First Impressions - Toshiba NB305 Netbook

You may remember last year my quick look at Toshiba's first candidate in the netbook category - the NB205. This very attractive netbook had a lot going for it, but it somehow came at a time when Microsoft's latest OS was just out the door, and Intel had delayed Pinetrail by a matter of weeks. While I did make the NB205 a top netbook pick for 2009, I was eagerly awaiting the replacement model coming from Toshiba in 2010. Today I have that unit here with me to review. Does it build on what made the NB205 so great? Let's take a look!

PROS: Excellent styling, perfect keyboard, attractive price, extremely functional, sensational battery life

CONS: Still no HD display, re-badged model, difficult to upgrade, no bluetooth, performance could be better

DETAILS:

Toshiba was a very late player in the netbook game releasing their first model, the NB205 only last year. However, their "mini" was a product of careful design. It had some of the best styling to come in a netbook, with multiple color textured lids, chicklet-style keyboard and a sophisticated look that was far more appealing than the bland colors some other models came in. This was a quality netbook with big potential.

But the NB205 lacked a modern OS, shipping with Windows XP. It didn't have the newest processor, and lacked a high-res screen and customization options that other models were now including. With the introduction of Pinetrail and Windows 7, Toshiba was reluctant to refresh the lineup, hence the NB305.

In true fashion, the NB305 picks up where the NB205 left off - literally. From the outside they are practically identical - a re-badged model if you will - with Toshiba doing zero cosmetic changes. Granted, the design was already so good they didn't need to change anything, except now the battery does not stick out as much as before.

What is new is Windows 7 running on the Pinetrail platform. If you're sick of XP netbooks, the upgrade is worth it, especially with the many new OS enhancements that don't hinder performance like Vista did. I was somewhat surprised at how much I was able to get done with the NB305, as it didn't get me bogged down at all. It's a very functional combination that offers a decent dose of productivity for a very acceptable price.

Pinetrail performance does leave a little to be desired. While it is good in general, I found internet video to choke on HD or when attempting to view full screen - playing web content in a window though was more-or-less acceptable. Surprisingly, the N450 handled full-screen WMV-HD fine, with 720p and even 1080p playing back without any stuttering or dropout. Cool Edit Pro ran very smoothly.

That said, I would like to see Toshiba offer the N470 processor at some point, as well as the Broadcom video hardware. I was shocked to find that there is still no HD display option on the NB305 either. Toshiba really should dress up the hardware in their mini, for it could be doing so much more than what it does now, and has the potential to be a great high-end netbook.

Another startling omission is the lack of bluetooth. For something that costs perhaps a few dollars to add in 1K quantities, and has become standard fare in wireless, this is a big deal. Connectivity is prime, especially for netbooks being so mobile. Without bluetooth, the only way I can tether a smartphone, for example, is to carry a USB cable. Similarly, if you take pictures with your smartphone, BT lets you zap them over to your netbook in a pinch for retouching/posting on a blog. It's also my preferred method for moving new music over to my smartphone, especially when I'm adding just a song or two at a time. I know I could purchase a bluetooth USB dongle, but I just don't want to deal with silly extras like that.

BATTERY LIFE:

One of the biggest changes Pinetrail has promised is extended battery life. The NB305 easily gets 7-8 hours of real-world usage from a single charge, depending on what you do. However, Toshiba have tweaked the settings even further by providing a special power management eco utility. This can extend battery life by as much as 2+ hours, but at the expense of processor performance.

So just how far can you go on one charge? With balanced settings I was seeing 6 hours WMV playback time and 7.5 hours VOB playback. Eco settings will more than likely boost those by an hour, but multimedia playback can suffer. For web surfing, email, blogging and other less-demanding tasks, eco mode will make the most sense since you won't notice the performance difference, other than a battery that just keeps going and going. This is truly a device that you can go out with or sit down with and not worry about the battery giving up in the middle of your work. Right now as I type this blog post, it shows 41% capacity with 2 hours 41 minutes remaining, and I am in eco mode.

The unit does not get warm except a little heat coming from the vents at the side and bottom. The fan is hardly audible when on, and barely comes on at all. The hard drive is dead silent.

PRODUCTIVITY:

Windows 7 Starter Edition does have it's limitations, but when you understand you're dealing with a netbook, you can get used to it very quickly. It doesn't impede me in accessing any of my applications at all, and I've found the simplicity actually makes getting things done a lot easier and quicker.

The 1024x600 display isn't the friendliest to work on, but it IS workable. I've found that I can get around the size issues when browsing by using the F11 full-screen mode and zoom, making working with the web less difficult. Other software does sometimes still cause trouble, so I would still go with a HD display if available. Overall though, my productivity hasn't suffered, and I'm finding I'm getting a major amount of work done, thanks also to the excellent keyboard. For those who need to type a lot, the NB305 is the netbook for you!

THE BAD:

You may recall my criticism of the speaker on the NB205. Is two bad speakers better than one? On the NB305 Toshiba took the same horrible mono unit and now placed two of them on the bottom - same poor quality sound, but at least now I can watch videos with acceptable volume. Music listening will still require headphones.

Likewise, Toshiba have again used Torx screws to lock down the hard drive access cover, making upgrades a pain without the right tools. Seriously, I know how to replace a hard drive, and it's called an "access" panel for a reason. Why make it difficult for the consumer?

My biggest gripe though is that Toshiba has made no real improvements whatsoever over the NB205 - it's the same re-badged device with the same boring internals. I was really hoping for a 1366x768 display option in 2010 with N470 and a hardware video accelerator. All in all, the extras needed to bump the NB305 (1GB more memory, HD display, bluetooth, N470 processor, Broadcom video hardware) would cost maybe $150, making for a fully-loaded netbook at $549. Yes, Toshiba does offer a model with built-in 3G, but it's not something I would need or pay for given that I prefer to tether my smartphone for flexibility. While I certainly like what the NB305 gives me for $399, I'd gladly give Toshiba that $150 more for a high-end version with some extra horsepower, alongside the nice choice of colors. Come on Toshiba - it's doable!

CONCLUSION:

The Toshiba NB305 netbook carries on where the NB205 started - which is both good and bad. Good in that it's a netbook that offers great potential with a solid productivity experience, features, functionality, winning design and Toshiba quality. Bad though because Toshiba haven't really put anything new on the table for 2010, instead choosing to re-badge the mostly same specs. However, the device continues to impress and works very well - I'm having a hard time putting it down! If the limitations are something you can work around, the NB305 makes for more than just a compelling netbook, but a better-than-expected productivity tool that you will enjoy using.

RECOMMENDED

 

Yeah...rebadged other than the fact it has completely different motherboard chipset and processor, as well as a case/battery redesign that changes it's whole look from solid even chunk with battery out the back to tapered and slim with battery barely sticking out the bottom.

But other than that it does seem this update doesn't really offer any better performance and even though it has a lower power chipset/processor, it get's less battery life than the NB205 (probably because of Windows 7). Now that this is out, the NB205 can be had for under $300 with 6 cell; it's hard to argue with that kind of value.

 

Good review.

I also like the external looks of the Toshiba netbook and was close to purchasing one some time back, but I preferred the culv t115-s110 machine. Almost the same price too! With an extra large battery I have been able to get up to 14 hours in major power saving word processing mode with it, so I am satisfied.

 

Thanks for the review. I was curious about the NB 305 as I just bought a refurbed 205 and really like it. I would be curious to see just how much better the more powerful netbooks are. However, really like this one for what it is. About the only thing I really would like is a higher resolution screen. But with that I probably would have had to pay more than $250. I do wish Win 7 Starter wasn't so stripped out. The ability to mount a network drive is nice while on my campus. I also do use the dual monitor feature though mostly because I have an available external monitor for my larger laptop. I have mixed feelings about the new battery setup. I don't like the battery sticking out the back but I also value a thin computer more than one with a more integrated battery. At least Toshiba did a good job with integrating the 6 cell battery. Some of the other brands make it look like you glued a cigar to the bottom of the computer!

In the end my take away from this review was, as great as the new computer might be, it's basically no better than the 205 so just get a 205 and save the cash.

By the way, the track pad on this thing blows away my Dell Latitude track pad. The Toshiba track pad is above average for any smaller notebook including ones up to 14". No other netbook and even a number of Toshibas larger laptops just don't have the same quality touch pad. This one doesn't seem to pick up your thumbs as you type. The touch surface texture is perfect and the slit buttons have a great feel. Not too hard and unlike the single beam models where you must push on the far right or left side to get a reaction out of the button, this one lets you push just right or left of center. I find it far more natural.

 

I just bought an NB305-N11BN from Microsoft. The box says it has Bluetooth. I was wondering if someone can confirm this. I don't want to open it in case I want to return for a different model. Thanks.

Here is the link to the specs.

http://store.microsoft.com/microsof...0-1-inch-Netbook-Java-Brown-/product/6BDFE2B0

 

According to Toshiba the model your bought David has Bluetooth....

Toshiba mini notebook NB305-N411BN Laptops

HTH,

Jeff

 

Interesting that Toshiba would list the specs, but gives no mention of this specific model anywhere else on their website. I'm wondering if there are other NB305 model numbers out there Toshiba is shipping in the US that have BT as well.

I still wish Toshiba would up the ante with a high-res screen, but getting BT in there is, if you can call it, progress. Frankly I don't know why they didn't do it from the start, especially since the NB205 came with BT standard.

Curious to see what Toshiba will do in H2 with N475 and N500 Atoms coming...

 

I bought the one with BT from Microsoft for $240, but I haven't open the box yet because I might return it for an 11.6'' netbook, which cost $400. For a $160 more, I would get an HD screen, twice the processing power, twice the RAM, the full version of Windows 7 and an HDMI output. Do you guys think I shoud get the 11.6'' one?

 

How much do you value the exceptionally good battery life that is a side-effect of a slow CPU? If that isn't the highest priority then I agree that a 600 pixel high display is a major drawback.

John

 

I have thought more about this, and I think I will keep it because all I do with is web surfing and download on the road. I need to ask the experts some questions:

1. I read somewhere that you create can a restore USB drive, but some said it takes exactly 2 8GB drives and other said it takes more than 8GB. I bought an external DVD writer to do a restore but I like the USB drive option better. Can someone share some information on this?

2. I don't want to upgrade the RAM and the operating system. Does the netbook work adequately as is?

Thank you for your help.

 

1. The Toshiba backup software requires two forms of media, one for the operating system/drivers (about 8GB) and another for the software layer Toshiba puts on top of the OS (around 4GB). I went ahead and used a dual layer DVD for the first part and a 4GB DVD for the software. The problem with USB thumb drives is that not all of them are bootable, the system may not recognize the device as a boot drive, or some other quirk prevents a successful system restore. If you want to experiment, I would make the backup DVD's first using a burner, and then image the contents of the disc to a bootable USB drive. You'll need two thumb drives. Keep the DVD's though, and make a 2nd copy of those discs for safety, since I believe the program only allows you to burn one set of backup media.

2. 25 bucks gets you a stick of 2GB RAM - not a big expense, but it helps Windows 7 perform much better than with 1GB. It's the easiest and cheapest upgrade you can do on a netbook, and worth it in my opinion.

$240 is a terrific deal on the NB305 - for the price of a smartphone you have a decent netbook that can do way more. Good choice to hang on to it.

 

After thinking long and hard about how I actually use the machine, I decided to keep the NB305. Today was my first time as a netbook and Windows 7 user. I am happy to report that much of my fears have been allayed. It's not terribly slow, and the long battery life advantage is worth all the trade offs.

I bought this netbook from Microsoft. They have something called Microsoft Signature where they optimize the netbook for the best performance. First time setup was ridiculously quick. There are no trial software on this machine, not even from Microsoft. And thanks to their tweaking, I get within 1/2 hour of the claimed 11 hour battery life. After 3 hour of use, the battery meter showed 7.5 hours remaining when I shut it down. I watched "Lost" on ABC.com. There was no hiccup. The colors were vibrant and beautiful.

I installed the latest versions of OpenOffice and Firefox. This netbook handle these programs just fine. There are six tabs open in Firefox as I type this. No problem there! The keys are weird and will take sometimes to get used to, as they require some serious pressing to register, especially the space bar.

All in all, I am very happy with it.

Thank you everyone for all your help.


Luscious,

I just finished creating the recovery discs the way you did. Thanks for the information and the great review.