Toshiba Kirabook 2014
Specifications
Price comparison
Average of 9 scores (from 12 reviews)
Reviews for the Toshiba Kirabook 2014
Expensive = good? Buyers prepared to invest around 1500 Euros (~$2054) in a premium ultrabook will now find another alternative to Apple & co. in the new Toshiba Kira-101. We will reveal why it is not class best despite a speedy Core i7 processor, magnesium casing, and WQHD screen.
Source: PC Mag
Archive.org versionWith a brilliant, bright WQHD screen and performance to match, the Toshiba Kirabook 13 i7s Touch earns our Editors' Choice nod for high-end ultrabooks. Though it's a little pricey, the new Kirabook, with premium components housed in an attractive package that weighs less than 3 pounds, is worth the extra cash. It smokes its rivals and looks good doing it. That's the formula for a top-notch high-end ultrabook if I ever saw one.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 06/27/2014
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Zdnet.com
Archive.org versionThe Toshiba Kira 101 is a thin, lightweight and stylish ultrabook that would not look out of place in a business meeting. The high-resolution 13.3-inch touchscreen is a highlight, alongside 8GB of RAM, a dual-core Core i7 processor and a 256GB SSD. Some business users may bemoan by the absence of VGA and Ethernet ports and the lack of an optical drive, but these are rare components on an ultrabook. The £1,082.50 (ex. VAT) price is high, though.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 06/16/2014
Rating: Total score: 75%
Source: It Pro
Archive.org versionThe Kira's price and availability - £1,299 and from Selfridges - makes this machine feel like a high-class affair, but the reality isn't quite so sweet. The high-quality screen is hampered by lack of software optimisation, the performance is mediocre and is accompanied by noise and heat, and the design just can't match the pure class of rivals. The keyboard, trackpad and battery life are all good, but are also all bettered elsewhere.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/11/2014
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: Expert Reviews
Archive.org versionThe Kira-101 is an extremely well-built Ultrabook which has one of the best displays we've ever seen on a laptop. However, it's very expensive for its capabilities, especially when compared to the Best Buy-winning Asus Zenbook UX302, which is similarly specified, cheaper and has longer battery life.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 06/07/2014
Rating: Total score: 60%
Source: Techradar
Archive.org versionThe Kira's longer battery life, compact stylings and attractive looks (with the lid open) are all plus points for Toshiba's second Ultrabook, but some of the flaws are real deal-breakers. The most glaring one is the display's lackluster backlight, which is an unfortunate one considering the highly reflective nature of the display and its average viewing angles.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 06/06/2014
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 60% performance: 80% features: 70% workmanship: 70%
Source: Gizmag
Archive.org versionThe Kira is an impressive piece of kit. It's fast and the screen is stunning. There are a few niggles that will hopefully be ironed out by the time the second generation of the Kira is released. There's still room for refining the design, for example, and there's definitely scope for improving the built-in speakers. Perhaps the area that most needs attention, though, is price. The Kira is listed for £1,299 (US$2,190) in the UK. The highest spec Dell XPS comes in at £150 ($253) less and is very comparable specs-wise, while you can pick up a 13-in MacBook Air with a comparable i7 processor from £1,129 ($1,900).
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 05/13/2014
Foreign Reviews
Source: Futurezone.at
DE→EN Archive.org versionSingle Review, online available, Medium, Date: 08/17/2014
Source: Plus X Award - Heft 8/2014
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 07/01/2014
Source: Stiftung Warentest - Heft 08/2014
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 07/01/2014
Rating: Total score: 88% display: 85% mobility: 93%
Source: Chip.de
DE→EN Archive.org versionSingle Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/25/2014
Rating: Total score: 90% price: 70% performance: 90% features: 100% display: 82% mobility: 92% ergonomy: 87%
Source: c't - Heft 11/2014
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 05/16/2014
Source: e-media - Heft 9/2014
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 04/16/2014
Rating: Total score: 80%
Comment
Model:
Toshiba Kirabook 2014 Edition is a slim, lightweight and premium ultrabook with impressive screen resolution and upgraded battery life. The ultrabook is elegantly built from pressed magnesium alloy. It features a strong stabilizing hinge to support the beautiful touchscreen. The display is a 13.3 inch 2560 X 1440 pixels PixelPure panel that will stun most users with its clarity and accuracy.
At the heart of the ultrabook is a 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7 – 4500U processor, 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1600 MHz and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400 GPU. This enables the ultrabook to perform most tasks asked of it with relevant ease. There is also a model with an Intel i5 configuration available as a lower end option. The storage on board is a 256 GB SSD drive and excludes an optical drive which is common with newer ultrabooks.
It also comes with a backlit frameless keyboard, ultra fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi chipset and the ability to charge USB devices even when the Kirabook is off. The operating system is Windows 8.1 Pro (64-bit) and this takes advantage of the Kirabook’s touchscreen capabilities. Considered to be a bit pricey for the specifications, the Toshiba Kirabook is just another option with no distinct features to separate it from the rest.
Intel HD Graphics 4400:
ULV integrated GPU (GT2) with 20 EUs found on certain Haswell CPU models.
Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.
4500U:
Haswell-based ULV dual-core processor clocked at 1.8 GHz with Turbo Boost support up to 3.0 GHz. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 4400 and a dual-channel DDR3 memory controller.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.13.30":
There are hardly any tablets in this display size range anymore. For subnotebooks, on the other hand, it is the standard format.
The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small and therefore easily portable. The smaller display also has the advantage of requiring less power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is more strenuous on the eyes. High resolutions are more likely to be found in standard laptops.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Toshiba: Toshiba Corporation is a Japanese conglomerate or technology group. The company was established in 1939 and in 1978 Toshiba became the official company name. The company's products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, elevators and escalators, electronic components, semiconductors, hard drives, printers, batteries, lighting, logistics and information technology. Toshiba was one of the largest manufacturers of personal computers, consumer electronics, home appliances and medical equipment.
76.33%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.
