Toshiba Satellite L355D

The good: Low price; lightweight for a 17-inch laptop; attractive display; broad, comfortable keyboard.

The bad: Pokey performance compared with Intel-based systems; loaded with bloatware; lousy speakers; brief battery life.

The bottom line: The 17.1-inch Toshiba Satellite L355D is average in every way, except for its below-average price.

The Toshiba Satellite L355D is a tough laptop to critique. One the one hand, its feature set is merely adequate, its battery life below average, and (thanks to the inclusion of an AMD processor) its performance--while sufficient for such basic computing tasks as Web surfing, watching movies, and word processing--can't match that of laptops based on Intel processors. On the other hand, it costs $800, while similarly configured systems from Hewlett-Packard and Dell cost $75 to $175 more. Aside from price, the Satellite L355D does have some things going for it; namely, a lightweight, understated design and a broad, 17-inch display (most laptops in this price range incorporate 15.4-inch displays). In the end, the Toshiba Satellite L355D will meet the needs of a small subset of laptop buyers: students and other bargain-hunters who want a cheap laptop with a large screen.

Bypassing Toshiba's newest pinstriped Satellite case design, the Satellite L355D features a silvery-gray lid with a darker gray Toshiba logo in the center. Both the lid and the black base feature rounded corners that help the laptop appear smaller. Not that the Satellite L355D is all that large; its 7.1-pound weight places it well in the mainstream category.

The Satellite L335D's light weight is all the more remarkable when you open the case to reveal a broad, 17.1-inch wide-screen display. With a native resolution of 1,440x900, the screen is great for Web browsing and movies; however, its glossy coating results in some distracting reflections when working in brightly lit environments. Above the screen sits a 1.3-megapixel Webcam that's good for video chats.

We like the keyboard on the Satellite L355D; it's roomy and provides a comfortable typing experience. The laptop's broad case also provides space for a 10-key number pad, which can be useful for entering data or playing games. We appreciate the recessed touch pad, which makes it less likely that you'll accidentally graze the pad while typing. Otherwise, the Satellite L355D's keyboard deck is an exercise in minimalism: there's no fingerprint reader or application-launch buttons, just a row of buttons across the top that control media playback and mute the sound. (Volume is adjusted with a handy wheel on the laptop's front edge.)

Judging from the proliferation of desktop icons on the Satellite L355D, we'd say its low price comes in part thanks to a subsidy from software makers. Out of the box, our review unit included 20 desktop shortcuts to third-party software and Web sites, such as eMusic, Napster, Shutterfly, Vongo, and Skype. Removing much of this junk, especially the programs that run in the background, can speed up a sluggish system. Check out this helpful video on removing bloatware from your laptop for step-by-step instructions.

The Satellite L355D offers a basic feature set that's acceptable for a budget system. Toshiba does omit the mini FireWire and S-Video connectors we'd expect to see on a laptop of this size, but neither omission is glaring. However, we were disappointed in the laptop's stereo speakers, which emit just muddled sound; headphones are pretty much required for enjoying music or movies on this system.

We tested the Satellite L355D-S7809, which incorporates a low-cost 2.0GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 processor and an otherwise average mix of components. As with other AMD systems, the Satellite L355D-S7809 couldn't keep up with laptops based on Intel's Core 2 Duo processor on CNET Labs' benchmarks. On both our Multimedia multitasking and Photoshop tests, the Satellite L355D-S7809 trailed the $899 Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 and the $1,299 Gateway P-170L, both of which run on Core 2 Duo processors with slower clock speeds. That said, you can't ask too much from a laptop that costs $800, and during our anecdotal testing the Satellite L355D-S7809 had enough oomph for the basic Web surfing and media playback that constitutes most low-cost computer use.

The Satellite L355D-S7809 lasted just 93 minutes on our DVD drain test, which is a bit less than we'd like to see from a mainstream laptop, but nevertheless unsurprising for such a low-priced system. Our DVD drain test is particularly taxing, so you can expect a bit more battery life during typical productivity work; just be sure to bring the power cord if you want to make it through a typical Hollywood movie.

Toshiba includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the Satellite L355D. It's a mail-in warranty, but the company has a deal where you can just drop your system off for service at any UPS Store, and they'll pack it up and deliver it to the repair depot. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base and driver downloads.

Find out more about how we test laptops.

System configurations:

Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7809
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 2.0GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB ATI Xpress 1250; 200GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

Gateway P-6831FX
Windows Vista Home Premium; 1.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5450; 3,072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTS; 250GB Western Digital 5,400rpm SATA/150

Gateway P-170L QS
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; Intel RAID 0 150GB (x2) Fujitsu 5,400rpm

Lenovo IdeaPad Y510
Windows Vista Home Premium; 1.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5450; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM; 250GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

Intro: The Toshiba Satellite L355D is a 7.3-pound, mainstream notebook computer.Compared to other consumer level notebooks on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $750.Has Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) built-in.

Noteworthy Features: Has a 17.1-inch screen size, which is larger than some similarly priced notebooks.In fact, the average cost of a product with this large a screen size is $1,400.Also, this notebook has 1440 x 900 native screen resolution, which is considerably higher than some similarly priced notebooks.By way of comparison, the typical cost of a product with this high a native screen resolution is $1,685.

Weaker Features: Has a 7.3-pound weight, which is heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the Wyse X90e, at around $795, has only a 4-pound weight.Also, this notebook only has a turion 64 X2 mobile technology processor.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is less efficient than the average notebook on the market today.

Suitability: Suited for those who just need a basic notebook.Comes with a DVD burner, allowing you to convert home movies from your digital video camcorder onto DVDs.Includes advanced word processing software -- capable of producing all the complex documents you may need to publish.You can use the bundled video software to compile and edit movies uploaded from a digital camcorder.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Web from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.

Value: In view of its very inexpensive price, this notebook has great features for the money.Generally, not targeted at the gaming crowd, this computer will likely fulfill more modest laptop needs.

Suggestions: (1) Given this device's Wi-Fi capability, you may want to get a wireless access point for your home, so that you can browse the Internet more conveniently from any room.(2) For help in deciding if this is the right computer for you, see CNET's buying guide for notebooks.