Portege R700 - the thin and light 13.3"

(idle, wifi on)

 

Funny, I was thinking this exact thought yesterday when reading about the Y. I'm not sure why anyone would choose it over the R700.

I would L-O-V-E to have a backlit keyboard. In reality I'd probably hardly ever use it -- but I'd love to have one.

As far as battery life goes, 5 hours or so is plenty for me. Sure, the more the merrier... but I don't need to have 10 hours.

 

mdg963, thanks for your input, here's my outlook:

3 choices are r705, macbook pro 13, and thinkpad t410

i've basically ruled out the t410 even though it is the most powerful of the bunch at a very reasonable price (i5-540, 500 GB HD @ 7200 RPM, $870). main reasons for this is that the screen is just horrible, battery life is very low (i'd get the 6 cell), and the thing weighs 5.5 pounds.

so now it's between the r705 and the macbook. the macbook has a much much better keyboard, i actually like the MB's screen (with the glass cover it's easier to clean, colors pop more, better for watching movies, etc) and the battery life is better; it also feels a lot sturdier. the r705 feels extremely light, has a better processor, twice as much memory (speaking of the hard drive memory), and the battery life isn't bad, and i like the screen. what i really dont like about the mac is that i'm not used to its OS, although i love how programs like IE, firefox, itunes, etc. open really quickly. i already have a bunch of software for PC that i could reuse (i dont want to run bootcamp or parallels). i use some engineering software so a PC really comes in handy there however infrequently i use such software. anyway, mac OS just seems babyish, though it isn't the worst. the bad thing about the r705 is that while sturdy, i noticed that there are several areas that are easily compressed (between the hinges, area around optical drive) that may be of concern when carrying this though around in my backpack. i also want to be able to watch movies and edit pictures and whatnot, tasks that seem would be better on a mac.

anyway, i would get the r705 (not the r700) so it's 800, the mac after student discount and all those free things (after selling them) would come to around 950. i think i'm leaning more towards the r705, i just feel it will be more practical and convenient...things that i'm still considering: seems like the mac would last longer but it's slightly outdated (processor), could i live with the r705 keyboard...

have you made any progress on your decision? i think i'm just going to go get the r705 later this week, i wanted to read an official review first though...

 

I haven't seen the Toshiba in person yet, so I am very anxious to see the screen and build quality and use the keyboard and touchpad. As I mentioned before, touchpad is big for me since I hardly use a mouse.

If you don't want to run Parallels/Boot Camp but need the Windows for the engineering software, as seldom as that is, it sounds like the R705 is the way to go. You can still absolutely watch movies and edit photos in Windows. I don't really understand why Mac has a reputation for being so much better for "creative stuff," such as editing photos and video (then again, I don't really do those things, so maybe that's why I don't understand the differences between them on a Windows vs. Mac machine).

I'm torn about the 705 vs 700 (S1310). The key differences, I believe, are screen (glossy vs matte), the fingerprint reader (700 has, 705 does not), 3-year warranty (700 has, 705 does not), and the color. I'm indifferent about the color and would much prefer a matte screen. 3-year warranty and matte screen si worth $200 to me. Are there other differences I'm missing?

 

Photoshop on a Mac = Photoshop on Windows. And AVCHD video editing is actually better done on a PC than on a Mac.

The only concern with the R705 might be video editing, since an i5 or i7 is suggested over an i3 for that (but the i3 should still be better in this regard than the 13" MBP).

 

The 1310 has bluetooth (which would be great for tethering) and the port replicator slot which gives you access to USB 3.0 connectors (provided you purchase the port replicator). The 705 has Intel's WIDI technology (which needs some work if you read the comments from those who have purchased Best Buy's Blue Label laptops). There are some consumer vs. business differences as well but none I would consider earth-shattering.

If I purchased from Toshiba, I would probably upgrade to the i5 version instead of the 1310. As it is, I am very happy with my purchase of the 705 from Best Buy.

 

I just purchased my R700 S1330 from the last place on earth that had it in stock and ready to ship before the end of the week. I originally just wanted the S1320 (i5) but they didnt have that, was opting for the S1310 but in the middle of the order they sold out their stock and then finally just went for their showcase model. I am probably going to sell the SSD and use a 320GB I already had to bring down the cost of the machine a bit. In anycase, I saw the R705 and was thinking about it but i realized I needed two things: 1) the docking station, 2) the strengthened chasis. Apparently the R705 does NOT have the fancy chasis that is spill proof etc. I used to be die-hard lenovo for this reason alone. I am all about build quality.

Are any of you r700 lovers looking at the MSI X360 as well? It seems like a comparable machine in a lot of ways. Maybe not as business friendly though.....

 

@Renormalized:

Thanks for the responses and screen shots...seems as though that review was shoddy.

Can someone else with a R705 please post a screen shot like this:

http://i.imgur.com/niziB.png

??

ALSO...this is for anyone, have you/can you try connecting your laptop to two external displays? My M1330 right now does a great job of using two external displays (one uses VGA the other HDMI).

I would reallyy appreciate it!

Thanks!

Crap...one last question. Is the mini-PCI wifi card user accessible? Thanks!

 

I'm curious, have you looked into the Sony Vaio S series. It seems to have everything you're looking for, USB ports, backlit keyboard, powerful processor and its $1049

 

What about the Vaio S series for $1049? Its got all you need.

 

Thanks for the input. From what I've read about it, it seems like what it has over the R700 is the backlit keyboard and the i5, as opposed to the i3, and perhaps a better keyboard (although I'm pretty sure I'd adjust to the R700 keyboard quickly).

What you sacrifice is weight, battery life, and, in my opinion, appearance. I would not like to have a white laptop. To me, these are more important specs than the keyboard and processor (I believe, but am not positive, that the difference between the i3 and i5 would be less significant that the difference between the i3 and MBP C2D).

I'm not too familiar with the S to be honest. Am I missing other differences? Thanks again!

 

Uh oh. It looks like there's deal going on for a Lenovo X201.

About $1050 w/SH and tax for:
i7-620m
Win7 Home 64-bit
12.1" 1280x700
4GB DDR3
320GB 7200 rpm
9-cell battery
Wireless N
same weight 3.2 with 6-cell, 3.8lb with 9-cell

Compared to $1500 R700-S1330:
smaller screen (12.1")
thicker (1.4" vs. 1.1")
9-cell battery sticks out the rear
NO SSD
NO DVD drive
BUT LONGER battery life (7.5 hrs with continuous web surfing + wifi on, laptopmag)


But it's $500 less! Decisions decisions.

 

Sounds enticing. Where did you see this?

 

backlit keyboard

 

O, really? I didn't think either of them had that. Which one has a backlit keyboard - 700 or 705?

 

Well I am also researching a new laptop to buy and it has come down to the Vaio S, R700 and MBP 13". I think the MBP is the best out of those three but I agree the lack of i3 or i5 processor is bit disconcerting. I am leaning towards the S because in order to get the same specs on it on the R700, you'd have to pay $1300. Also the S is silver with a black keyboard(not white) at least the version here in the US. Colorwise I think the R700 is the best, it has a really sophistcated business feel but I really like the design of the S and I also feel like it would be "cool" to have a backlit keyboard. A drawback of the S is that you cannot customize it, it is as is at bestbuy and can only be bought at best buy unless you buy it from a private seller. I have also been reading Sony vaio owners forums and there seems to be a slight black screen delay when you remove or plug in the power cord for the S. So depending on how picky you are that might be a deal breaker for you. I am far from making a decision I think if the MBP 13" is released in a month with an i5 processor that would definitely be my pick, hell I'm now looking at the 15" MBP. Anyway I would love to know what you ultimately choose and how it works out for you.





"History shall be kind to me, for I intend to write it." ~ Sir Winston Churchill

 

I'm so lost with this obsession over backlit keyboards.

I use my laptop in the dark ALL the time, I don't understand why I would need lights on my keyboard. Do you guys still use just your index finger to type? If so, then I understand. Otherwise, do you realize that the f and j keys on the keyboard have a slight bump on them to let you know where to put your index fingers for home row? With that knowledge and good typing skills, you can find anything on the keyboard with your eyes closed. Well the middle few keys of the function row can be annoying but I rarely use those in general, much-less in the dark.


I honestly think that all those requesting a backlit keyboard would be better served by downloading mavis beacon. You can learn how to type the number keys without looking at the keyboard as well, it's not that hard with a little practice. I used to be really fast at just regular typing but learning how to reach the number row without looking was VERY helpful...you'll be faster even when it's not dark.

Now if someone can tell me if this bad boy can power two external monitors that would be greaaaat

 

renormalized, you are officially my hero!, tried to rep you more than once...it wouldn't let me.

 

don't worry about it .. i have gathered a lot of info from this forum and others so its pretty much an obligation now...

 

I'm just curious, how did you measure these temperatures? FWIW, Sony Vaio Z has significantly better temperatures:
Notebookcheck: Review Sony Vaio VPCZ11X9E/B Notebook

 

Used an IR thermometer... The room temperature in their test was much lower than mine (~20 vs ~27)....

 

700 10CHAR

 

Have an R705 on its way. Anyone know of a 2.5-inch SATA HDD caddy that can replace the optical drive in this laptop? I'd like to use an SSD as the primary drive but also have a conventional HDD in a caddy in place of the optical drive.

 

Thanks NZ, the S would be perfect for me except that it's a bit too heavy and the battery life is just a tad too short. Other than that I like it a LOT.

 

10CHAR?

 

Hmmm, interesting.

EDIT: Nevermind, not interested.

 

Haha, what made you change your mind??

 

No HDMI was the biggie reason, plus a few minor ones. But it does look like a good deal.

 

Good point about the Sony s, besides the $250 price difference and different processor and weight, what are the main differences? I can't quote decide now again ...I'd appeciate any insight/reasons as to why one is the better buy than the other, i.e. is the $250 worth moving to the sony?

also, points to possibly include (is sony or toshiba more reliable, which has better customer support....these are less important issues though)

thanks

 

Since the Toshiba r700 series has only been out for a couple of weeks, it is hard to compare it to the Sony S series since none of us have had extended experience with our new laptops. By reading the reviews on Best Buy's website for the S series, it appears Sony may have some build-quality issues. Believe me, the overall comments are not glowing. On the other side, I imagine that long-term reviews of the r700s will note that the speakers have plenty of volume but are not exactly high-fidelity and some will quibble with the keyboard.

For $799, I got a machine that I can happily live with for a couple of years. If I do ever get buyer's remorse, I'll replace it and move on. If I spent over a grand, I would have to think twice.

 

yeah, i thought about it a little more, for $800, the r705 is just a really enticing deal...i'm gonna go with it. it has mostly everything i need, i'm just nit-picking at this point...i'll pick it up later this week...thanks for all the help guys

 

i hope to get some years out of mine. however, for how i'm using it, i somewhat regretfully consider not getting a 200$ netbook.

 

I checked out the 705 at Best Buy today and really liked it. I think I want to go with the R700-S1310, though, for the matte screen and warranty. A couple questions though before I pull the trigger:

1) CDW says "5-7 day availability" while Toshiba Direct says "usually ships within 6-7 weeks." Any idea why there would be such a big difference?
2) This may be a dumb question, but if I were to order from somewhere besides Toshiba, such as CDW, will the laptop still have the 3-yr Toshiba warranty?
3) I seem to remember someone commenting on the build quality of the 705 as compared to the 700, stating that the build quality of the 700 was the superior of the two, but I can't find where I read that anymore. Is this confirmed? If so, what is the difference between the two?

Thanks for the help!

 

1. I got mine from newegg a week ago. Don't know how it works.

2. afaik the warranty comes with the laptop regardless of who sells it.

 

Has anyone purchased anything from ProVantage? I think I may settle on the R700-S1310 and they have 27 in stock at a lower price than Toshiba:

PROVANTAGE: Toshiba PT310U-01Q01Q Portege R700-S1310


I just don't think I will ever need the i5 processor, so paying $200 for more power I will not use seems pointless. I like this version better than the R705 because it has Bluetooth, Matte Screen, better color, and has the ExpressCard Port in case I ever want to do a DIY desktop graphics card or the dock to get USB 3.0....

 

Quick Google search gives mixed results. Some people's experiences were fine, others were pretty bad. Some reviews mentioned that they say they have things in stock, when they actually do not. Customer service is awful apparently.

Assuming CDW's availability estimate is accurate, I think it'd be worth spending a few extra bucks, ordering through them, and avoiding the potential hassle that could come from doing business with Provantage.

 

Can someone please post the Windows Experience Index score for the R705?

 

Processor - 6.3
Memory (Ram) - 5.9
Graphics - 4.6
Gaming graphics - 4.9
Primary hard disk - 5.8

Base score - 4.6

 

wow, my T8300 gets a 6.0 processor and 6.0 RAM...mine isn't even DDR3 memory. Weird. Also weird is that my 8400M GS gets a gaming graphics score of 5.3, i thought the new intel were better than my old school dedicated.

 

I wouldn't read too much into the WEI in terms of benchmarks. It does give you an idea of how well-rounded your laptop is though. The Passmark scores for the i3 and T8300 are 2021 and 1508, respectively. Those scores give you an increase of 34% instead of 5% using WEI. Significant? Yes but I think it is safe to say the Core2 Duos are still good chips.

My conclusion is that Intel's i series is evolutionary, not revolutionary. If your happy with your laptop, the new chips alone aren't a reason to upgrade.

 

Anyone know of any bing merchant discount we can do to get this laptop?

 

Still no good review from major laptop review sources.

EDIT: hmm, from Mossberg:
http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100707/toshiba-portege-r705-review/

"So what about the drawbacks? Well, for one, it has a relatively low-end integrated graphics chip. It stuttered repeatedly while streaming high-definition video from the Web, even on a very fast Internet connection. I found scrolling on the touchpad to be a bit jerky. And its start-up and restart times were relatively slow, approaching two minutes. Also, the R705 lacks Bluetooth connectivity. Finally, it includes an obnoxious, prominent “craplet” program from Best Buy that’s basically an ad.

Still, overall, this is a very nice laptop whose light, thin body hides a pretty powerful computer."

 

is the R705 better than R700? or is not the same series?
What a bout the keyboard? is it good? wow I really like this laptop!

 

Streaming HD video - I've tried this repeatedly on my r705 and I have had no problems on a 8.0 Mbps cable modem connection. I made sure to download Flash 10.1 to utilize the latest hardware acceleration, though.

Touchpad - The reviewer's experience is not mine. I love the multi-touch touchpad. I am coming from an HP that would shrink and enlarge when my thumb hovered above the pad. It was irritating. The pad is large (which might account for the somewhat compressed keyboard). The buttons may be a little "clicky" for some.

Startup and restart times - They aren't blazing but I don't think they are any longer than any other computer I have used. Shutdown is fast.

Bluetooth - My major lament. I tether on a daily basis and I almost ordered the bluetooth r700 version directly from Toshiba just for this purpose (and the 3 year warranty). In the end, I like some of the "consumer" touches of the r705 so I will purchase a Toshiba Bluetooth USB Nano Adapter instead.

Craplet program - Amen. It isn't overly obtrusive but I will get rid of it soon.

 

I think I really like the R700.

How does it run on Linux? Did anyone try? I would be forever grateful if someone with this notebook could test it on Linux. I'd like to know how the fan behaves on Linux, if it's "as silent" and well behaved as on Windows or not. And I'd like to know if all the hardware works out of the box, of course.

Greetings

 

I have linux mint on my r705 as my main OS, and it runs great. Boots up in 35 seconds I switched over from windows 7 cus i hate it
As far as the fan, it does run silent until u start up several applications at once. It does get a bit hot after a while, but what do u expect
And the hardware on linux mint 9 out of the box... the ONLY thing that does not work out of the box is the sound. The speakers work fine but if you plug in headphones the sound does not work. After a while i found a fix for it, but for some reason only on vlc player... its not completely resolved yet
Linux Mint Forums • View topic - [SOLVED] Headphones dont work - Toshiba R705

 

Thanks, that's good news! Did you test the webcam (and builtin microphone) on linux? How loud does the fan get when you listen to music and browse the internet with google chrome or the like, having 20 tabs open? Does it get noisy, or how can it be described?

 

the webcam works fine on booth cheese (a linux webcam software) and skype, but i havent really tested the mic yet. It wasnt working on skype but i was too lazy to find a fix for it, it might have even just been turned off in the settings of somethin
And ya, im running chrome with 14 tabs open, music, and pidgin (aim/msn), and the fan is on maybe medium-low. BUT, if you hold it on your lap with the back left corner hanging off (where the fans are), then it will run even more silent. Right now its on a desk, so ya

 

Hi

I really like the R705 from Best Buy.


I was thinking of ordering online from Best Buy but I'm concerned about the delivery time.

How long would it take to arrive to my house once I place the order?

Did anyone ever have a bad experience buying online from Best Buy?

Would it be better to just go to the store and buy it? (i'm a student and don't have a car.the nearest bestbuy is a bit far so ordering online would be much more convenient)