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Review Toshiba Satellite P855-107 Notebook

The Toshiba Satellite series of notebooks has been a bestseller for years. HP Probook 4530s battery This is not surprising as the devices are marked as "everyday notebooks" with "everything one might expect from a notebook" yet at "an especially low price", according to the manufacturer. This claim suggests that the notebook series is a not only a jack-of-all-trades, but rather a master-of-all-trades at a super bargain price. While this marketing lingo may seem a bit over the top, we can hardly reproach Toshiba for using such flowery language as many other manufacturers do as well. HP Probook 4730s Battery The purpose of this review is to separate mere marketing slogans from actual facts.

A large variety of devices is available under the Satellite branding. Our test device is the Satellite P855-107 and is one of the higher-end, better equipped models. This configuration was originally priced at 1449 Euro (~ $1760) but has already been reduced to a price of 1299 Euro (~ $1570). By comparison, the lowest Satellite model costs approximately 449 Euro (~ $549). HP Pavilion dm3 battery This price difference is due to the fact that the Satellite P855-107 offers an excellent configuration centered around the latest Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7-3610QM quad-core processor. This CPU has a base 2.3 GHz clock and a Turbo Boosted maximum speed of up to 3.3 GHz. This should provide the multimedia notebook with more than sufficient processing power. The CPU is paired with a 15.6-inch Full HD 1920x1080 display that supports Nvidia 3D Vision technology, allowing the user to view 3D content without active shutter glasses. HP Pavilion dm4 battery

This combination makes the Satellite P855-107 sound impressive. In this review, we determine if the notebook can fulfill Toshiba's rather enthusiastic claims.

Case

While many multimedia laptops that offer a good performance-to-price ratio are delivered in cases with unsatisfactory workmanship and designs, this is not the case for the Toshiba Satellite P855-107. HP G72 battery On the contrary, the full-body aluminum case is excellent, with even gaps and a high-end feel. The surface's slightly wavy texture also gives the device a rather professional touch and it does not attract dust or fingerprints as some other devices might. Even the color benefits from the texture as the surface appears titanium despite being labeled as "silver" by the manufacturer.

Compaq Presario CQ42 battery The case has a 3.35-centimeter (1.32-inch) maximum height at the rear of the unit and a little less than 3 centimeters (1.18 inches) at the front. While the device's overall 3.0 kilogram (6.6 pound) weight makes the device fairly portable, the heavy 640-gram (1.41 pound) power supply is, by itself, heavier than some 10-inch tablets.

We also have to critique the very thin display lid which visibly dents under selective pressure from the top and is also prone to twisting when open. Both hinges could also be a bit bigger and stronger. While the screen remains firmly in position, it obviously teeters. HP Pavilion DV7 battery

Overall, the Toshiba P855-107 has good workmanship and the underside maintenance cover and battery give no reason for complaint.

Connectivity

In order to be an everyday, all-purpose notebook, a multimedia device must first and foremost have complete connectivity. HP Pavilion g6 battery If it is further designed to be a desktop replacement, all the important interfaces should preferably be positioned ergonomically and allow access without creating a tangled mess. Before we discuss the ergonomics and practicality of interface layout, we first consider overall connectivity.

The four USB 3.0 ports leave no room for complaint as they should suffice in virtually all scenarios, especially considering the USB 3.0 standard is fast enough for regular data backups and connecting high-capacity external hard disks. HP Pavilion g7 battery The left and right side each house two ports, a distribution that allows for flexibility. However, the ports on the right side are located toward the case's front and a wired mouse connected to these ports could get in the way of other cables. USB flash drives at the front are also more likely to be damaged from user movement than when connected to ports found farther toward the rear. Monitors and projectors can be connected using the built-in VGA and HDMI for analog and digital transmission respectively. HP COMPAQ Mini 102 battery The latter also provides digital audio from sources such as Blu-Ray movies. The Gigabit LAN port and two 3.5 mm audio jacks are essential and obligatory for a laptop of this size. The Satellite P855-107 also features an SD and MMC card reader capable of supporting the latest SDHC and SDXC cards up to 64 GB in size. The rear is free of interfaces. Compaq Presario CQ20 battery

Communication

The Toshiba Satellite P855-107 offers a higher communication standard than many other notebooks. The device uses the Realtek Gigabit Ethernet controller for wired networking and the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 for IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. HP ProBook 6440b battery The latter provides support for the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) profile for low power connectivity and high-speed data transfer based on Wi-Fi. This leaves little to be desired except perhaps support for the less-common 802.11a 5-GHz frequency band. Based on the class of this device, we did not expect a built-in 3G / UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) module so the lack of one is not a disappointment. HP EliteBook 2560p battery

Accessories

The Toshiba Satellite P855-207 comes in an extremely compact retail box that provides barely enough room for the notebook itself and the huge included power supply. Consequently, it is no surprise that the package includes no accessories. There is, however, a comprehensive list of purchasable accessories available on Toshiba's website. HP Pavilion dv6 battery These include USB docking stations, port replicators, laptop cases, and power supply units. The optional 14-inch USB-powered external display is an unusual accessory as it receives both video signal and power from the single USB connection. We consider this to be a clever option for a mobile presentation monitor.

In terms of freeware, Toshiba is very generous. HP EliteBook 8560p battery Unfortunately, freeware is not something we typically approve of as it is freely available for everyone to download as they see fit, hence the name "freeware". The included Skype is an example of this and is freely available from the Skype website. As well, the included McAfee Internet Security and Microsoft Office 2010 Starter are programs no one truly needs as the former is time-limited and the latter has limited functionality. On the other hand, the included Nero burning suite is useful for backing up data or creating disc media. HP EliteBook 8460p battery

Maintenance

The Satellite P855-207 has a maintenance cover on the underside that is held in place by merely one Phillips-head screw. The user should take care when removing the fragile plastic cover as it tends to snag in a few places. Removal of the cover grants easy access to both the system's working memory and the hard disk. Both of these are easy to upgrade or replace.HP Envy 17 battery On the other hand, the fan is inaccessible and Toshiba did not design the notebook for further accessibility of the core components.

Warranty

Toshiba provides a 24-month warranty for the Satellite P855-107. On the website, "compatible services" are also offered. The "One-year, no-matter-what-happens" warranty is available to private users at a cost of 59 Euro (~ $73). As well a "Four-year, international warranty for notebooks" costs 109 Euro (~ $135), a fair price in our opinion. The Data Recovery Service starts at 12 Euro (~ $15) and is also potentially interesting. LENOVO G570 battery More information about these and other options can be found on the Toshiba product website.

Performance

The Toshiba Satellite comes in two configurations. The entry-level P855-30H is available for 799 Euro (~ $980) and features the Intel Core i5-2450M dual-core processor with a 2.5 GHz base clock, 3.1 GHz Turbo Boost clock, and 8 GB of working memory. Our P855-107 test device is more powerful and better equipped, traits that are reflected in the higher 1299 Euro (~ $1599) price. Lenovo ThinkPad T420 battery Not only does our test configuration have a higher resolution display, the core components are significantly better. For example, the P855-107 uses a high-performance Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3 GHz quad-core processor. As long as the processor is capable of handling excess heat, the built-in Turbo Boost 2.0 technology allows the CPU to overclock itself to a maximum single-core speed of 3.3 GHz. With all four cores operating under Turbo Boost, each core can reach a maximum of 3.1 GHz. Lenovo ThinkPad T410s battery The processor also has a 6 MB Level 3 cache. The processor's 45-Watt TDP (thermal design power) could hardly be called energy-efficient but is fitting for a multimedia notebook such as the P855-107.
Processor

While the Satellite P855-107's installed quad-core CPU is part of the highest Core i7 series, it is slowest amongst quad-core processors. While it cannot be called uncompromisingly high computing power, it should supply more than enough processing power for most scenarios that an "everyday notebook" might encounter. Lenovo Thinkpad T420S battery

We conducted a battery of tests to determine if the Toshiba Satellite P855-107 is capable of fully exploiting the Intel Core i7-3610QM's full potential. In both Cinebench R10 and Cinebench R11.5 benchmark suites, we found that the notebook is capable of taking full advantage of the processor. In both cases, we were able to assess the pure processor performance in both single- and multi-core operation. LENOVO ThinkPad X220 battery The first thing we noticed is that Turbo Boost works flawlessly. The core(s) reached maximum clock speeds in the test and maintained it during the entire benchmark process. Moreover, the same score was achieved when operating on battery power.

The Toshiba Satellite P855-107 achieved 4438 points in the Cinebench R10 32-bit single-core test and 17354 points when using all four cores in the multi-core test. Lenovo ThinkPad W520 battery This scaling factor of 3.91 reflects the slightly higher single-core Turbo Boost speed. By comparison, our test device's scores fall between devices using the same CPU and laptops using the fastest processor from the previous Sandy Bridge family, the Intel Core i7-2920XM. In the Cinebench R11.5 64-bit test series, the test device achieved a score of 1.36 for single-core operation and 6.2 points in the multi-core test. This 4.6 scaling factor is even better than in the previous test.
System Performance LENOVO ThinkPad Edge E420s battery

We typically use both PCMark 7 and PCMark Vantage to benchmark the system and find potential bottlenecks by assessing the system's overall performance. While it is impossible to fully identify performance-limiting factors due to the sheer number of factors that influence performance, these benchmarks remain a valid method of comparing overall performance to comparable devices. LENOVO ThinkPad Edge E220s battery

In PCMark Vantage, our test system scored 8408 points, a score within the expected range but ultimately worse than other notebooks based on the Intel Core i7-3610QM. Based on the configuration specifications, the conventional 5400 RPM hard drive is the bottleneck. By comparison, the 7200 RPM hard drive in the Asus A95VM-YZ030V (K95V) allowed that system to score 9829 points. The 14757 points scored by the Acer Aspire V3-771G shows exactly how much of an improvement solid state drives provide to overall system performance. LENOVO ThinkPad Edge E425 battery

The above score shows that overall performance in the notebook is adequate. The processor could provide better scores but is limited by the slow hard disk and the Satellite P855-107 obviously has room for improvement in this category. Nonetheless, the notebook is very fast in routine use. Dealing with larger files, however, sometimes requires a bit more patience than in other devices. Lenovo IdeaPad Z560 battery

aming Performance

While the Satellite P855-107 is not designed for games, the CPU and GPU configuration left us hopeful that performance gaming might be an option. To determine if this is the case, we played four current games and used our standardized benchmark sequence for assessing gaming performance. LENOVO IdeaPad Z370 battery

We began our test series by using the F1 2011 in-game benchmark. At low settings and an 800x600 resolution, the game was playable at 60 fps but nonetheless considerably below the anticipated result. Other devices with the same graphics card manage up to 80 fps. This trend was continued in higher resolutions and details but F1 2011 was ultimately smooth and playable even at high settings. Lenovo ThinkPad W520 battery We also did not observe any irregularities in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In this game, we were able to achieve the expected results and the game was fully playable on both low and medium settings. In high details, the game came close to the limits of playability and minor jerkiness was observed. Similarly, we attained expected frame rates in Anno 2070 and Risen 2. While Anno 2070 was fairly smooth even in high settings, medium settings were the limit for decent gameplay in Risen 2. Lenovo ThinkPad L420 battery

As we cannot explain why the performance in F1 2011 fell short of expectation, we did not add this result to our game database as they would skew overall results.

The Nvidia GeForce GT 640M's performance in other games can be found in our extensive gaming benchmark chart.
Emissions Lenovo ThinkPad T520 battery

System Noise

We found the Toshiba Satellite P855-107 to be mostly unobtrusive in terms of system noise, at least as long as it is not placed under full load. While idle, we measured an audible but hardly-disturbing average noise level of 31.6 dB. At times, the noise level reached a maximum of 33.6 dB but the notebook only maintained this level for a very short time. Lenovo ThinkPad T520i batteryWhen copying larger amounts of data, the hard disk's noise became dominant and the overall observed noise level rose to 33.7 dB. The much-noisier optical drive raised the noise level to 39.5 dB during DVD playback and we felt this level could potentially interfere with movie enjoyment, especially in quiet surroundings.

Under load, the system fan's noise level climbed to a noticeable 39.1 dB as the fan reached half-speed. DELL XPS L501x Battery During full load, such as during demanding 3D games, the fan noise increased to 42 dB. Fortunately, the P855-107 benefits from a pleasant, rather consistent fan noise.

Temperature

In the realm of high-performance notebooks, designers are always challenged to find the proper balance between quiet operation and powerful, high-performance components which generate a significant amount of heat. Dell Inspiron 15R battery If the components are scaled back, the notebook fails to meet its potential. On the other hand, if faster or more fans are added to the notebook, the overall system noise may end up making the device unpleasant to use. As a result, notebook manufacturers are often forced to focus on high-performance or quiet operation, but not both.

To test the Satellite P855-107, we measured the system's temperatures in various scenarios. In the first scenario, while the notebook was idle, we found that the P855-107's cooling system had no problems and was able to keep temperatures under control. DELL XPS 15 battery We measured a maximum temperature of 33oC (91oF) on the right side of the base unit. The keyboard and wrist rest remained cool and pleasant to use. The underside reached a maximum of 34oC (93oF), making the notebook safe for lap-top use.

During our Furmark and Prime95 simultaneous stress test, the notebook became considerably hotter. It should be noted that this test is an unrealistic scenario but perfect for pushing a notebook's cooling system to its limit. DELL Alienware M14x battery For the Satellite P855-107, the stress test overwhelmed the notebook's cooling system and its core temperatures reached a maximum of 104oC (219oF) after only a few minutes, causing the CPU to throttle below the base clock in order to reduce heat generation. We also measured a maximum temperature of 55pC (131oF) on the base unit. We observed a 1200 MHz CPU clock in this scenario. While this is in itself significant, this throttling is compounded by its effect on 3D performance as well. Dell XPS 15z battery We ran 3DMark06 again after our stress test and recorded a 3.5 percent lower score. This could conceivably be explained by measurement tolerances. However, the 25 percent reduction in CPU performance clearly demonstrates throttling. This is quite concerning but a repeat of the F1 2011 benchmark performed immediately after the stress test did not reveal any performance loss. Nonetheless, our conclusion is that improvement in heat management is needed. DELL Alienware M17x R3 battery

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The combination of large screen, powerful CPU, and dedicated graphics that cannot be deactivated via Optimus cause us concern regarding the power consumption of this multimedia notebook. Nonetheless, the results while idle were acceptable. Using the Eco Mode, the recommended energy-saving options set by Toshiba, we measured a power consumption range of 12.4 Watts and 17.9 Watts. DELL Latitude E6420 battery In routine use, we measured a power consumption of 16 Watts, a moderate consumption level.

The situation is completely different under load, particularly when the graphics card is fully loaded. The Satellite P855-107 consumed 66 Watts from the battery in the medium load range and just below 90 Watts when both the CPU and GPU were fully loaded. These consumption levels are no problem for the included 120-Watt power adapter. DELL Latitude E6320 battery The Fujitsu Lifebook E781 is more energy-efficient but obviously lacks a dedicated graphics card. In light of this, we consider the power consumption of the Toshiba notebook to be absolutely acceptable.

Battery Runtime

During our power consumption test, we noted that the Toshiba Satellite P855-107 uses a 48-Wh lithium-ion battery. DELL Latitude E5520 battery Our initial concern during consumption measurement was that the rather small battery combined with the hefty consumption would result in a shorter runtime.

In our battery runtime assessment, our fears were confirmed. Even under the most ideal conditions, Toshiba advertised the notebook as having a maximum runtime of five and a half hours as measured by Mobile Mark 2007. We used the Battery Eater Pro test suite to determine the maximum and minimum runtimes. DELL Latitude E6520 battery In the Reader's test, using minimum brightness and with wireless communication modules disabled, we measured a poor runtime of 4 hours 27 minutes. In the power-hungry Classic test, used to measure minimum runtimes, the Satellite managed less than an hour. As neither of these tests are significant for everyday use, we used our own Wi-Fi surfing test during which we set the display brightness to 150 cd/m2 and enabled wireless modules. DELL Inspiron 17R battery Our test simulates browsing the Internet and the 15.6-inch Satellite lasted almost exactly three hours. This result rules out the use of the notebook for longer surfing sessions and movie nights while off AC power. While we managed two hours during DVD playback, the sample notebook was unable to play even a standard movie with its 90 minute runtime when playing Blu-Ray. These results are not exemplary for a multimedia device. Overall, battery life proved to be average at best. Dell Studio XPS 13 battery
Verdict
In summary, we found the Toshiba Satellite P855-107 to be mostly positive. We were satisfied with the 15.6-inch multimedia laptop's workmanship. The textured surface and choice of materials made a high-end impression. The display lid could have been a bit stiffer though.

Asus K53E-B1 battery The hardware is appropriate for the price range and intended role. A state-of-the-art quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a dedicated mid-range graphics card should prove sufficient for all practical applications. However, the Satellite P855-107 is not a purpose-built gaming machine. The performance was in line with the configuration and all-in-all quite high, but the slow hard disk limits the system's overall performance noticeably. A small SSD cache would have certainly been helpful in this regard.ASUS N53JF battery

The keyboard and touchpad made a conflicting impression. While it was possible to type quickly and the keys provided good feedback, we found the glossy surface and the very small keys, namely the arrow keys, space bar, and function keys, to be very annoying. Similarly, the occasionally jerky touchpad that refused to work during full load is a glaring flaw. ASUS N55S battery

The display also has its strengths and weaknesses. While its brightness is not outstanding, the black value and corresponding contrast are good, leading to a fairly decent image quality. The reflective glass surface makes outdoor use difficult and the merely moderate viewing angle stability is typical of TN displays, but not disturbing. ASUS U36S battery The greatest features of the display are the Full HD resolution and glasses-free 3D functionality. Although not perfect, 3D Vision was fun to use.

The Toshiba Satellite P855-107 usually demonstrated a pleasant operating noise. Unfortunately, the Blu-Ray drive did not follow suit and its noise was annoying audible. The thermal design is the largest point of criticism for the multimedia notebook. ASUS G53 battery During our stress test, we observed heavy throttling which may or may not be noticeable during routine use. Nonetheless, it does not shed a favorable light on the cooling system and indicates the potential for some degree of throttling during continuous, high load use during extreme gaming in high ambient temperatures.

Gamers will also likely have fun with the P855-107. While it is not at the highest-end of performance, most up-to-date games ran smoothly in medium to high settings.

Last but not least, the moderate battery life is a weakness as well. Acer Aspire 1830T TimelineX battery

Nonetheless, we can recommend the Toshiba Satellite P855-107. This 15.6-inch device is a good choice for users looking for a high-performance multimedia device that can serve as a home desktop replacement. Even most modern games run flawlessly. The device has small flaws, but then again all notebooks do. However, with a retail price of 1300 Euro (~ $1570), it is not exactly cheap either.