Toshiba Qosmio G15 Laptop Computer Review
Toshiba Qosmio G15 Multimedia Laptop Review:
Despite all its multimedia features, the Qosmio doesn’t skimp on any of its PC-related components. The system is built around a fast 1.8-GHz Pentium M processor with 512MB of DDR memory. The system performs flawlessly, whether it's crunching spreadsheets in Excel or editing images in Photoshop. Multitasking also proves no problem for this laptop. The keyboard is quite sturdy, and the touchpad is very responsive.
Toshiba has gone well beyond the convenient design of the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. When you want to kick back and watch a little TV, the Qosmio doesn’t even make you boot up the operating system. Instead, just use one of the system’s two included remote controls to activate the system’s QosmioPlayer, which allows you to enjoy TV, DVDs, or CDs while the laptop’s PC functionality is turned off.
Realizing the system’s incredible multimedia features would be wasted on a small, dim display, Toshiba has outfitted the Qosmio G15 with an outstanding a 17-inch screen that sports a crisp widescreen resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels.
What really sets the display of the Toshiba Qosmio G15 apart from those found in other laptops, though, are the two lamps installed behind it. The technology behind this is called Ultimate TruBrite, and it yields the brightest screen you'll ever see on a laptop. Beyond the bright images it produces, the graphics on this display are also perfectly visible at even extreme angles.
The sound the Toshiba Qosmio G15 generates is very impressive. Thanks to a relatively large pair of Harman Kardon speakers, along with SRS WOW and TruSurround XT technology, the integrated speakers are much louder and fuller sounding than the typical laptop speakers.
You don’t have to settle for the system’s integrated speakers and display when you want to watch TV or a DVD movie, however. Thanks to S-Video and component video and audio outputs, along with an extra long cable on the included IR transceiver for the remote controls, you can easily connect the Qosmio G15 to your big-screen TV and stereo system to make the most of its entertainment capabilities. An IR blaster included with the remotes’ transceiver controls devices like digital cable and satellite TV set-top boxes.
When it comes to gaming, the system’s performance is outstanding. The Toshiba Qosmio G15 carries a 128MB Nvidia GeForce FX Go 5700 graphics processor and it handles apps with aplomb. Every scene is rendered with exacting detail and the motion between frames is incredibly smooth.
Machines like Toshiba's new Qosmio G15-AV501 are the reason why I love laptops. Rather than being a standard laptop that you can use for typical productivity tasks and maybe a little gaming, the Qosmio G15 goes to the next level, becoming flat-out the best multimedia laptop ever seen.
Not only does this sleek, silver laptop feature an integrated TV tuner, but it drops the typical Windows XP Home or Professional operating system in favor of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. Media Center offers a much cleaner, more organized interface for accessing multimedia functions, like watching TV, playing DVDs, listening to music, or thumbing through digital photos.
You can also use the system’s DVD SuperMulti Drive to store your files. With the ability to write at some of the fastest speeds you’ll see on any laptop to practically every CD and DVD format, this drive has you covered. A flash memory reader that accommodates Memory Sticks, MMC, SD, and xD cards gives you a convenient way to transfer photos from your digital camera. For connecting anything else, there’s a FireWire and four USB 2.0 ports. Even networking is a snap, thanks to an 802.11b/g adapter and a Bluetooth radio.
The My Pictures menu provides an uncluttered, intuitive interface for organizing and viewing your digital photos. To watch DVD movies, just select the Play DVD option and you’re set. To access any home movies stored on the Toshiba Qosmio G15, choose the My Videos option. You can also listen to any digital audio tracks stored on the G15-AV501 through the My Music menu.
After connecting your TV’s coaxial output to the Qosmio, you can watch television programming just like you would on your TV set through the My TV menu. Then just press the Pause, Rewind, and Fast Forward buttons on the remote to use the system’s TiVo-like functionality.
With not one, but two fast 5,400-rpm hard drives installed in the Toshiba Qosmio G15 offering a combined 100GB of capacity, you can store a gigantic number of videos, TV shows, photos, and songs before you hit the system’s storage limit.
This system has so many terrific multimedia and PC features that it’s well worth the price. Our only criticism of the system itself is its short 1 hour and 37 minutes of battery runtime, although any laptop carrying this much high-end hardware probably won’t be utilized by being unplugged. In short, the Toshiba Qosmio G15-AV501 is the perfect mobile entertainment system.
Toshiba Qosmio G15 - A Multimedia Marvel
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Toshiba Qosmio G15 Laptop Review
Features/Specifications
- Classification: Desktop Replacement Laptop
- Display: 17'' WXGA (1440x900)
- Processor: Pentium M 745 1.8GHz
- RAM Memory: 512MB DDR (Expandable to 2GB)
- Hard Drive: 60GB Primary - 40GB Secondary @ (5400RPM)
- Optical Drive: DVD/R-RW
- Floppy Drive: No
- Media Card Slot: SD/MMC, Memory Stick, xD
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce FX Go5700 w/128MB Dedicated VRAM
- Audio: Harmon Kardon Built-In Speakers
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g & Bluetooth
- Internet Connectivity: 56K Modem + 10/100 Ethernet
- Battery Life: 1.7 hrs.
- Operating System: Windows XP Media Center 2005
- Weight: 9.7 lbs.
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Laptop Ports On This Model
- (1) PC Card Slot Type II
- (1) S-Video-Out
- (1) S-Video-In
- (1) Coaxial Video In
- (1) Composite Video Out
- (1) VGA Connector
- (4) USB 2.0 Ports
- (1) FireWire Ports
- (1) RJ-11 phone jack
- (1) RJ-45 standard Ethernet jack
- Microphone, Headphone line-out jacks