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Toshiba Tecra X40-D (i7-7600U, FHD) Laptop Review

Carbon Copy. Toshiba's new Tecra X40-D is the Japanese manufacturer's latest entry in the thin-and-light business market and carries over several features from its smaller brother, the Portégé X30. Is the X40 able to differentiate itself enough, or is it more of the same in a larger package?

The business notebook market is a tough one in which to compete. Champions like Lenovo, Dell, and HP have long ruled the kingdom, and smaller companies seeking to usurp their thrones have failed. But that doesn't necessarily mean other manufacturers offer worse alternatives. Toshiba, for one, continues to impress with their business lines every year. We recently reviewed both the X30 and X20W from Toshiba's Portégé line. We were impressed with both devices and concluded that both were viable alternatives to their respective crowds (the X30 for road warriors and the X20W for those in search of a convertible). However, some users will find the screens of these devices don't offer enough screen real estate. That's where the Tecra X40-D comes in.

The Tecra X40 is Toshiba's latest 14-inch notebook. Designed for business users, the X40 shares a lot in common with its smaller brothers, particularly the Portégé X30. The device is a good blend of mobility and usability, owed in large part to its dual Thunderbolt 3-enabled USB Type-C ports. The higher bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 allows for a staggering variety of options for external displays, peripherals, storage drives, and more. Combine that with its small size, lightweight frame, and stellar build quality, and the Tecra X40 makes a compelling offering. Join us as we dive into the largest of Toshiba's recent releases.

For comparison, we have selected a sample of similar competing devices. These include the 2017 X1 Carbon, X270, and T470s ThinkPads from Lenovo; the Spectre 13 from HP; and Dell's XPS 13 (equipped with Iris graphics). We will also refer to the Portégé X30-D from our June review to see what changes the X40 may offer aside from the increased screen real estate.

Toshiba Tecra X40-D (Tecra X40 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7600U 2 x 2.8 - 3.9 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 620 - 1024 MB VRAM, Core: 900 MHz, Memory: 1066 MHz, Integrated, 21.20.16.4550
Memory
16 GB 
, 1200.5 MHz (DDR4-2400 / PC4-19200), 2x 8 GB
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, 10-point multitouch, Toshiba TOS508F, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, 256 GB 
, 256 GB, PCIe NVMe SSD, 226 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC892 @ Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Headset (combo headphone/microphone), Card Reader: MicroSD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17 x 332 x 229 ( = 0.67 x 13.07 x 9.02 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: harmon/kardon stereo, 2x 2W, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 36 (12 months for battery) Months Warranty
Weight
1.25 kg ( = 44.09 oz / 2.76 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1350 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The X40's magnesium alloy case is virtually identical to the Portégé X30, save for the increased size. That's a good thing; the X40 shares the same impressive durability as the smaller Portégé, despite its relatively thin-and-light design. The color is also the same, and it is just as striking. The underlying cobalt hue of the "Onyx Blue" color, coupled with the brushed finished and subtle sparkles, makes for a gorgeous device. The X40 stands out among other business notebooks without any garish adornments. It's a subtle, yet commanding, chassis.

The case is well designed. There is no flex anywhere across the keyboard deck or underside of the main body. Gaps are even and tight, and the chassis stands up to torsion with no unpleasant creaking. The device also bears a MIL-STD-810G durability rating. Unfortunately, the thin lid suffers the same weakness as the X30; the screen can be twisted with minimal effort. The hinge is well-tuned and can be opened with a single finger. 

The X40 is in line with other mobile business-centric ultrabooks; the case is thin (17 mm) and light (1.25 kg). It's not quite as thin as its 1 kg brother or the 1.1 kg ThinkPad X1 Carbon, but the difference is not noticeable in real-world use. The X40 has a satisfying and reassuring heft to it while still feeling nimble and light enough to carry around all day. The chassis is easy to carry but feels robust and durable. 

The overall size is almost identical to the Lenovo T470s. If users need a smaller notebook, the aforementioned X1 Carbon has a slightly smaller footprint. To most, this won't be noticeable, but it could be the difference in using the notebook during a flight. 

331 mm / 13 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.4 kg3 lbs332 mm / 13.1 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs323.5 mm / 12.7 inch 217.1 mm / 8.55 inch 15.95 mm / 0.628 inch 1.1 kg2.48 lbs325 mm / 12.8 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 1.1 kg2.45 lbs315 mm / 12.4 inch 226.1 mm / 8.9 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1 kg2.3 lbs305 mm / 12 inch 209 mm / 8.23 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.3 kg2.81 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The case isn't the only carryover from the X30. The port layout of the X40 is the exact same as the smaller device's. On the left, users will find a Kensington lock, a USB 3.1 Type-A (5 Gbps) port, and a combo headphone/microphone jack. On the right side lies a microSD card slot, two USB Type-C ports, and an HDMI 1.4 port. The dual USB Type-C ports support Thunderbolt 3, which allows for a broad array of peripherals. Port expansion can easily be made via a Thunderbolt 3 hub (Toshiba also sells one for their Portégé and Tecra lines). Charging and power are provided by either of these USB Type-C ports. The Smart Card reader will also be a welcome addition for some businesses as an added security measure.

Left: Kensington lock, USB 3.1 Type-A, combo headphone/microphone
Left: Kensington lock, USB 3.1 Type-A, combo headphone/microphone
Right: Smart Card reader, mircoSD card reader, 2x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 3), HDMI
Right: Smart Card reader, mircoSD card reader, 2x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 3), HDMI

SD Card Reader

The mircoSD card reader offers adequate speeds. Read speeds just south of 90 MB/s are good, but not spectacular. The reader will be more than fast enough for most users needs. Keep in mind that this reader only accepts smaller microSD cards, no full-sized SD cards like its competitors. A microSD card sits flush with the case when inserted.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
 
186.1 MB/s +147%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
 
75.3 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
 
73.7 MB/s -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
 
71.4 MB/s -5%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
 
63.2 MB/s -16%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
 
219.8 MB/s +152%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
 
91.2 MB/s +5%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
 
89.6 MB/s +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
 
87.5 MB/s 0%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
 
87.2 MB/s

Communication

Like the card reader, the Intel 8265 dual-band wireless card offers speeds that will be more than fast enough for most users. We measure a transmit rate of 528 MBit/s and a receive rate of 638 MBit/s. This places the X40 above average and in line with its competitors. 

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
674 MBit/s +28%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
663 MBit/s +26%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
589 MBit/s +12%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
528 MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
495 MBit/s -6%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
488 MBit/s -8%
iperf3 receive AX12
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
647 MBit/s +1%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
638 MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
634 MBit/s -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
634 MBit/s -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
517 MBit/s -19%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
485 MBit/s -24%

Security

As a business-oriented notebook, the X40 offers excellent security features. There is a fingerprint sensor and an Iris scanner that work with Windows Hello for fast and secure logins. The iris scanner is particularly excellent; logging in takes less than a second once the computer is woken from sleep. The fingerprint sensor is also accurate and reads fingerprints quickly, even at odd angles.

On the software side, the X40 is equipped with Intel's vPro and AMT technologies, as well as TPM v2.0, for added security. There is also a Smart Card Reader, which will be useful for some organizations and users.

Maintenance & Warranty

Maintenance is easy. After removing 12 screws (one of which is hidden underneath the rubber foot in the center), the bottom panel can be removed with minimal effort. Once inside the machine, users will have access to the RAM, battery, CPU fan, and wireless card. The SSD is not easily accessible.

Toshiba offers a standard 3-year limited warranty (1-year for the battery) with the X40. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard is a carbon copy of the one found on the X30, and it suffers the same problems as a result. The shorter travel distance and spongy feedback may be distracting to some. The keyboard also produces an audible clack during typing that can be heard over normal office noise. The half-size Shift key on the right side will also be annoying to some typists, especially those with longer fingers. The confusing layout of the special keys is a continued hindrance.

On the positive side, the white keyboard backlight is even and bright, but not bright enough to cause eyestrain in dark environments. The keys are also well-spaced. Overall, the keyboard is average; it's perfectly usable, and most will find it acceptable.

Touchpad & TrackPoint

Touchpad and TrackPoint are also the same as those found on the X30. This is excellent in the case of the touchpad. The smooth surface is responsive and easy to navigate, and the touchpad is accurate. The TrackPoint, unfortunately, carries the same weaknesses as the X30. It's serviceable but lacks the polish of other manufacturers' TrackPoints, most notably those on the ThinkPad line. The X40's TrackPoint also feels loose in its housing, which does not inspire confidence.

The dedicated right- and left-click buttons are a vast improvement over those found on the smaller X30. Clicking is responsive, and the buttons offer firm, well-defined feedback. 

Touchscreen 

The 10-point multitouch touchscreen is excellent. Input is accurate and quick. Input tracking has a small amount of lag with longer swipes, but the touch screen is highly responsive in everyday use. It should be noted that Toshiba is one of the few notebook manufacturers to offer a touch-enabled display with a matte finish. 

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The 14-inch 1920x1080 matte display is fairly good. Toshiba currently only offers this touch-enabled FHD option. While a 2560x1440 option might sound nice, the benefits of a higher resolution at this screen size would be marginal at best compared to the trade offs in battery life and graphical performance. 

One of the display's weaknesses is its mediocre average brightness, which sits at 261 cd/m2, well behind its competitors. While the screen gets bright enough for indoor use, sunlight is problematic, even under shade. Brightness distribution is also uneven. The edges of the display are noticeably dimmer than the center, which can be distracting. This is especially true when viewing full-screen movies. 

257.1
cd/m²
249.7
cd/m²
240.8
cd/m²
264.5
cd/m²
283.9
cd/m²
258.4
cd/m²
260
cd/m²
279.3
cd/m²
254.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Toshiba TOS508F tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 283.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 260.9 cd/m² Minimum: 15.94 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 283.9 cd/m²
Contrast: 1136:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.89% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.55% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.39
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Toshiba TOS508F, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Toshiba TOS508F, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
B140HAN03_1, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
LEN40A9 (R140NWF5 R1), IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
CMN1374, IPS UWVA, 13.30, 1920x1080
Display
59%
48%
-0%
53%
Display P3 Coverage
40.55
66.4
64%
61.6
52%
40.35
0%
64.6
59%
sRGB Coverage
61
93.5
53%
87.6
44%
60.3
-1%
88.8
46%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.89
66.6
59%
62.6
49%
41.72
0%
64.8
55%
Response Times
-4%
-20%
-38%
-22%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38 ?(19.6, 18.4)
36.8 ?(18.8, 18)
3%
48 ?(22, 26)
-26%
40.8 ?(22.8, 18)
-7%
46 ?(26, 20)
-21%
Response Time Black / White *
26.8 ?(16.4, 10.4)
29.6 ?(17.2, 12.4)
-10%
30.4 ?(18.8, 11.6)
-13%
28.8 ?(14.8, 14)
-7%
33 ?(21, 12)
-23%
PWM Frequency
20410 ?(99)
219.3 ?(99)
-99%
Screen
34%
33%
0%
22%
Brightness middle
283.9
332.6
17%
278
-2%
271.6
-4%
404
42%
Brightness
261
323
24%
271
4%
264
1%
382
46%
Brightness Distribution
85
86
1%
91
7%
88
4%
91
7%
Black Level *
0.25
0.28
-12%
0.16
36%
0.24
4%
0.35
-40%
Contrast
1136
1188
5%
1738
53%
1132
0%
1154
2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.4
2.6
59%
4.5
30%
6.1
5%
5.37
16%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.7
6.7
64%
8.4
55%
28.6
-53%
9.46
49%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.3
2.5
60%
3.2
49%
3.4
46%
6.44
-2%
Gamma
2.39 92%
2.12 104%
2.02 109%
2.12 104%
2.52 87%
CCT
6511 100%
6720 97%
7042 92%
6077 107%
6738 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
62
63%
57
50%
38
0%
58
53%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60
94
57%
87.5
46%
60
0%
89
48%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
30% / 34%
20% / 29%
-13% / -7%
18% / 22%

* ... smaller is better

PWM is present at brightness levels up to 99%, but at over 20,000 Hz, only the most sensitive users will notice it. Contrast levels are good, and blacks are deep and inky. The color temperature is also well tuned, and whites are neutral.

Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the display is color. Color reproduction is weak, covering only 60% of the sRGB color space and 38% of the AdobeRGB color space. Compared to the X30, color accuracy is also poor; deltas are relatively high both colors and grays. On its own merit, this isn't problematic. Colors are still more than accurate enough for office work and day-to-day tasks. Professionals that work with color will find fault with the screen, however. Calibration helps quite a bit and drops DeltaEs to 2.2 and 4.6 for grays and colors, respectively. 

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN ColorChecker (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps (Calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (Calibrated)
vs. sRGB: 60%
vs. sRGB: 60%
vs. AdobeRGB: 38%
vs. AdobeRGB: 38%

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 10.4 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. » 62 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 18.4 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. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 20410 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 20410 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 20410 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Owing to its IPS panel, viewing angles are good. The screen remains legible when viewed off angle, and there is no noticeable shift in color or brightness distribution.

Performance

Toshiba has equipped the Tecra X40 with some of the highest tiered ultrabook components available today. The Kaby Lake Core i7-7600U CPU from Intel puts up a powerful show. In addition, the Samsung PM961 PCIe NVMe SSD is blazing fast and goes a long way in making the system snappy and responsive. As such, the Tecra X40 is an excellent office notebook and is able to chew through any productivity tasks throw its way quickly and efficiently. Graphical processes present a challenge, mainly because of the integrated Intel HD Graphics 620. As such, gaming is a weak spot here, as it usually is with business-class notebooks.

CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: SPD
CPU-Z: SPD
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWiNFO64
HWiNFO64
 

Processor

As we stated earlier, the Intel Core i7-7600U is the fastest U-class processor currently on offer from Intel built on their Kaby Lake platform. The CPU features a base clock of 2.8 GHz with a boost up to 3.9 GHz. The two Hyperthreaded cores can power through heavy multi-core loads with aplomb and are quite competent considering the targeted use case of office work. 

Using Cinebench to test the CPU, however, we don't see much of a benefit over the lower-clocked i7 and i5 processors in other business notebooks, especially in multi-threaded tests. Some benchmarks place the X40 about 10-15% above i5-equipped notebooks, but others place it below. That said, users may notice improved performance over other devices equipped with a Core i5, but the improvements are meager. 

Long-term stability shouldn't be a concern. Running Cinebench R15 multiple times in a row show that the system can consistently push through demanding tasks without a hitch.

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinenbench R15
Cinenbench R15
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
153 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel Core i7-7500U
147 Points 0%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
147 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
143 Points -3%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
140 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
126 Points -14%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
126 Points -14%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
369 Points +7%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
345 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
341 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
336 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel Core i7-7500U
325 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
321 Points -7%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
314 Points -9%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
1.85 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
1.68 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
1.59 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
1.45 Points -22%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
1.35 Points -27%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
4.13 Points +8%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
3.84 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
3.82 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
3.53 Points -8%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
3.45 Points -10%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
15012 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
12177 Points -19%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
11223 Points -25%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
11181 Points -26%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
6130 Points
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
5613 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
4928 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel Core i7-7500U
534 s * -11%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel Core i7-7600U
526 s * -10%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel Core i7-7600U
479 s *
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
446.9 s * +7%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
15012
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9536
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.85 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.84 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
35.4 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
147 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
345 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
41.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.7 %
Help

System Performance

Overall system performance is, again, excellent. Apps open quickly, tasks are responsive, and the overall experience is very snappy. The combo of the i7-7600U and Samsung NVMe SSD are largely responsible here, as is the generous 16 GB of DDR4 RAM (which can be upgraded to 32 GB).

Using PCMark 8 to test performance, the X40 is in line with competitors. Other notebooks in this class are generally very responsive, especially those with NVMe drives. As such, there's nothing to really set the X40 apart here. This system performs well, but so do many other manufacturers'. 

PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 Extended
PCMark 10 Extended
PCMark 10 Express
PCMark 10 Express
PCMark 7
PCMark 7
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3987 Points +7%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
3902 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
3824 Points +2%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3789 Points +1%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3738 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3543 Points -5%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5053 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4999 Points +1%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4963 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4910 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
4890 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
4602 Points -7%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
5083 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4910 Points +3%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4784 Points
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4655 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
4600 Points -4%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4561 Points -5%
PCMark 7 Score
5979 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3738 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4784 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4963 points
PCMark 10 Score
2464 points
Help

Storage Devices

The 256 GB Samsung NVMe drive is incredibly fast. Read and write times are impressive at 2479 MB/s and 1117 MB/s, respectively. These speeds are significantly faster than the Portégé X30 and other competitors. Access times are also lightning fast and best all competitors save for the Lenovo ThinkPad T470s. Users should be pleased with the drive performance no matter their use case.

AS SSD
AS SSD
Crystaldiskmark 5.2.1
Crystaldiskmark 5.2.1
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
AS SSD
-678%
-46%
-43%
9%
14%
Copy Game MB/s
229
309.9
397.9
Copy Program MB/s
172.4
291
426
Copy ISO MB/s
623
797
720
Score Total
3576
2687
-25%
1398
-61%
1638
-54%
3875
8%
3617
1%
Score Write
675
162
-76%
337
-50%
442
-35%
803
19%
1115
65%
Score Read
1963
1723
-12%
726
-63%
802
-59%
2083
6%
1654
-16%
Access Time Write *
0.028
2.01
-7079%
0.034
-21%
0.033
-18%
0.025
11%
0.026
7%
Access Time Read *
0.061
0.05
18%
0.102
-67%
0.113
-85%
0.06
2%
0.042
31%
4K-64 Write
438.4
125.8
-71%
149.6
-66%
264
-40%
538
23%
862
97%
4K-64 Read
1663
1483
-11%
526
-68%
633
-62%
1765
6%
1465
-12%
4K Write
124.8
1.2
-99%
109.4
-12%
100
-20%
147.9
19%
134.4
8%
4K Read
51.6
42.8
-17%
34.34
-33%
38.8
-25%
48.84
-5%
56.4
9%
Seq Write
1117
352.7
-68%
775
-31%
777
-30%
1170
5%
1190
7%
Seq Read
2479
1972
-20%
1649
-33%
1294
-48%
2691
9%
1325
-47%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3421 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1226 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 633 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 547 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1763 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1226 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 195.1 MB/s

GPU Performance

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 GPU is a common feature on most office and home notebooks. While competent enough for day-to-day use, the GPU isn't powerful enough for even moderately demanding 3D applications. Our review unit scores 1088 in Fire Strike, which is near the top of its competitors. The Iris Plus Graphics 640 in the Dell XPS 13 offers about 25-30% better performance. When compared to dedicated GPUs, graphical performance is anemic; even entry level cards like the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX or GeForce MX150.

Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Firestrike
Firestrike
Firestrik Extreme
Firestrik Extreme
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-7200U
4575 Points +181%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2197 Points +35%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
2124 Points +30%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1629 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
1578 Points -3%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1562 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1555 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1501 Points -8%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1446 Points -11%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-7200U
4156 Points +179%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
1838 Points +24%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
1744 Points +17%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
1494 Points 0%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1488 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1478 Points -1%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1413 Points -5%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1225 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1213 Points -18%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-7200U
19333 Points +122%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
11232 Points +29%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
8725 Points 0%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
8708 Points
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
8492 Points -2%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
8104 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
7725 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
7350 Points -16%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
7068 Points -19%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-7200U
3576 Points +229%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
1540 Points +42%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
1369 Points +26%
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1088 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
1044 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1037 Points -5%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
948 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
858 Points -21%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
847 Points -22%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
51150 Points
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
47546 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-7200U
46856 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
37181 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
36544 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1789 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6655 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
980 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Echoing the weak graphical performance, gaming performance leaves a lot to be desired. AAA titles are out of reach for the X40, and older or less demanding titles will need to be turned down to lower resolutions and settings. Lighter Indie games like Stardew Valley and Minecraft run well enough. Road warriors hoping to pass the time with a game or two between meetings will want to find something with at least a low-powered dedicated GPU like the aforementioned NVIDIA GeForce MX150.

BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
17 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
8.5 fps -50%
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
6.8 fps -60%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
8.2 fps -52%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
10.7 fps -37%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
30.2 fps +78%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
13.2 fps -22%
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
7.8 fps -54%
Ashes of the Singularity - 1920x1080 high (sort by value)
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
6 fps
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
16.3 fps +172%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2 fps
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-51RL
GeForce MX150, i5-7200U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
17.2 fps +760%
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 27 17
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 5 2
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 7 6

Stress Test

Using synthetic tools like Prime95 and FurMark, we see how to system performs under full stress. The Tecra X40 is fairly conservative when under full load. While running Prime95, the Core i7-7600U boost up to its maximum clock speed of 3.9 GHz, but cannot hold at that level, settling in at about 3.0 GHz. Temperatures spike to 85º C before ramping back down to about 75º C. There's plenty of thermal headroom here, so it is interesting that the X40 plays it rather safe.

FurMark proves to be a challenge for the system. The CPU is throttled back to a mere 1.5 GHz to allow the GPU to hit 900 MHz while keeping temperatures in check. Heat is well managed and averages just under 70º C. Running FurMark and Prime95 together see the CPU average at 2.2 GHz and the GPU at 650 MHz. Neither component hits its full potential during this test, but this is likely to keep heat exhaust down. Temperatures spike to 81º C before falling back to the mid-60s. Again, there is plenty of thermal headroom here, but given the lower powered ultrabook chip, this performance is not unexpected.Intel Core i7-7600U Laptop Processor

Prime95
Prime95
FurMark
FurMark
Prim95 + FurMark
Prim95 + FurMark
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.0 - 75
FurMark Stress 1.5 900 69
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 2.2 650 65

Emissions

System Noise

Fan Noise profile
Fan Noise profile

The Tecra X40 is fairly quiet. The fan cannot be heard during simple tasks and only ramps up to 40 dB(A) under the most extreme of tasks. Under load (running 3DMark 06), system noise averages at about 33 dB(A). Thankfully, the fan emits a low-pitched whir that can barely be heard above normal ambient noise (such as in an office). Toshiba has done a good job with the engineering behind the fan; both the Tecra X40 and the Portègè X30 are quieter than the competition. The fan will not be a distraction with this machine. There is no coil whine present as well.

Noise Level

Idle
28 / 28 / 28.2 dB(A)
Load
33.2 / 39.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28 dB(A)
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Noise
0%
-4%
-8%
-1%
-3%
-9%
off / environment *
28
28.4
-1%
29.6
-6%
27.8
1%
29.9
-7%
30.4
-9%
Idle Minimum *
28
28.4
-1%
29.6
-6%
30
-7%
27.8
1%
29.9
-7%
30.4
-9%
Idle Average *
28
28.4
-1%
29.6
-6%
30
-7%
27.8
1%
29.9
-7%
30.4
-9%
Idle Maximum *
28.2
28.4
-1%
32.2
-14%
33.2
-18%
27.8
1%
30.3
-7%
30.4
-8%
Load Average *
33.2
33.2
-0%
34.2
-3%
37.2
-12%
34.8
-5%
33.9
-2%
40
-20%
Load Maximum *
39.9
37.9
5%
36.1
10%
37.9
5%
42
-5%
34.9
13%
40
-0%
Witcher 3 ultra *
42

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Heat management is another high point for the X40. Even under the unrealistic synthetic stress of our test suite, the device only reaches 43º C at the exhaust vents in the center of the back of the chassis. The keyboard and touchpad remain cool to the touch and never become uncomfortable to use. Users will be able to hold the notebook in their lap comfortably no matter their workload.

Heat map, keyboard
Heat map, keyboard
Heat map, underside
Heat map, underside
Max. Load
 32.6 °C
91 F
43 °C
109 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 29.2 °C
85 F
31.2 °C
88 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
 26.4 °C
80 F
27.6 °C
82 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 43 °C = 109 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
32.6 °C
91 F
42 °C
108 F
33.6 °C
92 F
29.2 °C
85 F
33.8 °C
93 F
29.2 °C
85 F
27.6 °C
82 F
28.4 °C
83 F
27.8 °C
82 F
Maximum: 42 °C = 108 F
Average: 31.6 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.8 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43 °C / 109 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 42 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26 °C / 79 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 27.6 °C / 81.7 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 (+0.1 °C / 0.2 F).

Speakers

Speaker profile
Speaker profile

The speakers are typical for a thin-and-light laptop with minimal bass and pronounced highs. The overall sound is thin and tinny and not very pleasant. The speakers are fine for video calls and casual media consumption, but audiophiles and music lovers won't find a lot to like. The speakers get reasonably loud at 77 dB and remain clear at their maximum volume. Thanks to the tight construction of the device, there's no rattling or unwarranted noise due to the speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.2382538.439.73137.837.44035.539.75034.438.36334.937.1803337.610032.239.112530.841.11603044.320030.146.525028.650.231527.553.140027.254.750027.155.563026.356.980025.660.1100025.358.8125024.761.3160024.766.3200024.265.6250024.166.9315023.965.4400023.768.1500023.967.3630023.967.1800023.868.21000023.762.61250023.760.91600024.162.4SPL36.977.3N2.939.1median 24.7median 60.9Delta2.17.837.637.837.636.936.936.937.235.737.235.438.235.434.532.434.534.433.834.432.532.332.531.731.131.732.430.132.435.529.535.542.42842.450.228.750.25827.85858275856.526.656.552.925.552.963.125.663.163.624.963.657.224.457.255.924.455.951.324.251.353.924.253.952.524.152.55823.9586323.86365.823.865.858.323.958.361.823.961.858.823.958.85023.8507236.87229.82.829.8median 56.5median 24.4median 56.55.31.25.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseToshiba Tecra X40-DLenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Toshiba Tecra X40-D audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 58% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 71% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 22% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 72% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Thanks to its low-powered ultrabook components, the X40 doesn't draw much power at all. Under load, the machine pulls about 25 Watts from the wall on average. At its most demanding, the X40 only pulls about 30 Watts. The included 45 Watt power adapter can easily provide all the power the notebook could want and then some. The device can be charged through either of the USB Type-C ports.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.45 / 0.69 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.2 / 6.9 / 7 Watt
Load midlight 24.6 / 30.1 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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.
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad X270 20HN0012PB
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK, , 1920x1080, 12.50
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
i5-7300U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS UWVA, 1920x1080, 13.30
Power Consumption
-1%
-16%
-6%
-19%
-9%
Idle Minimum *
5.2
4.6
12%
3.8
27%
3.8
27%
4.8
8%
3.6
31%
Idle Average *
6.9
7.6
-10%
7.1
-3%
7.3
-6%
6.6
4%
6.4
7%
Idle Maximum *
7
8.2
-17%
8.3
-19%
10
-43%
7
-0%
9.2
-31%
Load Average *
24.6
23.8
3%
34.2
-39%
28.1
-14%
39.2
-59%
34
-38%
Load Maximum *
30.1
28
7%
43.3
-44%
29
4%
44.8
-49%
34.4
-14%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The 48 Wh battery offers shorter run times compared to the competition, which is a bit surprising. Using our Wifi v1.3 test (Balanced power setting, screen set to 150 nits, loading a new web page every 30-40 seconds), the X40 lasted just shy of 6 hours; compared to the 7+ hours of the Portègè X30 and the 9 hours of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2017), this is a bit disappointing. The X40 will almost get through a full workday, but users should carry the charger to top off when possible.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
14h 36min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 57min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 06min
Toshiba Tecra X40-D
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 57 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
i5-7300U, HD Graphics 620, 51 Wh
HP Spectre 13-v131ng
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 38 Wh
Battery Runtime
6%
14%
31%
-16%
Reader / Idle
876
898
3%
819
-7%
1062
21%
718
-18%
WiFi v1.3
357
430
20%
547
53%
487
36%
394
10%
Load
126
121
-4%
122
-3%
172
37%
77
-39%

Pros

+ gorgeous chassis
+ study build
+ very thin and lightweight
+ two Thunderbolt 3 ports
+ excellent system performance
+ speedy SSD

Cons

- lid is thin and flexes easily
- fingerprints readily show
- keyboard is noisy and subpar
- speakers are thin
- display is mediocre compared to rivals

Verdict

In review: Toshiba Tecra X40-D. Review model courtesy of Toshiba.
In review: Toshiba Tecra X40-D. Review model courtesy of Toshiba.

The Toshiba Tecra X40 is essentially the Portègè X30 with a 14-inch display. As such, it shares many of the same strengths and weaknesses of its smaller brother. The beautiful chassis is well engineered and very sturdy while remaining fairly light for a 14-inch notebook. The biometric sensors are quick, reliable, and easy to use. The NVMe SSD is insanely fast and goes a long way in making the system as a whole feel very responsive and snappy. Coupled with the higher-binned Core i7-7600U, the Tecra X40 is a fast office machine in a svelte, stunning body.

However, the lid flexes too much for comfort and the keyboard isn't our favorite. The noisy keys are distracting, and the space bar developed a nasty habit of squeaking when pressed during our testing period. The display also isn't as vibrant or rich as other business notebooks but is more than acceptable for everyday use.

The Toshiba Tecra X40 is a competent mid-size business notebook. It doesn't quite reach the level of the excellent Lenovo X1 Carbon, but it comes close enough that the tradeoffs may be worth the lower cost. If users don't mind sacrificing a few ports and can deal with a lower-quality keyboard, the Tecra X40 is definitely worth a look. The fact that is also several hundred dollars less than the X1 Carbon only sweetens the deal.

Toshiba Tecra X40-D - 08/28/2017 v6(old)
Sam Medley

Chassis
91 / 98 → 93%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
67 / 80 → 84%
Weight
72 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
88%
Display
84%
Games Performance
63 / 68 → 92%
Application Performance
90 / 92 → 97%
Temperature
92%
Noise
96%
Audio
50%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
78%
87%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Toshiba Tecra X40-D (i7-7600U, FHD) Laptop Review
Sam Medley, 2017-08-31 (Update: 2019-04- 5)