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Toshiba Satellite A105
The Toshiba Satellite A105 laptop is a media center machine without many of the frills you might not have much use for anyway. Dell and Lenovo have some similar units with more bells and whistles, but naturally they cost more than the A105. The Toshiba A105 has the typical black and gray color for the nondescript look, except for the colorful Windows display.
The operating system for the Toshiba Satellite A105 is Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, and the multimedia hardware presents a decent visual and audio experience.
Media controls are on the left side of the keyboard, featuring a dedicated key for their launch. An S-video out allows for connection to suitably equipped televisions. The A105 does not come with a remote control.
The Toshiba A105 is not the top of the line fastest laptop on the market, but it has a niche as a good entry level computer. Because of its low price, it is most affordable to the general public and has media features that will provide entertainment as well as dependable use.
Toshiba A105 Specifications
The Toshiba A105 measures 1-1/2 inches thick, 10-1/2 inches deep, and just over 14 inches wide. It weighs a slight six pounds. With the AC adapter added in, the weight tops at 7.1 pounds.
Other features of the A105 laptop include:
15.4 inch wide screen display with native 1280 x 800 resolution
- Exceptional 720p HD display
- Displays 17 columns by 36 rows of spreadsheet without scrolling
- Displays word processing document at 150 percent without scrolling
- 10/100 Ethernet port, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, 56Kbps modem
- FireWire port, 2 - PC card slots, 4 - USB 2.0 ports
- 5-in-1 memory card reader
- Out jacks for VGA, S-video, headphone, and microphone
- 120 GB hard drive, 1.6GHz Intel Core Duo processor
- 533 MHz RAM, Integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics
- Microsoft Works 8.5, Microsoft OneNote 2003, Sonic RecordNow, InterVideo WinDVD Creator 2 Platinum, InterVideo WinDVD 5
What Users Say - Cons of the Toshiba Satellite A105
The low resolution of the screen is a limiting factor. Usually a media center machine has a knockout picture, but the A105 has a wide screen that is no better in definition than 12 inch screens on other smaller models. The keyboard is smaller than similarly sized laptops and the Windows key is in a different place than other machines causing some operator problems.
The speakers are adequate for one person, but the limited volume makes it difficult to hear output in a noisy room.
What Users Say - Pros of the Toshiba Satellite A105
The Toshiba Satellite A105 matches well with laptops with higher processing speeds due to Toshiba's power management capabilities. Battery life is close to 4 hours, which isn't the best rated but far from the worst. Overall the A105's performance is good enough for most people interested in web surfing, typing documents, and burning/playing DVDs.
One of the best features of this notebook is the Toshiba name. It comes with the standard 1-year parts and labor warranty, and has 24/7 phone support offered toll-free.