Cameras
Camcorders
Cell Phones
Components
Desktops
HDTV
Home Theater
GPS
Laptops
Monitors
MP3 Players
Networking &
Printers
Storage
Toshiba SAT 1955-S803
Print
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
More…| PC WorldBench 4: Performance word scores reflect comparisons of PCs in the same category (power or value) running the same operating system. See Guide to the Top-Rated Products for more details. | Outstanding: 112 (Windows XP Home) |
| Base configuration | Good |
| CPU | 2.5-GHz Desktop Pentium 4 |
| Screen size | 16 inches |
| System memory | 512MB of DDR266 SDRAM |
| Hard drive | 60GB |
| Graphics | 64MB NVidia GeForce4 440 Go |
| Pointing device | Touchpad |
| Expandability | No multipurpose bays, two PC Card slots |
| Extra features | Good |
| Bundled removable-media drives | 8X DVD-ROM and 16X/10X/24X CD-RW combination drive |
| Communications | Built-in V.92 modem and network interface |
| Extra ports | Headphone jack, S-Video and FireWire ports |
| Business suite | None |
| Other features | Removable keyboard and wireless mouse |
| Overall design | Fair |
| Battery life (hours:minutes) | Fair/2:54 |
| Weight (typical/minimum, in pounds) | Very heavy: 11.2/9.5 |
| Vendor's reliability/service | Good/Fair |
| Support policy | One-year parts and labor warranty; free unlimited 24-hour daily toll-free support |
Bottom Line
Graphics professionals--and any other buyers--who need the raw power of a fast desktop replacement, the largest notebook screen available, and the convenience of the detachable keyboard will be willing to overlook the Satellite 1995-S803's hefty price and weight.
Toshiba Satellite 1955-S803
SAT 1955-S803 Review, by Carla Thornton February 25, 2003
WHAT'S HOT: The Satellite 1955-S803 boasts a big, beautiful 16-inch screen, a strikingly bright blue lid, and a detachable keyboard you can use wirelessly up to 4 feet away. The keyboard--a cool-looking, semitransparent unit with a good layout--is light enough to rest on your lap, or it can sit on a flat surface with its tilt feet popped out. You don't have to shut down the notebook or even use a hot-swapping utility to remove or reseat the keyboard. What's more, Toshiba throws in a wireless mouse.
The 1955-S803, equipped with a 2.5-GHz desktop Pentium 4 CPU, is a stronger performer than its predecessor (the 2.2-GHz 1955-S801 we reviewed a few months ago), especially in terms of battery life. The S803 lasted almost 3 hours on one charge, about 40 minutes longer than the S801. And the new model pulled down a PC WorldBench 4 score of 112, our highest mark yet for a notebook running Windows XP Home.
WHAT'S NOT: Big and heavy, the 1955-S803 alone weighs 9.5 pounds; including the power adapter and wireless mouse, the ensemble weighs over 11 pounds. The tips of the keyboard's side release levers are uncomfortably pointy.
WHAT ELSE: Its giant screen and detachable keyboard aside, the 1955-S803 is a fairly mainstream all-in-one notebook, with a fixed DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive on the right side and a fixed floppy drive on the left. All the standard notebook connections are present, including TV-out and FireWire ports. (The only ones missing are serial and PS/2 ports.)
The portable boasts dedicated audio controls, which sit in an attractive front panel that remains visible when you close the lid. There's no power switch for the optical drive, however, so listening to music without powering up the notebook is not an option. Audio from the Satellite's big stereo speakers, prominent units mounted in the back corners of the keyboard, could sound a lot better, too.
Although they sit behind a few more screws than usual, the notebook's memory slots and hard drive are easy to reach. A switch on the front flips the Wi-Fi (802.11b) scanning on and off. Toshiba provides no printed documentation except for a quick-start foldout that novices should find helpful if they aren't confused by some odd parts labeling (such as "primary control button" and "secondary control button" for the mouse buttons). An Acrobat-format user manual does a nice job of guiding more-experienced users.
UPSHOT: Graphics professionals--and any other buyers--who need the raw power of a fast desktop replacement, the largest notebook screen available, and the convenience of the detachable keyboard will be willing to overlook the Satellite 1955-S803's hefty price and weight.
Show Less 
0 Comments | 0 Topics | Print Only This Review
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
-
Reviewed by: marinaju
Strengths: ITs very fast.. I have several things on the screen at once and I have plenty of speed ... I love the removeable keyboard that is one of the reasons that I bought it..
Weaknesses: its just a little heavy to carry around..But I can manage it when I fly somewhere..
Overall: This computer I would recommend to anyone. I loved it since day that I received it. Never any problems with it. ALso the large screen is a good feature... Having the floppy disk in it was also important to me as all laptops does not come with it anymore. I think that if you got this computer you would be well pleased with it.
-
Reviewed by: shineyourshoes
Strengths: It turns on and it can play solitaire
Weaknesses: It can't do anything else.
Overall: I bought my toshiba laptop 2 months ago. In that time I have called tech support 5 times involving hardware failure; I have also taken it to a 'certified toshiba repair shop' twice for hardware failure. Basically, I have a $2000 hunk of plastic that wastes electricity. My advice is buy anything else, this is a worthless product.
-
Reviewed by: rhickox
Strengths: 2.5MHz P4 (not mobile Pentium), 512Mb RAM standard, 60Gb HD, 64Mb fast video graphics, large screen, wireless detachable keyboard, wireless mouse, wireless networking.
Weaknesses: Heavier to carry than some but is worth it considering the power, speed and overall usefullness.
Overall: This laptop can double for your desktop in the home or office. Just connect it up and let it 'fly'. I've owned several different brands of laptops since 1990 including Toshiba for use with CAD and other high end software while I'm on the road meeting clients. I've never been disappointed with a Toshiba and the 1955-S803 is no exception. The only reason I didn't buy Toshiba at times was price... What a mistake! I've learned there is more to choosing a laptop than price and Toshiba has always been a satisfying experience. Whenever I needed it, Toshiba's customer support has been better than the others also.
-
Reviewed by: jhardin1
Strengths: built-in WI-FI,16"screen,fast graphics,hard drive is upgradeable, detachable keyboard and wireless optical mouse.
Weaknesses: overall weight,just average sound from built-in speakers.
Overall: I've had no problems with this laptop. Plenty of power with its standard P4 (not mobile) processor. If you need fast graphics and lots of storage space this is a great laptop for you. I've used it to capture video from my camcorder, edit it, and burn the results to CD-R. I've watched DVD's on the road without any problem. I would recogmind this laptop to anyone that needs the power of a desktop on the go.
-
Reviewed by: bob5325
Strengths: Fast, Easy to use, Impressive Graphics
Weaknesses: None Found
Overall: After owning several Sony notebooks, with some skepticism, I decided to try out the Toshiba 1955-S803. This turned out to be a very wise decision. This is by far the best notebook I have had to date. It lives up to all its advertised capabilities, and support is fantastic. I would recommend this notebook to any and all power users
Sorry, the product you requested isn't currently available from any of our sellers.
Laptops similar to the Toshiba SAT 1955-S803
We recommend these Laptops for their similarities to the Toshiba SAT 1955-S803 in features, specs, ratings, and user interest.
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
- Before you buy
- How to Buy a Laptop
- How to Buy a Netbook
Start New Topic Don't see the answer to your question? Ask it here!
