Toshiba's Satellite A305 laptop computers are mainstream machines that are designed to handle light gaming and multimedia at an affordable price. We took a look at the S6834 iteration of the A305 line, which offers a fairly impressive set of components at a fairly low price point.

For starters, this A305 features a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 processor and a robust 3GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory. The processor and memory combo on this laptop computer make it well suited for multitasking and even graphics and video editing. Since this laptop features integrated Intel graphics that share video memory with the main system RAM, however, this laptop computer won't perform well as a gaming system. For that, you might want to look a little higher on the A305 ladder for a more expensive system with a discrete video memory option.

This computer's storage -- a 200GB 4,200rpm hard drive -- is more than adequate for most users; it does spin slower than most mainstream drives, however, so you may notice some slowdown while reading and writing to the hard drive.

The optical drive -- a SuperMulti DVD writer with built-in Labelflash technology -- is excellent. This drive can write to 11 different media formats and can imprint professional-looking images and labels on the surface of compatible media. The images are monochromatic and said media costs a little more, but it sure beats using stickers or markers to label your disks.

Connectivity includes a modem, a network interface, and 802.11b/g wireless. There is no support for wireless n or Bluetooth, but these are somewhat standard omissions on mainstream laptop computers.

These laptop computers actually provide good audio, as well. The built-in harman/kardon speakers deliver decent sound, and the volume control dial on the front of the notebook makes it easy to adjust the output level quickly.

You can hook quite a few peripherals up to the A305 notebooks. There are four USB ports, a FireWire port and an ExpressCard/54 slot available. There's also a 5-in-1 media card reader that lets the computer read flash memory cards for easy file transfers. One peripheral that you won't have to worry about connecting or carrying around is a webcam, as this laptop computer features a built-in webcam and microphone, so you can videoconference from the get-go.

The blue-tinged metallic coloration of the laptop computer gives it a unique appearance. Its 15.4-inch widescreen display delivers bright colors and sharp text thanks to its deep 1280X800 resolution. This laptop weighs in at just over six pounds, which puts it on the lighter side of mainstream models.

For their low prices, these laptop computers offer good core performance and multimedia handling. Gamers and hardcore users might want a notebook with a faster hard drive and a better graphics chip, but less intensive users will be well served by a Toshiba Satellite A305 laptop.


Pros: Good price, solid core power
Cons: Integrated graphics, relatively slow hard drive

Warranty
1 year, limited