Toshiba Satellite A665 Series Laptops

Features and Specifications

First off, let's talk about the features that all of the laptops in this series share. They all have a 15.6" widescreen. It's an HD TruBrite TFF display with 1366x768 native resolution and LED backlight. That means it's HD and has an excellent contrast ratio. The screen will light up well in both dim lights and in heavy sunlight. They have an HDMI port so you can stream the contents of your computer to an external monitor or HDTV in the best possible resolution. Resolution+ Upconvert Technology increases the resolution of non-HD content such as DVD's or online content.

Harman/kardon speakers provide some of the best sound available, and are sturdy enough to not only project great sound, but withstand it so as not to be blown before they can be truly enjoyed. DOLBY Advanced Audio adds to the high quality sound experience by making sure the bass, treble, and other parts of sound are in the right proportion so you're not missing out on a single note. There is a mode called Sleep & Music which lets you close the laptop, putting it into sleep mode, while still playing music. This is nice because sometimes the only thing you want to do is play music. Closing the laptop lets it sit out of the way, or somewhere where it wouldn't fit while open.

Another mode similar to the Sleep & Music is the Sleep & Charge. This mode also lets you do something while the laptop is sleeping. Instead of playing music, this mode lets you charge things. Plug in your iPod and let it charge while the computer is sleeping. Anything which can be plugged into a USB can be charged in Sleep & Charge mode. Every laptop in this series has a Premium Raised Tile Keyboard which is sturdy enough to handle the heartiest of typers. The raised part is nice because each key is well-defined and makes typing easier.

A really nice feature which helps protect the data in your Toshiba laptop is the HDD Impact Sensor. This feature lets you know if you've dropped the laptop too hard and your data may be at risk. All of the laptops in this series also have a card reader which is compatible with SDHC, miniSD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media, and xD Picture Cards. They're all environmentally friendly and are Energy Star qualified. Lastly, they all come in a Fusion X2 finish, which is a black matte look.

There are a few features which some of the laptops in this series have, and some do not. One is the Intel Wireless Display. This is a feature which lets you communicate wirelessly with HDTVs that are internet ready. For those that are not, there is a Push2TV adapter which can be purchased for $99 and makes your HDTV capable of communicating with the Intel Wireless Display. When streaming this content, it is done in full 1080p. Another feature is an upgraded graphics card. Some of the laptops have an NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card with Optimus Technology. This graphics card is geared for high-end gaming. Some of the laptops have USB 3.0 technology in them. This means that when transferring data from a USB device, it does so with a much higher rate than when using USB 2.0 technology. Many external hard drives are implementing this technology. Lastly, some laptops come 4G WiMax ready. If you want to buy into a 4G data plan go right ahead, because your computer will already have the appropriate technology built in.

The Laptops

All right, sorry for the length of the previous section. It was necessary in order to get all of the technical features out of the way. Now I can tell you what each of these laptops has that sets them apart.

A665D-S5178: AMD Phenom II Quad-Core processor, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive. This is the beginning of the series, and while it has a great processor and loads of RAM, it has the least of the extra features.

A665-S5176X: Intel i3 processor, Blu-ray disc player, Intel Wireless Display, 500GB, USB 3.0. It has the wireless display and a Blu-ray disc player which start the ascent up the slope of frills.

A665-S5181: Intel i5 processor, 640GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card. This is the gaming laptop of the series. The one above this could handle gaming as well, and the lower ones depending on the game you play, but this is the one with the NVIDIA card which can handle the best graphics games can throw at you.

A665-S6100X: Intel i7 processor, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 640GB hard drive, Blu-ray disc player, USB 3.0. This computer has the best processor of the group. This is a monster of a computer which will keep you at the higher end of computers for years to come. A welcome fact considering how quickly a computer can become obsolete.

Sources:

http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops/satellite/A660/

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a665-s6050/4505-3121_7-34122409.html