New Portege Z830

$700 for the z835 was a great deal; I knew it was a matter of time before a BIOS would be released to address the issue.

 

Hey,
I'm going to buy an ultrabook this month but I still have some doubts between U300s and UX31 (that I hated the keyboard). The Z830-10U is the 3rd option (at principle I discarded it because of the screen but I read some pages in this topic and it doesn't seems to bother the most part of people and I'm reconsidering). I have a few doubts that I think you will can answer and help me (sadly here is impossible to find the Z830 in a local store to test):

1) I heard a lot of complains about the screen, people saying that it is REALLY flexible/flimsy, it proceeds? When you are typing do you notice the screen shaking, vibrating, and/or moving (over a table or in your lap)?

2) How is the battery life under "normal use" condition (wifi browsing, editing some documents, nothing heavy)? (Toshiba says 8h but in some reviews people says 5h, 6h, 7h...).

The problem with the fan noise "scared" me and would be the 3rd question, but it seems fixed .

Thanks .

 

Yep... used the utility to do a BIOS update within Windows and it worked no problem.

My fan is still on but my machine has been on all day so I'll see how it is from a cold start later tonight or tomorrow.

I still have that dead/stuck pixel but I contacted a local repair center and they said they'll replace the screen... we'll see when I actually take it there but if they do, that equals a great warranty too. Luckily, I have backup notebooks because they said it might take a week.

 

I tested this the other night on my lap comparing my MBA (which is as sturdy if not sturdier than the UX31) and the Z835... it's not noticeable. I actually like the bendy screen because it takes impact better (or so we're to believe).

I would have to say it's close to 7. It also depends on what kind of eco settings you are using.

My main gripe is the 1366x768. Hopefully Tosh comes out with a new model that is 1600x900 (or I can wish for 1080p).

 

Hi, I been eyeing on Ultra book, and saw Dell XPS13, but after googling I found Toshiba Z series laptop are better spec.
But I'm confuse as which is the latest model Z830 or Z835, what is the different between this two model? And I want their flagship model, do I go for the highest price?

 

z830 and z835 are the same model, but have differing "bells and whistles".

z835 is usually the cheaper, non-customizable, preconfigured model you can find at Best Buy, Officemax, and OfficeDepot.
Toshiba Portege Z835 P370 133 Notebook Intel Core i5 i5 2467M 160 GHz by Office Depot
Toshiba Portege Z835-370 Ultrabook
z835 - BestBuy


z830 is geared more for business users and allows customizations, usually more costly, and comes with more "bells and whistles" than the z835: finger print scanner, extended warranties, Windows Professional, etc... z830 for the most part has to be ordered directly from Toshiba.
Toshiba Direct | Portege Laptops & Notebook Computers
Of course, ToshibaDirect also sells the z835 versions.


Good luck

 

Thank you so much. Just came back from local shop around here, can't find a Toshiba agent around here.. Will look into the link you provide. Again thank you.

 

It also depends on your country. I am in Canada and the one I bought at best buy is labled as a Satellite Z830. The i3, i5 and i7 versions are all like this. They don't have a fingerprint reader and I assume are meant more as a consumer model then a business model. The other major difference is the Canadian one has a different keyboard that has the french key choices on it.

 

Canada has the business model which is the Toshiba Portege Z830. It has the fingerprint reader and every bell and whistle. I think availability is the key where the business models are through Toshiba whereas the consumer versions are through brick and mortar.

 

BIOS mod seems to be working, however decided to keep an eye on things so fired up task manager performance tab to watch cores and CPUID HWmon to check system temps and it seems that 2 of my cores are constantly active, yet nothing in the process tab is using any cpu???

as such the temps sit at about 55 degrees on both physical cores (think its the 2 virtuals that are inactive, so no hyperthread in use, guess due to eco mode?) as soon as i do anything else it pushes the temps over the 55 threshold and the fan kicks in

fail :-(

lol!!!

 

Ugh.... remember when I had to replace the laptop at Best Buy because the HDMI port failed back in January? It happened again. All I've done is insert and removing an hdmi cable from the port maybe once a day- no specific trauma. Disappointed that Toshiba would make these fail so easily. Even more disappointed that I will need to send off the computer for repair.

Amazing how this always works out- one problem gets fixed (the fan), and another problem surfaces.

 

cutting edge tech mate, way of the world, and tbh to even get a full size HDMI in there is impressive, there nowt to hold it steady in the case, no suprise it can break a solder in the mainboard with a bit of useage!

 

True, but I'd rather have a fully reliable mini HDMI than a full HDMI that breaks after 1 month.

 

Was the system plugged in or on battery. What processor? I was on battery last night for about 1 hour and it was quiet. I kept checking but i don't think the fan came on at all with surfing and emailing. If it did it was spinning way slower then it had been because I couldn't hear it.

 

Do you have the Best Buy warranty or is this Toshiba's?

 

Keep us updated on the status of this problem; whether you are able to get it fixed etc...

Good luck

 

No, just the toshiba warranty. I may wait a few weeks before sending it in for repair... too much i need it for at the moment. But I'll update you on how it goes.

Ironically, a day AFTER it breaks, today my Dynadock U3.0 arrived in the mail. Working great so far! One USB plug into the laptop gives me access to my 23" widescreen (HDMI), 21" secondary screen (DVI), extra backup storage, my wireless mouse/keyboard dongle, and an extra USB 2.0 hub. Don't know if I'll make use of the gigabit internet or audio jacks, but it's nice to know they are there. Plus there are a few more USB 3.0 ports on the front of the dock I'm sure I'll make use of.

 

Yesterday I was watching an HD movie by VLC outputting through my HDMI port at 1920x1080 and trying to browse the web simultaneously on Chrome (Extended desktop). My movie began to stutter but if I didn't browse the web it played perfectly. This is with the i3 BB model and RAM upgraded to 6GB.

Can i5/i7 users do this without any hiccups or this too much to ask of an ultrabook in general?

BTW, I'm loving the new BIOS. There's a noticeable difference in fan usage now. It only spins up on occasion or when pushed hard.

 

Makryger, this was one reason why I decided to use the Dynadock solution -- One at home, one at the office. Because with the Dyna dock plugging into the USB 3.0 port on the side, I don't have to plug into the DMI port so many times/day (since I walk away with my laptop a dozen or more times per day, walking to different offices). I could tell that the HDMI port was struggling sometimes to keep up with the connecting and disconnecting. Sometimes, when I plugged the cable back in, I could feel that it wasn't making a good contact. And the external monitor didn't activate. With the Dynadock, all those gremlins are gone. And yes -- I still have the HDMI when I'm traveling and I want to go light. It's a great solution, actually.

---
added later: I just caught up on reading the rest of the thread and saw that you took delivery on a Dynadock. Couldn't have come at a better time for you. It really is a great solution. Bravo.

 

Well, it would have been nice if it came a few days early so my hdmi port didn't die... but yes, if it came any later, I would have had a problem, as I use my larger screen regularly.

 

I'm guessing the "hiccups" while watching HD movies and browsing is due to the limitations of the Intel graphics.

There could also be an updated driver for the Intel HD graphics that could help with the issue.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Graphics&ProductLine=Laptop+graphics+controllers&ProductProduct=Intel%C2%AE+HD+Graphics&ProdId=3231&LineId=1101&FamilyId=39
Warning, the Intel driver is a generic driver and installing it might interfere/disable features on your Toshiba laptop [this isn't necessarily common, but it can happen]. The Toshiba provided Intel driver is pretty old [9/11], but it can be found on a generic z830 page if you need it.
Model Content Page


Good luck

 

Yep... I'm at home... been browsing, IM'ing... fan is off.

Feels a bit warm but I guess not warm enough to turn it on.

Is there a BIOS update to make my screen higher resolution? Heh.

 

Hello again fellow z830~ers.

Just to reassure those interested in the z835:
I've owned a z835 since 6th Dec 2011, and to this date, it's my main computer. I love it, you'll get used to the fan.
After 3 months of ownership, I'm ready to do a clean install!! HURRAY!

Great Round-Up of Toshiba Bloatwares Explained:
New Laptop Part 2 - review and crapware - Blog @ horaceli.com

Official Toshiba Drivers and Softwares: This is for Z835 P330 best buy model

The Toshiba website listed alot of drivers and crapware, here are the only ones I downloaded:

• tc00237800b.exe -- Infineon TPM Software Professional Package
• tc30380500b.exe -- Toshiba Web Camera Application <-- Bloatware, but some may like it
• tc00143400t.exe -- Toshiba HDD/SSD Alert <-- Many other alternatives
• tc10111300b.exe -- Toshiba Assist Utility
• tc00410400a.exe -- Intel AMT Software for Windows <-- I tried installing, it said support device is not found.
• tc00411400a.exe -- Intel Management Engine Interface
• tc00386700h.exe -- Toshiba Audio Enhancement
• tc00149402d.exe -- Toshiba eco Utility <-- Bloatware, you can change what the buttons do with Toshiba Button Support
• tc00149001t.exe -- Toshiba PC Health Monitor
• tc00163701g.exe -- Toshiba ConfigFree Utility
• tc00408100e.exe -- Realtek Audio Driver
• tc00394400y.exe -- Toshiba Value Added Package <-- Needed for a few FN's
• tc00411500a.exe -- Intel LAN Driver
• tc00390600b.exe -- Intel Wireless LAN Driver
• tc00346100n.exe -- Intel Display Driver
• tc00407000c.exe -- Intel Rapid Start Technology Software
• tc00347400j.exe -- Ricoh Card Reader Controller Driver
• tc00344800k.exe -- USB 3.0 Driver <-- NEEDED
• tc00415900a.exe -- Synaptics TouchPad Driver
• tc00344700d.exe -- Intel Chipset SW Installation Utility

The rest I didn't care for and/or did not need and/or do not know what they do. My z835 P330 has been working fine with only the things listed above. Again this is for the bestbuy model z835 P330.

=======================================

How To Boot With The External Drive​

Hook up external DVD drive on the BACK of the laptop
On toshiba boot screen, press F12
Choose the USB storage option
Then follow what the screen tells you

These steps worked for me, hopefully it will work for you too.

 

New fan control is great. It only bothered me when there wasn't any other noise but now it's only kicking on when it's sitting on the blanket.

Thanks for that link, PinoyBoy. I kind of want to reformat and that will help!

 

seems i was being a bit of a fool, damn thing was installing updates at the time, now its all good

not sure why the update agent didnt show in processes though on the task manager? never looked before so is that just the case?

 

Now that many of you have had this laptop for a while now, how bad would you say 1366x768 is really?

Thanks...

 

Well... most of the time I've had it hooked to an external monitor (1080p) so I don't notice but lately I've been using it off-monitor and it does bug me.

It doesn't hurt so much for web browsing because most browsers let you shrink, but I have to go into office-type apps and change the "zoom' settings so I can see enough of the data on the screen.

I could live with 1600x900 but really want 1080p in an ultrabook form factor.

 

I think the current size is fine for most tasks. Sure, it is less screen real estate, so if you need to be able to see a lot at once, it could end up being a problem in some cases. But I think its the best dpi for this size screen- any smaller and everything on the screen becomes too small to easily click on.

But then again, when I do need the extra space- when I need to refer to multiple documents at once, or if I need to do some image editting, or if I want to have my outlook email easily accessible, then I just plug it into my Toshiba Dynadock U3.0, and I go from one 13" screen, to a 13", 23" and 21" screen instantly. I like the fact that its portable when I want it to be, and the resolution is perfectly fine for that. I also like the fact that its expandable when I want it to be, making it more like a desktop.

 

Thanks guys. In my case I'm hooked up to a 24" external (1920x1200) most of the time.

 

For me it is no big deal. My last laptop was a XPS 1330 which was the same resolution (or almost the same) so for me there wasn't a big change. the z830 is primarily my on the road the machine so it is fine for my use.

 

as above, doesnt bug me for normal browsing tasks and light gaming, and for excel work etc i just use external monitor (my TV )

 

Please advise compact sleeve case for Z835
on ebay I find 2 model, both not for Z830...
Sikai Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook leather case USD35

PicasoLab Napa Leather Case USD68

 

read my brief review here, first post:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/toshiba/610559-new-portege-z830-99.html

pics at the bottom of what i use

 

I was raised on Thinkpad bios upgrades -- during which, I always feared a bit for my life. This Toshiba bios update was such a non-event, it felt a bit more like a Microsoft Windows Tuesday software update -- like Outlook was updating its malware file or something. So easy. And -- suddenly, the z830 sounds quieter than I have ever heard it before!

Someone asked if anyone uses his/her z830 as his/her main operating machine. [hand up] I do. And I *love* it. The people at work say things like, "Do you go *anywhere* without that thing?" (I don't.)

Love it.

 

I am looking at the TOSHIBA Portege Z835-P370 Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Portege Z835-P370 Notebook Intel Core i5 2467M(1.60GHz) 13.3" 6GB Memory DDR3 1333 128GB SSD HDD Intel HD Graphics
I was wondering if it will run the program solidworks fine i am looking at it for a portable college computer let me know if there are any problems or dislikes about this computer and will it run solidworks any help is greatly apreciated

 

Pretty much anything that will fit a MBP13.

 

I have 3 weeks of ownership under my belt. So far, so good. I updated to the newest bios via the software client and would like to also report much lower fan noise. I'm continually impressed with this unit. Compared to what I came from (asus g60), the battery life is amazing.

 

imtrich76, it'll run anything you throw at it. I use my i7 z830 for video editing/rendering. It never hiccups.

 

I occasionally get some error with the Toshiba eco utility and the utility has to shut down... anyone else experience that?

 

Bumping with goodies.

 

nope not as yet, whats the specific error and does it shut the whole utility down, as in gone from the system tray?

have you checked the application logs under event viewer??

 

Yes... it's gone... no specific error... next time it happens I'll screen cap it.

I'll check that.

 

Just a general error.

Can't seem to find anything in the Event Viewer, but I'm not too familiar with it.

 

May need to uninstall/reinstall. Hopefully that works.

 

I have *not* gotten that error, BigNerd. Are you on the Best Buy machine?

 

Yes... Best Buy... FULL Bloatware (I'm lazy).

 

Got my current z830 P330 on the 22 Jan 2012.
Just ran NirSoft's Battery Info View, and it said battery wear level: 93.8%

SERIOUSLY? I keep my laptop plugged in most of the time, but dang... This battery wears out fast. My old HP DM4 that I bought back in June 2010 has a wear level of 96.5% according to Nirsoft's Battery Info View.

I have a bad feeling about this laptop's longevity.

Can you guys post the date purchased and your b attery wear?
Also state what battery monitoring program you are using please.

 

95.7%... got mine january 8th. How does it calculate that number? And how meaningful is it, really? an HP DM4 may last for a few hours, whereas this lasts for 6 or 7. so is 95% of 6 or 7 really that bad compared to 96% of 3 or 4?

 

Ahhhh.... there's your trouble. It's anybody's guess which utility is failing first then.

 

I came across this at MajorGeeks, it's supposed to remove trial/bloatware from computers; might be worth looking into/trying out [I've never used it]; called PC-decrapifier.
[removed]
Before you hit remove, verify it's a program you don't want.