Portege R700 - the thin and light 13.3"

Bought the R705, had a high pitch buzz coming from top of keyboard. Also, the bottom fan is quiet noisy. Returned it to BB. Looks like another Sony Z, you can never buy cheap and think it's going to be good.

 

did you have to pay restocking fee?

 

The reviewer's major reservation is the trackpad and the fact that 2 finger scrolling wasn't very functional. Have any users had this issue?

When I fooled around w/ it at BB 2 finger scrolling was a little unresponsive and not very intuitive when used on internet explorer, but when I used Microsoft word it seemed much more fluid and smooth. I just assumed it was b/c IE's junk.

 

No, I did not pay a restocking fee as I am a rewardzone premier silver member. That's a good thing.

 

Here is what I hear on my R705.

YouTube - Toshiba R705 fan

 

Lucky you. Do you get the membership by buying things often there or by paying a certain amount of money for it for month or whateveR?

 

I didn't really hear anything.

What am I missing hear. Am I being punked?

 

Can someone give me their experience using an external 23 inch monitor with the R700/5? I am looking into buying the samsung P2350 and would like to know what kind of info i need to know to use it as an external monitor. What is the limiting factor, the native resolution of the laptop? Is it worth buying that kind of monitor for a 13 inch laptop? Any info on external monitors would help here. Thanks fellas

 

I am using a 22inch monitor with my Dell xps m1330 it works good so I don't think you will have any problems with the Toshiba

 

I used to use a Dell Inspiron 710m 12" laptop. It's keys were "soft and mushy" as well (non-chiclet keyboard).

I currently use a MSI Gx640 15.6" laptop. It's keypresses are nice but do have some flex to them (non-chiclet keyboard).

Can someone compare and contrast either of these 2 laptop's keys to that of the 700/705?

Thanks.

 

That's my point. If you turn your volume way up, you'll hear the fan but it isn't a dealbreaker for me like it was for Professor X.

 

Yeah, after visiting BB, I'm a little disappointed with the keyboard feel. Did any of you guys have any early issues with the R700/705 keyboard as well (smaller key size, spacing, mushiness, etc.), and how long did it take you to adapt to it?

Every single thing about this laptop screams must-have to me, except for the keyboard, and I'm really worried about buying something that I will have to "grow into", especially since I'm going to be doing lots of writing on this thing.

 

The keyboard and the lack of an expresscard are the two major drawbacks. But the keyboard's small flex seems only with considerable pressure.

 

I mentioned I used a Dell Inspiron 710m previously, which had a soft, mushy keyboard with somewhat small keys and close together (but not as close as the 700 it appears).

I made numerous typing errors with it. Real nuissance that I never fully adjusted to (and I had it for almost 5 yrs).

In contrast, my MSI laptop is a joy to type with, even considering some keyboard flex. The keys are still crisp to type with and have excellent depth to each keystroke.

Needless to say, my typing errors are now a thing of the past.

Moral of the story: a laptop is only as good as its keyboard. After all, it (and the touchpad) are your primary input mechanisms. You live or die by those inputs.

PS: have you seen all that wasted space between the 700's keys? Toshiba could have easily made the keys a little bit larger. And the space bar is lower in its middle area and higher at each end.

That, along with the HP Envy 15's limited lid opening angle, has to qualify for the "What exactly were they thinking?" Award. Some product managers at those companies should lose their jobs over this.

 

I just bought the R705 from BB today morning. I'm currently defragging the laptop and shrinking the volumes to partition etc.

I use the last generation of Macbook Pro 15 daily (my work laptop) and the R705 is my personal machine.

Initial observations:

1) Fan can be evident at times but only if you're in a really quiet room.. in ambient areas, it's hardly an issue.

2) on eco mode, the fan whirring is not as noticeable ..

3) The keyboard was just fine for me. No flex as such. No awkward transition from the Macbook Pro keyboard to the R705 .. the keys could have been a wee bit bigger (i have big fingers) but it's not a dealbreaker for me.

any tips on how to remove the bloatware? should i do a clean install or uninstalling the programs + a defrag should be enough as far as better performance goes?

If clean install, should i make a recover disk and proceed using that?

 

also, in the partition manager, i see 3 volumes:

1.46 GB Recovery Partition
455.04 GB NTFS partition
9.25 GB empty volume ..

is that stanard for everyone?

 

To get a rewardzone premier silver card @BB you have to spend $2,500 in a 12 mo. period. 45 day returns, no 15% restocking fee, 1.5 rewards points. That's cool.

 

Thanks for your impressions.

So why do you suppose people are not thrilled about the 700/705's keyboard then?

I do a full reinstall. You can find the Windows OS license # sticker on the bottom of the laptop or inside the battery compartment.

Search the forums in general to for links that allow you download the full Windows 7 OS installation program.

Then, you will need that Windows OS license # to activate your OS via website or phone.

 

I can't speak for others, but after personally trying it out at BB, the shortened key height made my fingers feel a little cramped, not unlike typing on a netbook. After typing for a few minutes, I had to pull my fingers closer and curve them together, rather than letting them relax into my "default" typing position whenever I type on any other keyboard.

A commenter on Engadget (bottom of the page) mentioned that the height of the keys are about 85% of the width, compared to the typical 95-100% height of squarish keys. That doesn't sound like a lot, but considering how much I plan to write for class, keyboard ergonomics are pretty important.

Others have also mentioned a bit of mushiness and lack of "tactile feel". Those things didn't bother me as much as the shortened keys, but I think keyboards are a very subjective thing so it's probably best to try it out for yourself. Despite the keyboard issue, I'm still very interested in the R705 because the price/performance/size combo is nearly unbeatable.

I've always taken laptop ergonomics for granted, so I'd probably blame myself for letting such a great deal slip away simply cuz I couldn't adapt to a keyboard. I'd feel like it was my fault... Those of you who may have had an initial issue with the keyboard, how quickly were you able to adapt to it?

 

I think the keyboard is a bit unconventional , but not something that is a deal breaker and i can defenetely get used to it and already are starting to accustom to it. I think like anything, you get used to it with practice.

 

The "mushiness" feeling that I mentioned was in no small part caused by the key height and lack of proper keystroke depth. With the Dell, I also had to position my fingers as you did to maintain a semblance of effective typing.

I tried but failed to adjust with my Dell. And that was over a 5-yr period. It's really a shame, as the 700/705 really have everything else that I'm looking for (well, it still needs a dedicated graphics card and switchable graphics).

 

As far as the keyboard is concerned, I have to come to like it. I am a CPA and I do a lot of data entry. The shorter keystroke compression can speed things up. But it sounds like you have an expectation of "proper" keystroke depth that must have come from previous experience with another keyboard.

Most of the island or chicklet keyboards have shorter compression requirements than traditional keyboards and frankly, they do require you to get used to them. When I tried the keyboard of the R705 at Best Buy, my response was lukewarm at best. The rest of the features as well as the price, however were compelling enough for me to buy it. Now I like it but it took some time. You have to ask yourself if the other features of the R700 series are enough to look past the keyboard at the outset. If the answer is no, look elsewhere.

 

i hear it, only when opening the lid, creak at the right hinge

anyone else?

know how to fix?

 

Do you find that it heats up fast when doing spreadsheeting work?
what about when watching youtube or Hulu videos?

 

There is no heat issues at all with Microsoft's Office suite. I do a lot of audit work with large spreadsheets and databases and the heat and fan stay at low all of the time. The best part is how fast the Core i3 lets you navigate in those spreadsheets. My previous laptop would struggle at times when there was a lot of data.

As I have mentioned elsewhere in this forum, you will see an increase in heat when you are watching HD video. The fan is elevated but it isn't intolerable. Toshiba's Airflow technology, which draws air from the buttom of the laptop, keeps the keyboard and keypad cool but the exhaust port near the ESC key can be warm.

My previous laptop was the HP dv3z powered by an AMD chip. I loved the form factor of the 13" and most of the features. But like many thin and light AMD laptops, it sounded like a hair dryer almost all of the time, even when just browsing -The heat had nowhere to go. My wife owns the dv3t which is similar but is Intel-based and almost a 1/2" taller and heavier. It handles the heat better but you pay the price in terms of size and weight.

The Portege R705 is significantly thinner and lighter than both of those laptops and manages to handle the heat. But everyone needs to understand, the Airflow fan runs ALL OF THE TIME to cool the components. Most of the time, it is extremely quiet and wouldn't disturb anyone. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds like a desktop fan at it's lowest setting. I think it is a great solution for a thin and light notebook - There are few in its class that weigh as little and pack as much punch. Most of the other laptops compromise other features such as an optical drive or a lower-powered ULV or UM chip to achieve a similar form factor. Even so, they have trouble getting close to the weight of the R700 series.

 

Sounds like this is a good notebook to get for the weight and size, most of the complaints that I have read on here is about the keyboard.

Too bad the prices in Canada are more but with a 3 year warranty I am willing to pay a little more.

 

I agree as well. The keyboard takes some getting used to, but after a couple of days, I have to say I don't have any issues with it. Could they have made the keys a bit larger? Sure - but they are not terrible. The light weight of this notebook is fantastic and it is a joy to carry around and use.

 

Thanks for the information.

How long does the battery last with normal usage (spreadsheet work, watching videos, internet surfing)?

Please assume there is no gaming in this scenario, since it doesn't have a dedicated GPU anyway.

 

Hey, you guys got me all worried about the keyboard. Where can i find one of these babies live to actually hold and play with?

Should BB of Frys have them in stock by now?

 

I think most people are finding them at Bestbuy.

 

The consumer model R705 is exclusive to Best Buy. Some other retailers may carry the other R700 models, but I haven't seen them out at this point.

After nearly a week of research and tips from some really great users here, I'm gonna go with the R705 over the Asus UL30VT and the Sony Vaio Y. Still not too comfortable with the keyboard, but I'm gonna suck it up and and get used to it because the rest of this bad boy's specs are just too good to ignore at this price point. I'll pick up an extended battery to match the UL30VT's epic run-time.

Anybody recommend any particular accessories or sleeves/cases for the R705? Hopefully I can pick it up later tonight at BB!

 

I got my Tecra R700 (this is what it is called in Canada) the notebook is very light , the fan is quiet I can't tell that it is on, the lcd is bright no flex when pushing on the back, the keyboard is smaller will take some time to get used to it but definitely not a reason not to purchase this notebook.

I am coming from a Dell XPS M1330 notebook this Toshiba is a good replacement without breaking the bank. I was deciding between the Dell Latitude e4310, Latitude e6410, Sony Z series and this Toshiba R700 I am glad I went with this one.

I will only have to buy a sleeve for it as I have a mouse, external keyboard and an external monitor.

Did anyone buy the docking station for it?

 

Did you also include the ASUS U35jc in your deliberations? It seems like a lot of people are trying to decide between the 2.

 

How did you find the keyboard depth? Did it bother you given its relative shallow travel space vs. a traditional laptop keyboard? How did you find the spacing between keys?

 

Comparing this with the xps m1330 it is smaller a little cramped but the keys respond well, spacing between the keys is good.

The trackpad is nice, it is bigger than the xps m1330 and responds well.

I was looking for something similar to the xps m1330 and this one is a good replacement. I made some recovery cd's the fan was a little louder than when I was surfing the net but not loud enough to be annoying.

 

do you see a differene between the tecra and the protege?

 

I don't have either so I can't say.

I think you meant to ask someone else, but I responded since your question had my post in quotes.

 

Using the ECO settings, I am getting approximately 4 to 5 hours depending on how much video is in the mix. If I stick to work-related software (Office, Quickbooks, database, etc.), it will go beyond 5. If I include Hulu, Amazon on-demand, and Youtube etc., it is usually around 4.5 hours.

Some of you will probably read that and point to Toshiba's marketing materials that say up to 8 eight hours on a charge. Most of us know that the manufacturers (yes, all of them) post battery run times using scenarios that none of us utilize. When I use my laptop, I am going to use WiFi, watch videos, turn on brightness to acceptable levels, and want my processor to be responsive. All of those negatively impact battery life, so in a real world scenario YOU WILL NOT GET 8 HOURS with the Portege R700 series.

 

If I can get between 4 and 5 hours I will be happy right now I get only about 1.5 hours with the xps m1330 notebook and I do like to have the brightness up at bit and also will be using the notebook for everything except gaming.

 

Thank you for replying.

If you were to stick to work-related software, how long do you estimate the battery life to be (more specifically than 5+ hrs please!)?

Thanks.

 

Doing MS Office Suite items and web browsing I get 4.75 hours or so...

 

The last time I time it was 5:11. I think that's in line with cjb169's results.

 

Thank you both.

One last question for you both:

Did you consider the ASUS U35jc in your deliberations?

It's battery life is comparable to the Toshiba's (maybe even a bit longer).

It does not have an internal DVD drive.

It does have Optimus switchable graphics and a dedicated GPU (Nvidia G310M).

It's a little thicker and heavier than the 700/705, but also runs cooler on average (even with the dedicted GPU running).

 

I did briefly consider the U35JC, but thought the UL30VT would be a better bargain since it was almost $200 cheaper and its 33% TurboBoost pushed it to similar levels of performance. Plus, the U35JC included a graphics card I didn't need, and most importantly, STILL hasn't come out in the U.S. yet! Sites like Amazon and Excaliber are taking pre-orders, but I start school in a couple weeks and couldn't afford to wait for the release and subsequent reviews to make my decision.

In the end, the R705 edged out the UL30VT for me because of the R705's faster processor, DVD drive (which I do plan to use), stronger build-quality/magnesium chassis, and the overall price/performance/portability combo. Really excited to pick it up tomorrow!

 

Congratulations on your purchase La Resistance28!

Please do me a favor and report back tomorrow on your thoughts about the keys, heat management, fan sound, and overall first impressions.

While I know that's not enough time to form a detailed view, your first initial impressions will still help.

Thanks.

 

I didn't. I would rather have a chance to spend some time with a laptop before I make a purchase. That usually means I buy from a local retailer. The Best Buy in Billings, MT has just started to carry ASUS laptops but none in the 13" range.

Frankly, I don't know enough about ASUS's build quality to be comfortable purchasing one. They appear to be feature-rich, innovative, and have great endurance, though.

When I started looking for a new laptop, I was considering going with an 11.6" screen to keep the weight down since I travel to clients on a daily basis. My major reservation with the 11.6" was the cramped screen real estate. Anyone who has owned a netbook can tell you that browsing can be real frustrating with all of the scrolling required. Major compromises are required going small.

To me, 13" is ideal for the road warrior. When I saw how thin and light the R705 was, I pretty much was sold right there. But that wasn't all. It had a full Core i3 (no UM), an optical drive (which I thought I would lose in my quest for weight savings), an innovative way to handle heat (praise God after my last laptop), and only cost $799 (Are you kidding?). You get the picture that it was a no-brainer for me.

After you purchase a laptop, it is easy to have regrets because invariably someone will start offering the latest and greatest. I know I made the right decision because if I had to choose today, I would buy the R705 again.

 

I'm looking at the 705 too. One question I have for those who have one, how do you think the hinges will hold up? The one I played with at BB seemed to have a lot of flex at the hinges and I was wondering if anyone thinks that the hinges may be a problem in the future.

 

And a follow up (sorry):

Did you compare the 700 to the 705? What were the pros/cons between the 2? Thanks.

 

You can compare the 700 and 705 on Toshiba's site. For me, it came down to this: My business laptop is also my personal laptop and the consumer features of the R705 and the lower price sold me.

I bought the Netgear PTV1000 to enjoy the Intel Wireless Display which works really well. I use it often to stream video and music to my HDTV and sound system.

The major benefits to the R700 are 1) 3-year warranty vs 1 for the R705 2) expansion capabilities (docking station and ExpressCard), and 3) Bluetooth. Of all of these, I wish I had Bluetooth since I tether with my Blackberry almost daily. Toshiba does sell a USB nano Bluetooth adapter for around $30, though. The 3-year warranty would be nice but I usually replace my laptop every two years. And finally, I don't see myself ever using a docking station. So for me the R705 was the better choice.

 

This was perfect. Thank you.