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Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101 Convertible Review

Maximum Flexibility. That's how Toshiba introduces a number of new convertibles on their German website. The series is supposed to merge the most important features of both notebooks and tablets into a single unit. If Toshiba succeeded we are going to determine during our review of the first model in the series, which retails for 400 Euro.

For the original German review, see here.

Just in time before the holiday season, Toshiba introduces the Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101 - a 11.6-inch convertible intended for multimedia and web-browsing duties. The review notebook is equipped with a frugal Intel Celeron N2840, 4 GB of RAM and a conventional 500 GB hard drive and sells for 400 Euro (~$500). Tablet functionality is provided by a 360-degree hinge design, while a glossy display with 1366 x 768 pixels is supposed to provide a clear view. To ensure usability even when away from outlets, Toshiba quotes a battery life of 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Toshiba's convertible is one of many designs that feature nearly equivalent hardware. For comparison purposes, we'll reference the HP Pavilion 11-n070eg as well as the Asus Transformer Book T200TA.

Case

As it is typical for this price range, the convertible features a chassis made entirely out of plastic. The display lid is glossy and attracts dirt and smudges. Two hinges - which move fairly easily - allow for the conversion of the Radius 11 to tablet mode. Our review notebook had some issues with display bounce, which is something HP was able to avoid with the larger and somewhat sturdier twist mechanism of the Pavilion 11 X360. The Asus Transformer Book doesn't have any issues at all, since the display detaches completely.

The build quality seems to be decent at first, but we did find some issues in the transition areas. The convertible feels good to the touch thanks to rounded corners. Although the Toshiba is 2 mm thicker than the Asus Transformer Book, visually it appears to be quite slim and compact. The weight of 1312 g also helps out in that regard.

Opening the display is not an easy task. The reason is pretty obvious: Toshiba did not include a tab or a cutout in that area to give the fingers something to hold on to. In tablet mode, the keyboard remains in its position. In order to prevent damage, the keyboard deck sits slightly lower than the perimeter of the base unit.

305 mm / 12 inch 200 mm / 7.87 inch 37.95 mm / 1.494 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs308 mm / 12.1 inch 219 mm / 8.62 inch 21.9 mm / 0.862 inch 1.5 kg3.3 lbs289 mm / 11.4 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 1.3 kg2.89 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The physical ports are located on the left and right edges behind the middle line. All ports are accessible without any problems, although the HDMI and the USB 3.0 port are a little too close together, which can lead to issues with larger flash drives or plugs. Unfortunately, only one of the two ports supports the faster USB 3.0 standard. The HP Pavilion 11-n070eg includes an additional USB 2.0 port.

Right side: volume, audio-combo jack, 1x USB 2.0, Kensington loc slot
Right side: volume, audio-combo jack, 1x USB 2.0, Kensington loc slot
Left side: power jack, power switch, HDMI out, 1x USB 3.0, SD card reader
Left side: power jack, power switch, HDMI out, 1x USB 3.0, SD card reader
Back
Back
Front
Front

Communication

A wireless module from Realtek (RTL8723AE) provides connectivity to the outside world and supports transfer rates of up to 150 Mbps. To establish the average real-world transfer rate, we use our download test with the router located one floor above the test notebook and compare the results to a MacBook Pro Retina (Late 2013) with a Broadcom 802.11ac (a b g n ac) module. Unfortunately we had to cut the test short since the average download rate topped out at 600 kb/s, while the MacBook was able to maintain 8 MB/s. Even when we moved the convertible to the same floor, the rate didn't change. Further tests show that the Satellite L10 is indeed hampered by very mediocre wireless transfer rates.

The Toshiba convertible is equipped with a 720p webcam for video conferencing purposes. The picture quality is decent as long as the brightness is adequate and the colors look natural as well. The integrated microphone is not equipped with noise suppression and voice recordings sound like phone conversation used to sound in years long past. For video conferencing calls we recommend to either keep the background noises to a minimum or to use an external microphone.

Accessories

Aside from a few pamphlets, the shipping box is empty. The Satellite product page does list a few accessories, although the prices - a power adapter costs 160 Euro (~$200) and a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter sells for 50 Euro (~$60) - are very steep. Also offered are laptop bags and a protective sleeve.

Maintenance

The base unit is held together by 10 screws. After removing them, we still weren't able to gain access, however. Assuming that the base unit can be opened at all, the only available options as far as expansion or maintenance are concerned are probably the hard drive and the CMOS battery, since the RAM is soldered on to the motherboard and thus can't be expanded.

Warranty

Toshiba offers a 12-month warranty against defects with pick-up service. In Germany, the warranty can be extended to a maximum of four years. Prices are not listed, so it is probably necessary to contact a service partner to determine the costs.

Toshiba Satellite Radius
Toshiba Satellite Radius
MacBook Pro Retina (Late 2013)
MacBook Pro Retina (Late 2013)
Reference photograph: Sony Alpha 290
Reference photograph: Sony Alpha 290

Input Devices

Keyboard

In order to provide all common keys, Toshiba had to reduce their sizes. In fact, the keyboard has many differently-sized keys; especially the arrow keys are noticeably smaller. The keys feature very short travel and different levels of feedback. Even the lettering doesn't look particularly appealing because of the black, sticker-like edges. Typing is not a very satisfying experience, although the subdued noise level is a plus.

Touchpad

Compared to the keyboard, the touchpad is sufficiently large with dimensions of 8.5 x 4.4 cm. The left and right buttons underneath yet again offer different levels of feedback and are quite stiff to boot. The surface allows the fingers to glide easily, while multi-touch gestures are translated immediately. A problem area are the corners, as inputs are not recognized that easily there.

Touchscreen

The capacitive touchscreen is very precise and without lag and can handle up to 10 fingers simultaneously.

The keyboard doesn't impress.
The keyboard doesn't impress.
The touchpad works well, however.
The touchpad works well, however.
The arrow keys are too small.
The arrow keys are too small.

Display

The glossy TN panel has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and provides a clear view of the screen content. Matte displays are better suited for mobile use, but none of the competitors utilize a matte panel, either. Although our review notebook reaches an average brightness of 204.6 cd/m² and is therefore slightly brighter than the HP Pavilion 11, it trails the Asus Transformer with an average brightness of 275 cd/m² by quite a margin.

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Display
Display P3 Coverage
45.76
sRGB Coverage
64.6
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
47.14
Screen
-9%
28%
Brightness middle
230
181
-21%
284
23%
Brightness
205
161
-21%
275
34%
Brightness Distribution
84
83
-1%
90
7%
Black Level *
0.36
0.37
-3%
0.4
-11%
Contrast
639
489
-23%
710
11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
10.22
10.11
1%
4.56
55%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.7
10.72
8%
2.99
74%
Gamma
2.37 93%
2.7 81%
2.58 85%
CCT
13107 50%
13522 48%
6749 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
42
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-9% / -9%
28% / 28%

* ... smaller is better

200
cd/m²
196
cd/m²
195
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
202
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
193
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N116BE-E42 CMN tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 230 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 204.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 230 cd/m²
Contrast: 639:1 (Black: 0.36 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.22 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.37

The weak points of the TN panel are both color accuracy and graylevels. The display exhibits a noticeable bluish cast with average DeltaE-deviations of above 10, which is far from great. The contrast ratio of 639:1 is still decent, however. The  Asus Transformer Book features a higher-end IPS panel and offers a better viewing experience.

CalMan SaturationSweeps
CalMan SaturationSweeps
CalMan ColorChecker
CalMan ColorChecker
CalMan Grayscale
CalMan Grayscale

Because of its reflective display with modest brightness values, the Toshiba Radius 11 is only usable outdoors with some reservations. Working in the shade is no problem, however. The competition doesn't come with matte displays either, but the Asus scores the highest because its display offers a better average brightness.

Outdoor use ...
Outdoor use ...
... is somewhat restricted ...
... is somewhat restricted ...
... because of the glossy display.
... because of the glossy display.

As typical for TN panels, both colors and brightness levels deteriorate quickly when the display is viewed from more shallow angles, which in turn adversely affects tablet mode. The Asus is much better suited for this task thanks to its IPS panel.

Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance

Manufacturers of convertible notebooks usually have to find a balance between a slim build, sufficient performance, and temperature control. Toshiba's approach does away with the fan, but makes use of a frugal Intel-Celeron CPU with Intel HD Graphics (BayTrail), 4 GB RAM and a 500 GB conventional hard drive. The Satellite L10 was designed for simple tablet tasks like web surfing and working with office programs. We should mention that the convertible is 64-bit based and not 32-bit, like the competing systems (the Transformer Book, for example).

System information Toshiba Satellite L10-B-101 Radius

Processor

The Intel Celeron N2840 has a clock speed of 2.16 GHz, although the Turbo can overclock the cores up to 2.58 GHz. With a TDP of 7.5 W, the processor consumes very little power. The Cinebench R11.5 benchmark attests the Toshiba a performance plus of 45 % for the multi-core portion when compared to the HP Pavilon 11 with the N2820 CPU. The Intel Atom Z3775 in the Transformer Book shows its strengths when running 32-bit applications, as this CPU features four cores and 2 MB level 2 cache. The Asus outperformed the review convertible by about 60 % when running the Cinebench R10 (32-bit) benchmark.

Even after several runs of the Cinebench  R15 benchmark, the Turbo consistently operated at its maximum. Unplugging the L10 makes no difference and full power is available at all times.

For additional benchmarks and a comparison of mobile processors, please take a look at our FAQ.

Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
1334 Points
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
900 Points -33%
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
1108 Points -17%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
2533 Points
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
1635 Points -35%
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
3997 Points +58%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
0.44 Points
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
0.29 Points -34%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
0.92 Points
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
0.51 Points -45%

Legend

 
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101 Intel Celeron N2840, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
 
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360 Intel Celeron N2820, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
 
Asus Transformer Book T200TA Intel Atom Z3775, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2476
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2533
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1334
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
2478 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
3560 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
1897 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.44 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
7.69 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
0.92 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
6.43 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
69 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
38 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

Subjectively, the review convertible worked well and handled tasks reasonably fast. As far as performance is concerned, we should point out that the hard drive is the bottleneck of the system. Many users will miss the presence of an SSD, which unfortunately is not even an option according to Toshiba's website. Even when compared to the 32-bit Asus, the Toshiba Satellite lags behind most of the time, although the system was was able to outperform the Transformer Book Asus Transformer Book T200TA Convertible Reviewduring the computation sub-tests. Interesting is the result of the PCMark 8 Home benchmark, as the convertible couldn't distance itself from the Asus despite the higher single-thread performance. The HP Pavilion 11 falls to the bottom of the charts with results that trail even the Toshiba convertible by a large margin.

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
PCMark 7
-24%
66%
Score
1723
1462
-15%
2747
59%
Lightweight
879
765
-13%
1549
76%
Productivity
484
395
-18%
1149
137%
Entertainment
1455
1172
-19%
1820
25%
Creativity
4011
2141
-47%
5111
27%
Computation
8087
3185
-61%
6999
-13%
System Storage
1489
1532
3%
3763
153%
PCMark 7 Score
1723 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1225 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
1075 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
1257 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
1225 Points
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1339 Points +9%

Storage Devices

CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark

The conventional hard drive from Hitachi has a capacity of 500 GB and rotates at 5400 RPM. Its performance is about average for the category. The HP Pavilion 11 outperforms the hard drive in the review convertible during normal read and write operations, but the results are reversed for the 4K tests. The eMMC flash storage drive of the Asus is in the lead here, although the normal read and write speeds are not quite as high as we expected them to be. The benchmark table below outlines the difference in performance between the flash and the hard drives.

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-3%
1514%
Read Seq
94.9
107.8
14%
92.8
-2%
Write Seq
92.4
95
3%
52.3
-43%
Read 512
30.16
30.81
2%
84.3
180%
Write 512
31.37
29.16
-7%
25.22
-20%
Read 4k
0.327
0.272
-17%
17.24
5172%
Write 4k
0.679
0.577
-15%
5.602
725%
Read 4k QD32
0.649
0.669
3%
35.13
5313%
Write 4k QD32
0.649
0.6
-8%
5.763
788%
Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Sequential Read: 94.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 92.4 MB/s
512K Read: 30.16 MB/s
512K Write: 31.37 MB/s
4K Read: 0.327 MB/s
4K Write: 0.679 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 0.649 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 0.649 MB/s

GPU Performance

The CPU features an integrated Intel HD Graphics (BayTrail) GPU. From a performance standpoint, this is a very low-end solution. The integrated GPU is designed to relieve the CPU via its video decoder and by taking over the transcoding tasks.

With a result of 242 parks for the 3DMark 11 benchmark test, the GPU performance is exactly where we would expect it to be. The Toshiba posted a better CloudGate-scroe than its competitor from HP, as the  Pavilion 11 scored 50 % lower.

Regardless if plugged in or running on battery - the results of the 3DMark 11 tests remain consistent, so GPU performance is never degraded.

3DMark - 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
1191 Points
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
575 Points -52%
3DMark 11 Performance
242 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
9423 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1191 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Gaming is certainly not the L10's forte. Only older games until about 2005 normally work without problems; modern games are a different story though.

Although the Satellite is capable of a frame rates that are twice as high as the ones of the HP Pavilion 11, BioShock Infinite doesn't run smoothly at all. The gap in performance between the two systems is much smaller for Tomb Raider, although it doesn't really matter anyway, since stutter-free performance is out of the question regardless.

Please check our FAQ to see which games might play fluently or to get an idea what GPU performance is needed.

Tomb Raider
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
7.3 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
4.6 fps -37%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
10.4 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
7.1 fps -32%
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
16.9 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
13.7 fps -19%
BioShock Infinite
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
5.9 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
4.92 fps -17%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
6.8 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
5.7 fps -16%
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
15.01 fps
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
8.35 fps -44%
low med. high ultra
Anno 2070 (2011) 22.8 9.3 5.5
Tomb Raider (2013) 16.9 10.4 7.3
BioShock Infinite (2013) 15.01 6.8 5.9

Emissions

System Noise

The Toshiba convertible lacks a cooling fan, so it remains almost inaudible regardless of the load the system is subjected to. Why only "almost" inaudible? The reason is the hard drive, which still emits a humming sound and clicks noisily at times.

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 31 / 31 dB(A)
HDD
31.4 dB(A)
Load
31 / 31 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Stress test with Prime95 and Furmark
Stress test with Prime95 and Furmark

One might suspect that the fan-less design negatively impacts surface temperatures. Our measurements show otherwise, as the maximum temperature leveled out at 42 degrees C. When performing office-type tasks, the Satellite stays even cooler. Even when subjected to higher load levels, the convertible can be used on the lap without any problems. The palm rests remain cool at all times as well. The power adapter doesn't get hot either with temperatures of 27.6 degrees C (idle) and  36 degrees C (load). The HP Pavilion 11 remains cooler still, since it is equipped with a fan to aid in cooling.

To simulate maximum load for both CPU and GPU, we use Prime95 and Furmark and monitor the temperatures during the test. After about one hour, the CPU frequency fluctuated between 500 and 1000 MHz, which means that throttling does occur. The temperature remained at fairly constant 72 degrees C. After the stress test, we repeated the 3DMark 11 benchmark test. The performance of the hot system mirrored our initial test, so the throttling is not permanent and normally not an issue.

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Heat
1%
-9%
Maximum Upper Side *
40.7
42.5
-4%
Maximum Bottom *
42.4
43
-1%
Idle Upper Side *
27.8
26.3
5%
33.2
-19%
Idle Bottom *
28.4
29.6
-4%
32.2
-13%

* ... smaller is better

 27.3 °C
81 F
27.8 °C
82 F
25.34 °C
78 F
 
 27.3 °C
81 F
26.8 °C
80 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
 25.9 °C
79 F
24.6 °C
76 F
23.4 °C
74 F
 
Maximum: 27.8 °C = 82 F
Average: 25.9 °C = 79 F
25.8 °C
78 F
28.4 °C
83 F
27.7 °C
82 F
23.7 °C
75 F
28.4 °C
83 F
26.8 °C
80 F
23.7 °C
75 F
24.3 °C
76 F
25.4 °C
78 F
Maximum: 28.4 °C = 83 F
Average: 26 °C = 79 F
Power Supply (max.)  27.6 °C = 82 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.4 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.7 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.4 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.9 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30.9 °C / 87.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-2.8 °C / -5 F).

Speakers

The speakers are certainly not a revelation as far as their sound is concerned. We should mention that it's probably wise not to expect too much from a 11-inch system, but the results are still not great even if we take the size into consideration. Although the maximum volume level is OK, the highs are pretty unpleasant. Of course, the speakers are good enough for system sounds and the occasional YouTube video, but that's about it.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Satellite is exemplary as far as the power requirements are concerned. During idle, the convertible consumed about 4.6-6.1 watts. HP's system - although similar from a hardware perspective - required up to 9.1 watts. The Asus Transformer Book is even more frugal, however. The relationship between the power requirements of the three systems don't change even during load. Our review convertible now consumes between 12.4 and 15.5 watts.

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Power Consumption
-23%
20%
Idle Minimum *
4.6
5.2
-13%
2.6
43%
Idle Average *
5.8
7.6
-31%
4.9
16%
Idle Maximum *
6.1
9.1
-49%
5.1
16%
Load Average *
12.4
14.4
-16%
12.5
-1%
Load Maximum *
15.5
16.1
-4%
11.7
25%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.6 / 5.8 / 6.1 Watt
Load midlight 12.4 / 15.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

The Satellite L10 comes equipped with a 2-cell, 26 Wh battery. The manufacturer claims a maximum run time of 5 hours and 30 minutes according to a test conducted with Mobile Mark 2012. We check the maximum battery life using the Battery Eater test. We turn the screen brightness down all the way and switch all wireless modules off. With the Windows power saver profile enabled, the convertible shut down after 6 hours and 45 minutes. To simulate a more realistic scenario, we conduct a wireless web-browsing test. For this test, the brightness is set to 130 cd/m² and a script simulates browsing different web sites. The convertible lasted for almost 4 hours. The HP shut down 15 min sooner, while the Asus Transformer Book did much better with a run time of 5 hours and 16 minutes. The Battery Eater Classic Test establishes the minimum battery life - in this case, about 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Since a convertible is a highly mobile device and not always shut down all the way but rather put into standby-mode, we also took a look at the power consumption for his scenario: the Satellite only requires 0.1 watts, which is very low indeed..

Battery Runtime - WiFi (sort by value)
Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
232 min
HP Pavilion 11-n070eg x360
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2820, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
217 min
Asus Transformer Book T200TA
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3775, 32 GB eMMC Flash
316 min
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
6h 45min
WiFi Surfing
3h 52min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 50min

Verdict

Toshiba Satellite Radius L10
Toshiba Satellite Radius L10

As far as the phrase "maximum flexibility" is concerned, Toshiba hits some key points, but fails to fully tap the potential of their new convertible. The glossy exterior is likely supposed to make the Satellite look more upscale, but in our opinion doesn't really do that. The build quality is decent enough, but the sensitive surface areas immediately show any handling attempts. The keyboard does its job, but longer typing sessions are a bit tedious because key travel is lacking and the keys are not all the same size. The touchpad is easy to use, however.

The 360-degree hinge the convertible is equipped with aids in the flexibility and the mobility of the design. The low maximum brightness and the glossy display do hamper the usability outdoors. The low viewing angle stability is particularly annoying when the convertible is in tablet mode. Our review model is equipped with a 64-bit processor. We were pretty happy with the overall performance, although the limits of the integrated GPU and the extremely frugal CPU need to be kept in mind. The L10 scores points as far as the low noise level is concerned, since the design doesn't use a fan. The expected battery life under normal use is about 4 hours. Unfortunately, Toshiba doesn't offer any options to extend the run time, so users who need better battery life might want to take a look at the Asus Transformer Book, which lasted about 1 hour and 24 minutes longer.

The 11-inch Toshiba Satellite L10 is a pretty usable convertible overall considering the price of 400 Euro (~$500). As noted above, Toshiba did employ some cost-saving measures which noticeably affect the quality of the display and the keyboard. Given the price point, we can understand those measures to a certain extent, but we would still recommend comparing the convertible to the competition - especially the Asus Transformer Book. Of course, the latter only supports 32-bit programs, although it does comes with an IPS display and superior viewing angles.

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In Review: Toshiba Satellite Radius L10-B-101. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger
In Review: Toshiba Satellite Radius L10-B-101. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger

Specifications

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101
Processor
Intel Celeron N2840 2 x 2.2 - 2.6 GHz, Bay Trail-M
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Core: 760 MHz, Memory: 667 MHz, igdumdim64 10.18.10.3910 / Win8.1 64
Memory
4 GB 
, onboard , DDR3L
Display
11.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, capacitive, Chi Mei N116BE-E42 CMN, TN, glossy: yes
Storage
Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 5400 RPM
Soundcard
Intel Valleyview SoC - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio-Combi, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, Sensors: brightness sensor, gyroscope
Networking
Realtek RTL8723AE Wireless LAN 802.11n (n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth Bluetooth® 4.0 + LE
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 22 x 289 x 199 ( = 0.87 x 11.38 x 7.83 in)
Battery
26 Wh Lithium-Ion, 2-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, TOSHIBA Eco Utility, TOSHIBA Function Key, TOSHIBA Media Player, TOSHIBA PC Health Monitor, TOSHIBA System Settings, Toshiba Display Utility , 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.312 kg ( = 46.28 oz / 2.89 pounds), Power Supply: 233 g ( = 8.22 oz / 0.51 pounds)
Price
400 Euro

 

The durability of the hinges is questionable.
The durability of the hinges is questionable.
The keys are not sized identically.
The keys are not sized identically.
The 360°-hinge design allows for a number of display positions.
The 360°-hinge design allows for a number of display positions.
The Toshiba logo on the display bezel.
The Toshiba logo on the display bezel.
The screen is hard to see even in indirect light.
The screen is hard to see even in indirect light.
The convertible's dimensions are very managable.
The convertible's dimensions are very managable.
Toshiba relies on two single hinges.
Toshiba relies on two single hinges.
The switch for the volume control is on the side.
The switch for the volume control is on the side.
The 720p webcam with 720p handles video conferencing well.
The 720p webcam with 720p handles video conferencing well.

Similar Notebooks

Similar devices from a different Manufacturer

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

HP x360 310 G1 Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Pentium N3540
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Notebook Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Celeron N2930
Asus Transformer Book T200TA Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3775

Devices with the same GPU

Acer One 10 S1002-17HU Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F, 10.10", 1.195 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 300-10IBY Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F, 10.10", 1.174 kg
HP Pavilion x2 10-n013dx Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3736F, 10.10", 1.16 kg

Links

  • Manufacturer's Information

Price Comparison

Pros

+Trackpad
+Noise and heat well controlled
+Storage
+Tablet functionality
 

Cons

-Keyboard
-Speakers
-Color accuracy and graylevels
-TN display with low viewing angle stability impacts tablet mode
-Warranty is only 12 months

Shortcut

What we liket

A solid convertible - for only 400 Euro (~$500). 

What we'd like to see

Better input devices and an optional SSD.

Was uns verblüfft

Tablet or notebook: the Toshiba can handle many different tasks.

The competition

The evergreen amongst the convertibles is the Transformer Book series from Asus. We'll add the HP Pavilion because of the similar hardware.

Rating

Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101 - 12/01/2014 v4(old)
Nino Ricchizzi

Chassis
66 / 98 → 67%
Keyboard
38%
Pointing Device
73%
Connectivity
53 / 80 → 66%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 84%
Battery
86%
Display
74%
Games Performance
40 / 68 → 59%
Application Performance
48 / 87 → 55%
Temperature
90%
Noise
96%
Audio
30 / 91 → 33%
Camera
61 / 85 → 72%
Average
64%
72%
Convertible - Weighted Average
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Archive of our own reviews > Toshiba Satellite Radius 11 L10-B-101 Convertible Review
Nino Ricchizzi, 2014-12-10 (Update: 2018-05-15)