Cameras
Camcorders
Cell Phones
Components
Desktops
HDTV
Home Theater
GPS
Laptops
Monitors
MP3 Players
Networking &
Printers
Storage
Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V Notebook (1.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile U7700, 2GB DDR2, 128GB SSD, DVDRW, Windows Vista Business, 12.1"LCD)
Print
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
More…- Spec Navigator
- Processor
- Memory
- Display
- Storage
- Battery
- Dimensions
- Other Features
- Networking
- Multimedia
- Software
- Interface Connections
- Included Devices
- Warranty
Processor
| Processor class | Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile |
| Processor speed | 1330 MHz |
| Cache size | 2048 KB |
| Bus speed | 533 MHz |
| System chipset | Intel 945GMS Express |
Display
| Display size | 12.1 inches |
| Maximum resolution | 1280 x 800 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 |
| Display type | Active Matrix LCD (TFT) |
Storage
| Solid-state drive capacity | 128 GB |
| Number of hard drives included | 1 |
| Included drives | DVD+-RW |
| Slots |
|
| Drive controllers | Serial ATA |
Networking
| Included network card |
|
Multimedia
| Video chipset | Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 |
| Maximum shared video memory | 224 MB |
| Video bus | PCI Express x16 |
| Video integration | Integrated |
Multitask and Not Bog Down
The more memory a PC has, the faster your programs run and the more windows you can work in simultaneously. Equipped with memory between 1GB and 3GB, this laptop should be able to handle just about any task you can throw at it without bogging down too much. For instance, if you're a multitasker and you'd like to burn a music CD in one window while watching your favorite DVD movie (for the umpteenth time) in another--while flipping between your inbox and your browser to work on your blog during the movie's boring parts--this laptop can manage it all without a hiccup.
Good for Doing Work on the Run
The small screen and light weight of this laptop put it in the ultraportable category. Ultraportables lack many of the features of larger laptops; they also have fewer ports and connections and sport smaller keyboards. Though the screen might be bright, its compact size will frustrate people who need a lot of space to work on big documents such as spreadsheets or desktop publishing files. Also, the smaller a laptop, the slower it tends to be; fast processors usually generate more heat than an ultraportable's thin case can dissipate. But many ultraportables offer outstanding battery life, and you can't beat the convenience of a PC small enough to stow in a backpack. If all you need is a way to surf, whip out e-mail, and do mainstream work on the run, an ultraportable may be perfect for you.
Supports DVD Burning
This laptop is equipped with a DVD burner, a slightly older type of optical drive. If you don't need the ultrahigh recording capacity of a new Blu-ray optical drive, and you don't care about watching high-definition movies on your laptop, a DVD burner should suit you fine. It can read and burn data, music, or video discs up to 8.5GB in capacity. A DVD burner is, of course, backward-compatible with CDs, but it cannot play the newer Blu-ray media because the two types of optical-disc technology use different lasers. In a couple of years, Blu-ray will completely replace the DVD disc format.
Supports SD Cards
Like most new laptops, this one has either a multiformat card reader or a dedicated slot that accepts an SD (Secure Digital) Card. More popular than Memory Stick, CompactFlash, and xD-Picture Card, SD is found in a large number of digital cameras, PDAs, printers, and other devices. SD Cards have built-in security functions to protect data, including music copyright protection. (The cards have a small write-protection switch on the side similar to that of a floppy disk.) The latest SD card, the microSDHC, is the tiniest flash memory card to date, measuring only 11mm across. It's also the fastest and roomiest, capable of holding up to 16GB of data.
Supports MultiMediaCards
Any laptop that can work with SD Cards can also take MultiMediaCards in its multiformat card reader. These small, thin cards look like their SD counterparts (and are often lumped into the same category), but the technology inside is different, as these cards lack SD's encryption and have only half the storage capacity. They're also slower. If security and speed are not critical issues for you, MultiMediaCard can be a cheaper alternative to the more popular SD; many devices that accept SD will also take the slightly thinner MultiMediaCard. Regardless, this laptop gives you the choice of using either format.
Connect Peripherals With Bluetooth Technology
This short-range wireless technology is everywhere. Whether you activate it on a laptop by way of an external on/off switch or through software, the small internal Bluetooth card automatically detects other Bluetooth-equipped devices within 30 feet and sends and receives radio signals over an ad-hoc "piconet," or personal wireless network. Bluetooth is an especially convenient way to add external peripherals or partner the laptop with other devices, such as a cell phone, printer, or digital camera. Bluetooth works only over short distances to connect devices around your home or office, sending small chunks of data at a leisurely 1 megabit per second.
Windows Vista Installed
Microsoft's Windows Vista introduces more graphical and functional changes--big and small--than the OS has undergone in quite some time. Among the graphical changes, the splashiest is the glasslike transparency of overlapping windows. Flip 3D, which lets you view open windows in a cascading 3D stack on the desktop, is eye-catching too. And the Windows Sidebar displays small applets on the desktop designed for specialized purposes, such as weather reports or sports scores. On the practical side, the new systemwide integrated Instant Search lets you look for a needed file from practically anywhere and at any time. Keep in mind, however, that because Vista offers so much, it requires a speedy CPU, ample RAM, and a good graphics card. Check out the other components of this laptop to be sure that Vista can run smoothly on it.
Be Wary of Battery Life Specs
Take the battery life you see advertised for any laptop with a grain of salt. Why? A few vendors still use unrealistic testing parameters in order to report the longest battery life possible. For example, a "tested" laptop simply might be turned on, with the screen brightness lowered to the darkest level, and allowed to run down without anyone touching it. When the laptop undergoes typical, everyday use--say, with the screen brightness turned up to a readable level and with the user working in several applications or playing a CD or DVD movie--its battery life could be much shorter than a vendor's claims.
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
Sorry, the product you requested isn't currently available from any of our sellers.
Laptops similar to the Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V Notebook (1.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile U7700, 2GB DDR2, 128GB SSD, DVDRW, Windows Vista Business, 12.1"LCD)
We recommend these Laptops for their similarities to the Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V Notebook (1.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile U7700, 2GB DDR2, 128GB SSD, DVDRW, Windows Vista Business, 12.1"LCD) 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!
More on PCWorld.com
-
Apple Tablet and CrunchPad: Do Consumers Want These Things?
-
Macs Reclaim Top Reliability Rating
-
Acer Edges Dell in PC Sales
-
Apple Tablet will be Big Hit, Analyst Says
-
CrunchPad Demo Promised Next Week
-
Apple 'iPad' Tablet to Arrive in 2010 -- Analyst
-
The Carpal Tunnel Survival Guide
-
How to Buy a Laptop
-
Steampunk Tech Mods: A 19th-Century Take on 21st-Century PCs and Gadgets
- PCW Network Sites
- PCW Business Center
- Macworld
- MacUser
- Mac OS X Hints
- iPhone Central
- About PC World
- About Us
- Advertise
- FAQ
- Terms of Service Agreement
- Privacy Policy
- PC World Site Map
Lab Tested
