| Toshiba is set to tackle the mobile
workforce by launching a set of new business notebooks. They will feature the highly
anticipated Intel Core Duo and Core Solo processors, along with all the technology that
goes with the Intel 945GM chipset.
Each system is highly configurable and will continue to
have Toshiba's EasyGuard Suite, featuring a hard drive protection system (that parks the
head of the hard drive if dropped), a spill-proof keyboard, TPM (Trusted Platform Module),
magnesium alloy chassis (on the Tecra M5 and Portégé M400), and software diagnostic
tools.
Toshiba Tecra M5-S433
The Tecra M5-S433 is the luxury model of the Tecra line,
and it gets a powerful upgrade from the Tecra M3. The M5 will maintain the same design and
feel, including a magnesium alloy chassis, dual pointing devices, and the EasyGuard suite.
This system will showcase the Intel Core Duo T2400 (1.86 GHz) processor and 512MB of DDR2
RAM.
You have the option of sticking with Intel's newest
integrated graphics or upgrading to higher-end workstation graphics, such as the nVidia
Quadro NVS 110M. The dual-layer DVD±RW optical drive is modular, so you can swap it out
for an extra 80GB hard drive. You can also configure the two hard drives in a RAID 1 array
by simply activating RAID in the BIOS. The M5 continues to employ a fingerprint reader,
which is tied to the TPM hardware chip. Prices will start at $1,799 direct.
Toshiba Tecra A7-S712 and Tecra A6-S513
For small to medium-size businesses, the Tecra A6 and A7
lines affordable solutions to companies with tight budgets. The ABS plastic material
surrounding the A-Series isn't as sturdy as the magnesium alloy ones in the Tecra M5 and
Portégé M400, but it does bring certain consumer features to the table, like a
widescreen display with TruBrite technology. The Tecra A6-S513 will feature a 14.1-inch
screen and the A7-S712 will have a 15.4-inch screen.)
In terms of weight, the A7 is the heavier of the two at 6.0
pounds (compared with the A6's 5.3 pounds). The A6-S513 will only have integrated
graphics, whereas the A7-S712 has the choice of integrated graphics or discrete
graphics—beginning with the nVidia GeForce Go 7300 and going all the way up to the
nVidia Quadro NVS 110M. Both the A7 and A6 come standard with fingerprint readers and TPM
capabilities. The A7 starts at $1,399 direct, and the A6 comes in at a very reasonable
$1,149. Look for our full review of the A6 coming soon.
Toshiba Adds Optical Drive to the Portégé M400-S933
We got a brief glimpse of the Toshiba Portégé M400-S933
at CES in Las Vegas, and we were impressed. The M400 (an update of the Portégé
M205-S809) is perhaps the most significant upgrade of all Toshiba's business notebooks.
The M400 is a convertible tablet that adds an optical drive (missing in the previous
version) that, like that of the M5, is modular, so you swap in another hard drive and
configure them in RAID 1. Best of all, the M400 is still around 4.5 pounds, despite the
integrated optical drive.
The unit comes loaded with Windows XP Tablet Edition, a
12-inch swivel screen, and a full-size keyboard. Toshiba also adds a bidirectional-swipe
fingerprint reader and the Intel Core Solo T1300 (1.66 GHz), the low-voltage,
next-generation single-core processor. The Core Solo has a lower voltage than dual-core
processors, thus conserving precious battery life. Toshiba claims the M400 can last 5
hours on its 6-cell battery. The M400 starts at $TK direct. Look for our full review soon.
Copyright © 2006 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights
Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine. |
