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MagyarToshiba Satellite Pro R50-C (6006U, HD) Laptop Review
For the original German review, see here.
Toshiba's Satellite Pro R50-C is the predecessor of the Satellite Pro R50-B that we have tested. The 15.6-inch laptop is aimed primarily at professionals. It can be categorized below the classic business laptops - and in the case of Toshiba, below the Tecra A50-C lineup. It rivals are found in models, such as Acer's Extensa 2520, HP 250 G5, Lenovo's B50-50, and Lenovo's E51-80. Since the transitions merge seamlessly, even the entry-level models of various competitors can be added to them. We would, for example name Lenovo's ThinkPad E570, HP's ProBook 450 G4, Acer's TravelMate P259-M, and Dell's Latitude 15 3570.
Case and Connectivity
Toshiba uses black plastic exclusively for the casing of its Satellite Pro. The base unit's upper side and lid's back are textured to imitate brushed aluminum. The build is generally satisfactory, but slight burrs can be felt (lid back, base unit). The laptop does not present any major flaws in terms of stability. The laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. The battery is removable. In total, the Satellite strongly resembles its predecessor.
Toshiba is quite generous with USB ports. The laptop offers four Type-A ports (2x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0 Gen.1). Furthermore, two video outs are installed. The interface positioning could be improved. The left-sided USB port is on the same level as the wrist rest.
The memory card reader is sluggish. A maximum transfer rate of 26.6 MB/s is achieved when copying large data blocks. Transmitting 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) is performed at a speed of 22.7 MB/s. We test the memory card reader via a Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.
The Wi-Fi module carries a chip (3167) by Intel. In addition to the 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi standards, it also supports the fast ac standard. The transmission rates that we determined under ideal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices in the vicinity, short distance between laptop and server PC) were good.
Connectivity
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Lenovo E51-80 80QB0008GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E570-20H6S00000 | |
| HP 250 G5 SP X0N33EA | |
| Acer Extensa 2520-59CD | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
| Dell Latitude 15-3570 | |
| Lenovo B50-50 80S2000QGE | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E570-20H6S00000 | |
| Lenovo B50-50 80S2000QGE | |
| Acer Extensa 2520-59CD | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
| Dell Latitude 15-3570 | |
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E570-20H6S00000 | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E570-20H6S00000 | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
Input Devices
Toshiba equips the R50-C with an unlit chiclet keyboard. The flat, lightly roughened keys have a short drop and clear pressure point. The keyboard's right half yields slightly when typing on it. However, this is still within an acceptable range. Toshiba provides a relatively decent keyboard here, although it is not a top model. The multi-touchpad has a surface area of approximately 9.2 x 5.2 cm (~3.6 x 2.0 in). Thus, there is enough room for gesture control. The sleek surface facilitates gliding over it with the fingers. The pad still responds to inputs in its corners. Two dedicated mouse keys are below the pad. They have a short drop and clear pressure point.
Display
The matte, 15.6-inch screen in Toshiba's laptop has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Both the brightness (216.7 cd/m²) and contrast (390:1) are disappointing. Beyond that, the panel exhibits PWM flickering at brightness levels of 90 percent and lower at a frequency of 217 Hz. This can cause headaches and/or eye problems in sensitive users.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 226 cd/m²
Contrast: 390:1 (Black: 0.58 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.84 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
61% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.95% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60 | Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-B-112 TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60 | Acer Extensa 2520-59CD TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60 | Lenovo B50-50 80S2000QGE TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60 | Lenovo E51-80 80QB0008GE TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60 | HP 250 G5 SP X0N33EA TN, 1920x1080, 15.60 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -14% | 0% | -8% | -9% | -10% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 40.6 | 34.8 -14% | 40.71 0% | 37.24 -8% | 36.81 -9% | 36.51 -10% |
| sRGB Coverage | 61.2 | 52.4 -14% | 61.1 0% | 56 -8% | 55.4 -9% | 55 -10% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 41.95 | 35.95 -14% | 42.07 0% | 38.48 -8% | 38.03 -9% | 37.72 -10% |
| Response Times | 122% | 6% | 18% | 28% | ||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 68 ? | 52 ? 24% | 58 ? 15% | 47 ? 31% | 40 ? 41% | |
| Response Time Black / White * | 26 ? | 31 ? -19% | 27 ? -4% | 25 ? 4% | 22 ? 15% | |
| PWM Frequency | 217 ? | 1000 361% | ||||
| Screen | -35% | 1% | -6% | -4% | -3% | |
| Brightness middle | 226 | 199 -12% | 211 -7% | 204 -10% | 215 -5% | 219 -3% |
| Brightness | 217 | 182 -16% | 200 -8% | 198 -9% | 208 -4% | 222 2% |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 76 -16% | 83 -9% | 85 -7% | 90 -1% | 85 -7% |
| Black Level * | 0.58 | 1.47 -153% | 0.43 26% | 0.48 17% | 0.45 22% | 0.39 33% |
| Contrast | 390 | 135 -65% | 491 26% | 425 9% | 478 23% | 562 44% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 9.84 | 9.74 1% | 10.53 -7% | 11.62 -18% | 12.03 -22% | 12.67 -29% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 16.77 | 17.79 -6% | 19.97 -19% | 20.32 -21% | 20.99 -25% | |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 11.1 | 11.26 -1% | 11.85 -7% | 12.3 -11% | 13.06 -18% | 13.82 -25% |
| Gamma | 2.35 94% | 2.62 84% | 2.25 98% | 2.22 99% | 2.71 81% | 2.63 84% |
| CCT | 11979 54% | 12294 53% | 13758 47% | 13244 49% | 15959 41% | 15633 42% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 39 | 33 -15% | 39 0% | 36 -8% | 35 -10% | 35 -10% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 61 | 61 0% | 56 -8% | 56 -8% | 55 -10% | |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -25% /
-29% | 41% /
23% | -3% /
-5% | 2% /
-2% | 5% /
-0% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 217 Hz | ≤ 90 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 217 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 217 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The DeltaE 2000 shift is 9.84 in delivery state. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. The screen also displays a bluish tint.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 20 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 6 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 68 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 32 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 36 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 98 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Toshiba installs a viewing angle dependent TN panel into its Satellite. Thus, the screen is not legible from every position. The laptop can at most be used in the shade or under overcast skies outdoors.
Performance
With the Satellite Pro, Toshiba has a 15.6-inch office laptop in its lineup that is aimed at professional users. Windows 10 Pro is the preloaded operating system. The installed processor has enough computing power for office and Internet applications. Our review sample costs approximately 500 Euros (~$534). Other configurations did not exist at test time.
Processor
The Satellite Pro is furnished with a Core i3-6006U (Skylake) dual-core processor. The processor clocks at a speed of 2 GHz. It does not feature Turbo. However, the processor supports Hyperthreading (one core can process two threads). The CPU always performed our CPU tests at full speed.
We check whether the CPU can permanently clock at full speed by looping the Cinebench R15 benchmark's multithread test for approximately 30 minutes. The outcomes were all on the same level, and thus performance losses are not an issue.
The processor clocks at the same speeds as its predecessor - Core i3-5005U. Thus, an exact comparison of both CPU architectures is possible. The diverse improvements made to the Skylake architecture only result in a very marginal increase in performance per MHz. A look at our comparison chart reveals that it is less than 5 percent.
| Geekbench 4.0 | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
System Performance
The system runs smoothly. We did not encounter problems. The good PCMark benchmark scores confirm that the laptop has been designed for office and Internet applications. The laptop's total performance can be increased. Firstly, replacing the HDD with an SSD would let the system respond faster and booting times would be shorter. Secondly, installing a second memory module (= dual-channel mode enabled) could improve the graphics performance.
| PCMark 7 Score | 2453 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 2937 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3234 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 3707 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Device
The system drive is a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive by Toshiba. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 750 GB. The HDD's transfer rates are on a normal level for a 5400-RPM model.
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075 | Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-B-112 TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075 | Acer Extensa 2520-59CD Toshiba MQ01ABF050 | Lenovo B50-50 80S2000QGE Toshiba MQ02ABF050H (SSHD 500 + 8 GB) | Lenovo E51-80 80QB0008GE Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP | HP 250 G5 SP X0N33EA SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-256G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | 10% | 26% | 27% | 17274% | 9490% | |
| Read Seq | 96.5 | 102.5 6% | 104.7 8% | 102.5 6% | 520 439% | 509 427% |
| Write Seq | 77.9 | 102.7 32% | 95.7 23% | 90.7 16% | 302.2 288% | 322.1 313% |
| Read 512 | 20.82 | 28.27 36% | 33 59% | 32.58 56% | 466 2138% | 321.2 1443% |
| Write 512 | 19.83 | 31.01 56% | 38.3 93% | 35.65 80% | 299.7 1411% | 289.4 1359% |
| Read 4k | 0.342 | 0.331 -3% | 0.375 10% | 0.426 25% | 37.3 10806% | 20.99 6037% |
| Write 4k | 0.836 | 0.826 -1% | 0.782 -6% | 0.64 -23% | 120.4 14302% | 88 10426% |
| Read 4k QD32 | 0.595 | 0.288 -52% | 0.675 13% | 0.987 66% | 395.7 66404% | 141.3 23648% |
| Write 4k QD32 | 0.706 | 0.734 4% | 0.769 9% | 0.645 -9% | 300.1 42407% | 228.5 32265% |
Graphics Card
Intel's HD Graphics 520 graphics unit takes care of video output. It supports DirectX 12 and, according to Intel, it clocks at up to 900 MHz. The maximum speed of the model in the Satellite Pro is, however, 850 MHz. The 3DMark benchmark scores are on a normal level for the GPU installed here. The graphics performance could be increased by installing a second working memory module. The then enabled dual-channel mode would utilize the graphics core more effectively.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 1167 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E570-20H6S00000 | |
| Acer TravelMate P259-MG-71UU | |
| Lenovo E51-80 80QB0008GE | |
| HP ProBook 450 G4 Z2Y44ES | |
| Dell Latitude 15-3570 | |
| HP 250 G5 SP X0N33EA | |
| Acer Extensa 2520-59CD | |
| Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V | |
| Lenovo B50-50 80S2000QGE | |
Gaming Performance
Toshiba's laptop can render a few games smoothly. This applies to games that do not have high hardware requirements. However, the user will have to be satisfied with low resolutions and low quality settings even in these games. Performance-driven smash hits, such as "For Honor" never achieve sufficiently high frame rates. Installing a second working memory module (= dual-channel enabled) could result in higher frame rates.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 28.9 | 19.4 | 16 | |
| For Honor (2017) | 14.7 | 7.4 | ||
| Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) | 6.6 | 2.9 |
Emissions and Energy
System Noise
The fan in the Satellite Pro spins permanently in idle mode. However, it is barely audible because the hard drive's noise drowns it out. It is surprising that the fan is not disabled in idle mode though. A look at the casing and CPU temperatures shows that this would certainly be possible. The laptop's BIOS does not offer an option that could be blamed for the permanently active fan. The fan only increased its speed slightly in the stress test. In total, the laptop hardly produces noise over the entire load range.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 31.8 / 31.8 / 31.8 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 31.9 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 37.8 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 31.9 / 31.8 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 30.4 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
The Satellite Pro performed our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery mode. The processor (2 GHz) and graphics unit (850 MHz) always clocked at their full speeds. The laptop hardly heats up. 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) was only reached on one measuring point (in the area of the heat sink) during the stress test. The temperatures were considerably lower on all other points.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 30.8 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.9 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.7 °C / 83.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-1 °C / -1.8 F).
Speakers
The stereo speakers are situated above the keyboard behind a perforated cover. They produce a thin, mostly bass-free sound. Using headphones or external speakers is recommended for a better sound experience.
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (70 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.2% higher than median
(-) | mids are not linear (18.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (32.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 94% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 90% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be turned on/off!)
Power Consumption
The laptop does not consume much power over the entire load range. We measured a maximum idle consumption of 9.2 watts. The rate climbed to 23.8 watts during the stress test, which is the maximum. The CPU and GPU both clock at full speed. The power supply has a nominal output of 45 watts.
| Off / Standby | 0.12 / 0.35 Watt |
| Idle | 6 / 8.7 / 9.2 Watt |
| Load |
18.6 / 23.8 Watt |
   
| |
Battery Runtime
Our practical Wi-Fi test simulates the load needed for opening websites. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m², and the energy-savings functions are disabled. The Satellite Pro achieved a runtime of 5:56 hours on one charged battery.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Toshiba delivers a basic, 15.6-inch office laptop that is aimed primarily at professional users with its Satellite Pro R50-C. The installed Core i3 processor has enough computing power for using office and Internet applications. The laptop hardly heats up and always runs quietly. However, Toshiba does not exhaust the frugal processor's potential. The fan could normally stay inactive in idle mode, but it spins permanently without need.
Thanks to the 750 GB hard drive, storage will not get tight. The casing has to be opened if the HDD is to be replaced with a solid-state drive. The laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. The installed keyboard made a decent impression. Toshiba's laptop achieved a runtime of 5:56 hours in our Wi-Fi test - an acceptable outcome. Like the screens in many laptops, the model in the Satellite Pro is not convincing. Toshiba relies on a dark, low-contrast, viewing angle dependent model. Only its matte surfaces speak for the panel.
The Satellite Pro R50-C-16-V is a solid office laptop.
The laptop is priced at about 500 Euros (~$534) - a lot of money for a simple Core i3 laptop. The Windows 10 license boosts the price. Comparable models from other manufacturers, which also sport a Core i3-6006U processor and are powered by Windows 10 Home, are available for 400 to 450 Euros (~$427 to $480). Models without a Windows operating system are sold for less than 400 Euros. These models have savings potential. Users who really rely on Windows 10 Pro could buy a used Windows 7 Professional license and install it on their laptop. It can then be upgraded to the still free and available Windows 10 Pro.
Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-C-16V
-
03/29/2017 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck
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