Laptop Thoughts: New Toshiba Satellite M645: Out of This World?

"It looks good, and it sounds even better. The 14-inch, 5-pound Toshiba Satellite M645 ($1,049) sports a a snazzy textured finish, plus Harmon / Kardon speakers powered by Dolby Advanced Audio Technology, producing the best sound we've heard from a laptop of this size."

Toshiba continues to improve their Satellite line of laptops, and the M645 continues the trend. Many pluses noted, and the few small minuses worth noting: VGA Webcam produced dark images; glossy display image washed-out during angled viewing and reflected when using less than full brightness; slowish standard 5400rpm drive; standard 6-cell 4400mAH tested battery life of only 3.5 hours; slowish WiFi transfer rates.

With seven preconfigured models and numerous configuration choices, starting at $719, the minor annoyances can, for the most part, be overcome for a reasonable price. $809 gets you an Intel Core i3 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 7200rpm drive, and a larger (5600mAH) battery, taking you to a reasonable five (5) hours of battery life. So, if you need a laptop that is a gamer, and strong on the multimedia side, consider taking a look at the new Satellite M645.