Toshiba announced its full lineup of back-to-school notebooks, from the sub-$500 C800 Series to the Best Buy-exclusive P800 Series which features a backlit keyboard, Nvidia graphics, and Harmon Kardon speakers. But which one is right for you? Details of all four Series, plus a gallery, after the break.
For the budget-conscious consumer, the Toshiba Satellite C800 Series notebooks will range in price from $400 to $550. Its black plastic chassis has a textured finish that resists fingerprints, and extends onto the touchpad and mouse buttons. The C800 Series will come in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, and will have processors ranging from Intel Pentium to a Core i3. The starting model of the C800 will cost $399, and will be available on June 24.
Stepping up one level to the Satellite L800 Series, which has an in-mold pattern and an island-style keyboard. These systems, which will range in price from $500 to $700, will have higher-end features such as USB 3.0 and SRS Premium HD audio. Consumers will also have their choice of five colors: Silver, Blue, Black, Red, or White. During our brief hands-on time, we weren't thrilled with the L-Series' undersized right Shift key and spacebar. While we don't have final specs yet, we know that the L845 will start at $449, the L855 will start at $499, and the L875 will start at $599. All will be available on June 24.
New to Toshiba's lineup is its Satellite S Series, which the company is calling its "smart performance" lineup. While some of the frills will be stripped, these notebooks will feature the greatest performance for the price. The S Series notebooks will have a brushed aluminum lid and deck, and discrete AMD GPUs. The S845 will start at $699, and the S855 and S875 will probably cost $899 and $999, respectively. All will go on sale on June 24.
Finally, Toshiba's Satellite P Series will be a Best Buy exclusive, and feature an etched aluminum skin, an integrated trackpad, and a backlit keyboard. The Harmon/Kardon speakers are chambered, so they should be able to provide a little more resonance than ordinary notebook speakers. The P Series will also be offered in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, and will have Nvidia GPUs as an option. Prices will start at $799 for the P845 and P855, and the P875 will cost $849. All will be on sale exclusively at Best Buy stores and on the company's web site on June 24.
Stay tuned for our full reviews of each system.
