With Windows Media Center, you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV.
1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor combines performance and efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile (Learn more)
160 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with an impact sensor that helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. (Learn more)
1 GB of RAM (800 MHz; 1 memory slot; upgradeable to 2 GB)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA950 with up to 251 MB of dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
Webcam (0.3 megapixels) integrated into the bezel for easy video chats and teleconferencing
Three USB ports with one Sleep and Charge port on the left side, allowing you to charge your mobile phone and other devices even when the notebook is asleep or off.
Full-sized keyboard (85 keys)
Integrated Wi-Fi networking (802.11b.g) so you can communicate, browse and share while on the move
Fast Ethernet wired networking (10/100)
Built-in mono speaker
Up to 9 hours of battery life from included 6-cell battery
Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.6 x 1.27 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 2.93 pounds
Environmentally focused with RoHS compatibility (reducing its environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances), Energy Star 5.0 compliant, and EPEAT Gold compliant
Warranty: 1 year warranty with international limited warranty coverage
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This Toshiba mini NB205 notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. It offers the following ports:
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Analog video output: 1 VGA
Memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMediaCard (MMC)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet
What's in the box This package contains the Toshiba mini NB205-N325BL netbook, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.
It also comes with the following software: Norton Internet Security 2009, Microsoft Works 9, Windows Media Player, Google Toolbar, and Toshiba PC Health Monitor.
NOTE: All Toshiba NB205 Netbooks (no matter the model) are packaged with the "NB200" series model# on the outside of box.
Learn More
Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do--less waiting, less clicking, less hassle connecting to networks. Windows 7 Starter combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows.
Intel Atom Processor: Your PC's Perfect Internet Companion Take the Internet to more places with the long battery life and flexibility of a compact, lightweight netbook powered by the incredibly small, amazingly smart Intel Atom processor. It features a design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.66 GHz Atom N280 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).
Hard Drive Protection While the highly portable nature of mini-notebooks exposes them to the knocks and bumps that are an inevitable feature of life on the move, the Toshiba mini NB205 features a 3D-accelerometer monitoring system that detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations and protects the integrated HDD to secure against the loss of any personal data.
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