Dell 15" Laptop DealsToshiba Satellite L355D-S7815
Manufacturer: Toshiba Part number: PSLE8U-00M00W
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CNET Editor rating:
2.5 stars Average
- Average user rating: 0.0 stars No reviews, write one!
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- Product brief
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Unless you need a 17.1-inch display, there are better entry-level laptops than the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815.
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CNET editors' review
Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815
price range: $699.99
Unless you need a 17.1-inch display, there are better entry-level laptops than the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815.
The good: Low price; attractive display; broad, comfortable keyboard.
The bad: Poor performance compared with lower-cost systems; lousy speakers; brief battery life.
The bottom line: Unless you need a 17.1-inch display, there are better entry-level laptops than the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815.
By virtue of its broad, 17.1-inch display, the $699 Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815 stands out among budget back-to-school laptops (most of which feature 15.4-inch displays). But that feature is the only way the Satellite L355D-S7815 distinguishes itself; the rest of its feature set is merely adequate, its battery life below average, and (thanks to the inclusion of an AMD processor) its performance was consistently at the bottom of our benchmarks. These would all be somewhat excused if the price were rock-bottom, but we tested both a Dell Inspiron 1525 and a Sony Vaio NR430 that outperformed the Toshiba for less money. In fact, the Vaio NR430 is our entry-level pick for students on a tight budget, and we recommend it over the Satellite L355D-S7815.
| Price | $699 |
| Processor | 2.0GHz AMD Athlon X2 QL-60 |
| Memory | 3GB of 667MHz |
| Hard drive | 160GB at 5,400rpm |
| Chipset | AMD M780V |
| Graphics | ATI Radeon 3100 (integrated) |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Home Premium |
| Dimensions (wide x deep x thick) | 15.7 x 11.5 x 1.7 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 17.1 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 7.1 / 8.0 pounds |
| Category | mainstream |
Bypassing Toshiba's newest pin-striped Satellite case design, the Satellite L355D-S7815's lid is a glossy blue-black (Toshiba calls it "onyx blue") and its interior is glossy black. The overall effect is subdued, but elegant, and the laptop looks far more expensive than its $699 price. Both the lid and the base feature rounded corners that help the laptop appear smaller than it is. Though its 7.1-pound weight places it well in the mainstream category, the Satellite L355D-S7815's broad 17.1-inch display gives it a larger footprint than other laptops in this category. You'll probably only carry it when you head home during breaks.
In exchange for taking up more space on your desk, the Satellite L355D-S7815 offers 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.
We like the keyboard on the Satellite L355D-S7815; 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. The touch pad is flush with the wrist rest, but not so sensitive that you'll accidentally misplace the cursor while typing. Otherwise, the Satellite L355D-S7815's keyboard deck is an exercise in minimalism: there are 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.)
| Toshiba Satellite L355-S7815 | Average for mainstream category | |
| Video | VGA-out | VGA-out, S-Video |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | Three USB 2.0, multiformat memory card reader | Four USB 2.0, mini-FireWire, multiformat memory card reader |
| Expansion | ExpressCard | PC Card |
| Networking | modem, Ethernet, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi | modem, Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth |
| Optical drive | DVD burner with Labelflash | DVD burner |
The Satellite L355D-S7815 offers a rather 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 only muddled sound; headphones are pretty much required for enjoying music or movies on this system.
A fixed configuration available only on retail shelves, the $699 Satellite L355D-S7815 incorporates a generous 3GB of RAM and a low-cost 2.0GHz AMD Athlon X2 QL-60 dual-core processor. Though that's one of AMD's latest processor models, it didn't have enough oomph to compete with laptops based on Intel's Core 2 Duo processor on CNET Labs' benchmarks. The Satellite L355D-S7815 came in dead last on every performance test we ran. We could forgive the lag if the Satellite were less expensive than the competition, but you'll pay less for Dell's entry-level Inspiron 1525-121B and the Sony Vaio NR430, which is our favorite in this budget category.
The Satellite L355D-S7815's pokey performance didn't even help preserve battery life; the laptop ran for just 1 hour and 44 minutes on our video playback drain test. That's a bit less than average for a midsize system, even for one with a 17-inch screen. Our video playback 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 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.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Find out more about how we test laptops.
System configurations:
Compaq CQ50-115NR
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 2.0GHz AMD Turion X2 Mobile RM-70; 3,072MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz; 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8200M G; 200GB Seagate 5,400rpm
Toshiba Satellite L305-S5875
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2390; 3,072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 200GB Fujitsu 5,400rpm
Dell Inspiron 1525-121B
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2390; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 160GB Western Digital 5,400rpm
Sony Vaio VGN-NR430 E/L
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2390; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 160GB Fujitsu 5,400rpm
Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 1.90GHz AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core QL-60; 3,072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB ATI Radeon 3100; 160GB Toshiba 5400rpm
Product brief
Intro: The Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815 is a 6.8-pound, mainstream notebook computer.Compared to other consumer level notebooks on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $700.Has Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) built-in.Features ATI Radeon 3100 graphics with 256MB of video memory.
Noteworthy Features: Has 3 GB RAM, which is considerably more than some similarly priced notebooks.In fact, the average cost of a product with this ample a RAM is $1,135.Also, this notebook has 1440 x 900 native screen resolution, which is considerably higher than some similarly priced notebooks.In fact, the average cost of a product with this high a native screen resolution is $1,630.
Weaker Features: Has a 6.8-pound weight, which is heavier than some similarly priced notebooks.For example, the Wyse X90, at around $735, has only a 4-pound weight.Also, this notebook only has a Athlon 64 X2 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 writer, allowing you to convert home movies from your digital Handycam onto DVDs.Comes with office-grade word processing software; it comes with plenty of features for most writers.With 256MB of dedicated video RAM, this machine will do quite well compared to most other notebooks, when it comes to multimedia applications and games.You can use the bundled video software to compile and edit movies uploaded from a digital video camcorder.If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet 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.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Toshiba
- Part number: PSLE8U-00M00W
General
- Built-in Devices Wireless LAN antenna, Stereo speakers
- Width 15.7 in
- Depth 11.5 in
- Height 1.7 in
- Weight 6.8 lbs
- Color Onyx blue
- Localization United States
- Notebook type Game-friendly laptop, Mid-size laptops (6-7.5 lbs.), Budget
- Screen type Wide-screen
- Wireless capabilities 802.11g, 802.11b
Processor
- Processor AMD Athlon 64 X2 QL-60 / 1.9 GHz
- Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
- 64-bit processor Yes
- Processor features HyperTransport technology
- Chipset type AMD M780G
Cache Memory
- Type L2 cache
- Cache size 1 MB
RAM
- Installed Size 3 GB / 4 GB (max)
- Technology DDR2 SDRAM - 800 MHz
- Memory specification compliance PC2-6400
- RAM configuration features 1 x 1 GB + 1 x 2 GB
Environmental Parameters
- Environmental & energy standards compliance RoHS
- Min Operating Temperature 41 ?F
- Max Operating Temperature 95 ?F
- Humidity Range Operating 20 - 80%
Storage Controller
- Storage controller type Serial ATA/IDE
- Storage Controller / Serial ATA Interface Serial ATA-150
Storage
- Floppy Drive None
- Hard Drive 160 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
- Storage Removable None
- Hard drive type Portable
Optical Storage
- Type DVD?RW (?R DL) / DVD-RAM - Integrated
- CD / DVD read speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- CD / DVD write speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD?R) / 6x (DVD?R DL)
- CD / DVD rewrite speed 16x (CD) / 6x (DVD-RW) / 8x (DVD+RW) / 5x (DVD-RAM)
- Disc Labeling Technology Labelflash Technology
Optical Storage (2nd)
- 2nd optical storage type None
Card Reader
- Card reader type 5 in 1 card reader
- Supported flash memory cards MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick, SD Memory Card, XD-Picture Card
Display
- Display Type 17 in TFT active matrix
- Max Resolution 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ )
- Widescreen Display Yes
- Features TruBrite
Video
- Graphics Processor / Vendor ATI Radeon 3100
- Video Memory 256 MB
- Max Allocated RAM Size 1406 MB
Audio
- Audio output type Sound card
- Audio Input Microphone
Multimedia Functionality
- TV Tuner Type None
Input Device(s)
- Input device type Keyboard, Touchpad
- Keyboard localization and layout US
- Features Toshiba EasyKeys
Telecom
- Modem Fax / modem
- Max transfer rate 53 Kbps
Networking
- Networking Network adapter
- Networking / Wireless LAN Supported Yes
- Data link protocol Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
- Networking standards Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) 2 ( 0 ) x Memory, 1 ( 1 ) x ExpressCard/54
- Interfaces 3 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Microphone - Input - Mini-phone 3.5 mm, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45, 1 x Headphones - Output - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 1 x Modem - Phone line - RJ-11
Miscellaneous
- Features 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN
- Compliant Standards RoHS
Power
- Power device form factor External
- Voltage Required AC 120/230 V
Battery
- Technology Lithium ion
- Installed Qty 1
- Battery capacity 4000 mAh
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
- Software Microsoft Office Professional 2007 (60 days trial), Toshiba Extended Tiles for Windows Mobility Center, Toshiba DVD Player, Memeo AutoSync, Norton 360 (Trial), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office Ready, Google Toolbar, Google Desktop, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5 for Toshiba, Toshiba ConfigFree, Skype, Google Picasa, Memeo AutoBackup, Sun Java 2 Runtime Environment, Toshiba Assist, Toshiba Value Added Package, LoJack for Laptops, Toshiba Disc Creator, Toshiba Speech System, Toshiba Game Console
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Greenpeace 'Guide to Greener Electronics'
- Greenpeace 'Guide to Greener Electronics' manufacturer rating (June 2008) 4.3
- Greenpeace 'Guide to Greener Electronics' manufacturer rating (Mar 2008) 7.7
Manufacturer info
- Toshiba
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Toshiba products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.toshiba.com
- Address:
9740 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, CA 92618 - Phone: 1-800-316-0920
