How to Decide Between a Toshiba and an HP Laptop

If you find it difficult deciding between purchasing a Toshiba laptop (or notebook) and a Hewlett-Packard one, two of the highest quality laptop brands, then knowing about just a few of their essential features and accompanying services may alleviate the difficulty.

Types
According to its company website, Toshiba categorizes its laptops into types called "families." Each of its six families is given a name: Satellite; Satellite Pro; Tecra; Qosmio; Portege; Mini Notebook.

According to its store website, Hewlett-Packard (HP) categorizes its laptops by either usage or a characteristic of some kind. One or the other is reflected in the names of each of HP's laptop types: Everyday Computing; High Performance; Ultra-Portable; Mini; Envy.

Screen Sizes
As shown in their company websites, Toshiba's and HP's laptop screen sizes vary depending on the type and models within it. Both companies' websites show that the sizes are based on the diagonal length between a top corner of a screen and a bottom one. Toshiba's screen sizes are in the following ranges: Satellite-11.6 inches to 18.4 inches; Satellite Pro-13.3 to 17.3 inches; Tecra-14.1 and 15.4 inches; Qosmio-18.4 inches; Portege-12.1 inches; Mini Notebook-10.1 inches.

These are the size ranges for HP's laptop screens: Everyday Computing-15.6 to 17.3 inches; High Performance-15.6 to 18.4 inches; Ultra-Portable-12.1 to 14.1 inches; Mini-10.1 and 11.6 inches; Envy-13.1 and 15.6 inches.

Operating Systems
As indicated in their websites, Toshiba's and HP's laptops include a version of the Windows operating system. Toshiba's Satellite, Qosmio, and Mini Notebook laptops come with Windows 7. Satellite Pro laptops come with a choice of 7 and/or Windows XP. Tecra laptops come with XP, while Portege ones come with a choice of XP or Windows Vista.

The Windows versions for HP's laptops are Windows 7 for the Everyday Computing, High Performance and Envy models, and 7 and/or XP for the Ultra-Portable and Mini laptops.

Eco-Awareness
As its website shows, many of Toshiba's laptops have earned EPEAT Gold award status for their eco-friendliness. It is also indicated on the Mini Notebook NB200 page of the site, that all of Toshiba's models are built in an ecologically mindful manner.

According to its website, HP also manufactures its laptops through environmentally efficient means. However, HP tends to emphasize energy efficiency in particular; nearly all of HP's laptop models are "Energy Star" qualified. The exception to this is the Envy 15 series as indicated in the series' specifications section.

Company-to-Customer Service
Toshiba offers predetermined recommendations based on customers' needs in the "Top Laptop Picks" section of its website. HP offers laptop recommendations through a multiple choice quiz presented to the customer on the "Help Me Choose a Laptop" page. After the customer answers the questions that determine her needs, she is shown the recommendations.

Customer-to-Customer Service
Toshiba's website offers a question-and-answer tool for customers to ask and answer each other's laptop questions. A laptop customer support forum is also available. Customers' comments on their experiences with the company's laptops are quoted in "Top Laptop Picks".

HP's customer support forum includes a laptop discussion board. The company's online store offers a "Customer Reviews" section for each model series which consists of comments and star ratings.

Prices
As of 2009, Toshiba shows on its website its laptops to range from $399.99 to 3,499.99, whereas HP shows on its site laptops ranging from $299.99 to 2,299.99.

References

"Buy Envy Direct from HP"
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/series_can.do?storeName=computer_store&landing=notebooks&a1=Category&v1=ENVY&jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/lateralnav_envy_notebooks

"Help Me Choose a Laptop"
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_advisor.do?landing=notebooks&storeName=computer_store

"HP Official Store-Buy Laptops & Mini Netbooks Direct from HP"
http://www.shopping.hp.com/notebooks?jumpid=in_R329_prodexp/hhoslp/psg/lateralnav_notebooks

"HP Support Forum"
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/

"Laptops, Netbooks & Notebook Computers"
http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops

"Toshiba Laptop Forums"
http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/

"Toshiba Mini Notebook NB200 Netbook Laptops"
http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/mini-notebook/NB200