Toshiba Satellite M505-S4940
Specifications

Price comparison
Average of 2 scores (from 2 reviews)
Reviews for the Toshiba Satellite M505-S4940
Source: PC World

Toshiba knows a thing or two about squeezing a lot into a little laptop. Has the company succeeded with this student-friendly, $650 (as of 8/11/09) machine? Well, though the M505-S4940 cuts a corner (an obstructed HDMI-out) or two (an integrated GPU, a low-rent CPU), it is a decent deal with some flashy looks--and uninspiring guts. In all seriousness, though, the Toshiba Satellite M505-S4940 isn't a horrible laptop--it's just an underpowered portable that could have been so much more. And considering the price, the good multimedia performance isn't enough to make this laptop a clear winner.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/13/2009
Rating: Total score: 74% performance: 61% features: 79%
Source: CNet

Positioned as a midrange affordable laptop in the budget area of our back-to-school retail roundup, the Toshiba Satellite M505-S4940 is a machine that simply looks a little better than it is. In terms of body design and many features, it's very similar to the almost identically-named Toshiba Satellite M505-S4945, which we also reviewed. At $649, the 14-inch S4940 falls into a range already mapped by products such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Y450 and the Gateway TC7804u. Equipped with great speakers and a good screen but an inferior processor and keyboard, the Toshiba M505-S4940 just isn't a good enough buy for the money
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/24/2009
Rating: Total score: 58% performance: 60% features: 50% mobility: 60%
Comment
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 4500M: The graphics core of the Intel GL40 and GS40 chipset features a slower clocked GMA 4500MHD (400 versus 533 MHz). Because of the slower core speed, full Blu-Ray Logo support is not given and the gaming performance is a bit worse.
Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Pentium Dual Core: The return of the name Pentium, though it is a Yonah core. In fact, it is a double Core processor with a very good relation of performance to current consumption.
T4200:
Entry class dual core CPU with 1 MB level 2 cache and no virtualization technology. Compared to the Core 2 Duo line, some power saving mechanism are deactivated.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
14.00":
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.
66%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.