Qosmio x505 Review

I've now seen the x505 in person, specifically the Q890. However, since Fry's locked me out of the system, this review will mainly focus on the usability, not performance of the x505 series.

First of all, while I have used a dv7 and Macbook Pro 15", my main laptop up till now has actually been a 7 year old 15" 4:3 Toshiba Satellite 1135-S1553. So, I'm pretty used to the feel of that laptop.

Ok, x505-q890. This is the high-end model, with the 1080p HD screen. Now, I'm going to have to say that this screen is indeed inferior in many respects to most laptop screens out there, HD or not. It is dim, so much so that a white page does not actually appear white. If that weren't bad enough, the screen looks quite grainy; it is not a solid color. For me, that's enough to write this model off. That includes all models with this screen (Q888-Q895S).

Moving on to the keyboard, while it is not small, it definitely feels like it compared to other 17"+ laptops. The keys are completely flat with no spaces in between. They are also glossy, but that didn't feel as bad as I expected. However, I wouldn't advise long use of this keyboard. I have slightly larger than average hands, and after 30mins it was already a bit uncomfortable. Simply put, flat keys suck. Gloss is not the issue, as I tried a glossy keyboard with beveled keys and didn't find it to be a problem. The flat keys of the Qosmio required more force, or seemed like it. Also, the fact that the space bar on an 18.4" laptop is shorter than the one on my Satellite 1135 is unconscionable. With so much space, a full sized keyboard with number pad should fit easily, as was demonstrated by many of the 17" inchers around me.

The touch keys to the left of the keyboard take up too much space. Also, they should definitely have been placed above the keyboard, where there was more than enough space for them. Someone said Toshiba placed them there to center the keyboard; that's rubbish. As it is, the keyboard is still at least an inch to the left. Again, using larger beveled keys would have been better here.

The sound system seemed very nice to me. Some people have remarked that it is not loud enough; I played "Girl With The Flaxen Hair" at top volume and was easily able to hear every note in a crowded store. If that peaceful a song can be played that loudly, I think the volume is just fine; if you feel it's still too low, you're either used to booming desktop speakers or should have your hearing checked. I have a classical music background, and the Harmon Kardon speakers delivered very good fidelity to my ears. I can't comment on the bass performance, but it would probably be at least average. The speakers do make the x505 vibrate on high volume, which can easily be felt by your hands on the keyboard.

One note here: when I started testing the speakers, there would be a rattling noise on certain notes from the left side. At first, I thought the speaker cover might be loose (which is a slight problem on my Satellite 1135), but it turned out that the red band that circles the top of the laptop was loose near to the left speaker. Pressing that solved the problem. I checked elsewhere and the band was tightly connected to the chassis, so I guess it was a build problem, or someone abused the display model.

Heat wasn't a real problem, but again, I wasn't able to stress the laptop. I think all of the laptops with i7s have problems with heat, but compared to the Asus G53 which had a very warm surface at idle, the x505 dealt with it admirably. I do have concerns about the area between the speakers, where it is the warmest; the plastic on the display model seems to have bended slightly upwards. I don't know whether this is because of the constant heat, or abuse, but it's enough to give one pause.

The rest of my quibbles are comparatively minor. The touchpad is very accurate, but way too small. There is also almost half an inch of space between the touchpad and the buttons; that may not be a problem, but it definitely takes getting used to since the majority of laptops have them together.

The Qosmio x505 is VERY heavy, with at least 70% of the weight at the back. The 3D HDD sensor easily detects side to side motion, but if you shake the laptop up and down nothing happens. The webcam seems to be good quality. When you close the lid, it doesn't actually cover the entire chassis, which might seem weird, but it secures just fine. Build quality felt pretty good. The red detailing is actually a dark almost burgundy color which I prefer, not the flashy bright red you see in photos. Aesthetically, the Qosmio is much more attractive than the grayish ASUS or Alienware competitors.

Nonetheless, IMO the Qosmios Q888, Q890, and Q895S are a no-buy for me. A combination of poor screen and keyboard do them in and if you need a high-end laptop, I'd suggest you look elseware.

Regarding the Qosmio Q885 and Q887, I'm alittle less certain. The keyboard remains the same, but the screen should be much better, and with a lower-res the GTS 360m will last much longer. Plus the fact that they are have $200 rebates on Amazon right now makes them very attractive. However, I would advise you to wait until a newer model comes out. If you feel you can live with the keyboard, you'll still be getting a great laptop.

For me, if Toshiba is really serious about the Qosmio line, they'll (1) Use a proper quality 1080p screen on their top models, (2) upgrade the GPU, (3) move the media buttons and enlarge the keyboard with beveled keys, (4) enlarge the touchpad, and (5) keep or lower the price.

Feel free to ask any questions, including about the x505's competitors; I also played around with a G73JH.

 

Great initial review. While you didn't get into the guts of the actual PC performance in your article, you stated outright that you couldn't because you were testing a demo in the store. Not to mention that I think it is universally agreed on that the Qosmios are excellent laptops from a processor, GPU, gaming, and overall functioning standpoint. The fact is that you hit all my hotspots, to be quite honest. Meaning that every fear I had about the keyboard and screen, you basically confirmed, which means that, since I know of no stores in the New York City area that sell these, the only way I could buy a Qosmio would be sight-unseen, on faith. Given what you just posted, I am going to have a great deal of trouble continuing to seriously consider this laptop.

Oh and what the hell is it with the damned FLAT KEYS?! Do the idiots who create these laptops not realize that some of us are using our computers for...oh, I don't know, TYPING a lot and writing, not just gaming? It's not just Toshiba, either. Asus has the same style keyboard on the G73's, and it looks like (from the pictures I have seen) Sager does as well.

Anyway, thanks for the info!

Hey and since you mentioned it, can you give me the same blow-by-blow of the G73 you tried out since that is still a contender on my list?

 

Well, I'm not sure what I could add to the G73JH, given that you've already seen it yourself. It was also the Best Buy version, but I didn't spend that much time with it; I was standing the entire time I was demoing these laptops.

Aesthetically, I don't like the look of the G73. ASUS can mention the F-117A all they want, but the only part that resembles it is the back; with the screen upright, it looks like any old laptop. Worse, even; I wouldn't want to wake up to it everyday. Even though it's a 17.3" screen, the laptop really doesn't look smaller than the x505, on the contrary it's probably longer and thicker. The screen on the Best Buy model had lousy viewing angles. Because of the rear vents, the screen only opens about 100 degrees, so if you like to use your laptop in weird angles, you're out of luck. I don't know how durable the rubberized surface is...probably not bad. The keyboard as you already know is all flat and small buttons, but it does have better spacing than the x505. Touchpad is certainly better sized than the x505.

But all that is useless in light of the serious problems of the G73JH. The display model itself had keyboard problems, with some keys not doing anything! For $1300, that is unacceptable!!!

IMO, either get the Q885/887 or wait for the next-gen Qosmio/G73. While there are problems with each, I have to give the edge to Toshiba. Its problems are mostly design-related, just change the keyboard and screen and you really have a winner. The problems with the ASUS seem much more ingrained to me, with months having gone by without any working solutions to the G73s many ailments.

 

Fully agree with G73 case analysis.

G73 is wider(from front edge to back edge) than X505. Yes, it has 17.3 16:9 screen, but it has pretty poor layout - with this massive protrusion in the back behind the hinges. It's looks like oversized extended battery It's actually wider than usual 17" laptops which should be considered when buying cases or backpacks for it.
And, yeah, it constraints the max opening angle and creates a very uneven thickness & weight distribution - all concentrated in the backside.

 

Those seem to me more aesthetic concerns to me, though. Look, the truth is that the X505 line is no doubt the prettiest laptop series I have seen in this generation, and from that standpoint, it is one of the reasons I like them. But I am a writer and need to do an unbelievable amount of typing on a daily basis while I travel, which I do a lot.

This is why I asked about the G73 keyboard, hoping you could tell me your impressions. It sounds, at face value, like the G73 at least edges out the Qosmio overall in that regard, and is a better typing keyboard, but I honestly don't like the so-called chicklet style, and from your review, it sounds like neither keyboard is "good" but the G73 is the lesser of the two evils. IS that true?

I only checked out the keyboard in the G73 for a litle while, and it was a floor model. Not only that but I was standing up and it was a little loud in the store...sensory overload and all. So I wasn't paying as much attention as it seems like you were.

It may be that neither of those lappys are for me, to be honest. Because from a pure performance standpoint, the Asus is a good deal more powerful, but as Ingvarr says, we have the PSOD.

Edit: Oh and speaking of keyboards, I forgot that I was reading a thread last night about the G73 having an issue with "skipping" characters when you type fast, and that the only way people have been able to get around that is by disabling the touchpad. *eyeroll*

 

I don't recommend the G73 AT ALL. Sure, it may be all powerful, but it's butt ugly and riddled with STDs. Would you take someone like that home?

And quite frankly, I'm not sure what kind of support you'll be able to get from ASUS in the future. They're already moving on to the G73JW and switching to Nvidia, which tells me they just want to forget the G73JH as soon as possible.

Unless you seriously need a powerful laptop right away, I'd advise you to wait, at least until Oct/Nov when the new G73s and hopefully the new Qosmios will appear. If the next generation doesn't address my concerns, and no new competitors show up by then, I'll probably bite the bullet and get a Q885.

 

First off, I actually asked a question about this in another forum regarding the "next gen" of laptops, and I was rebuffed and told it is best to buy now because laptops evolve more slowly than desktops and it would be many more than one or two months before the next real advancemenht in laptops comes.

As for waiting, I think I may have to. The truth is that it seems like all the mid-range gaming laptops with high end video cards, including Toshiba, Asus, and even Clevo/Sager have the same chicklet style keyboard. The review I read that you guys posted of the Np8120 wasn't the least bit pretty, and I certainly don't want an awesome gaming rig that will be next to useless to do serious typing on. So it appears as if there absolutely is no laptop for me right now, and I am going to have to stick with my present XPS Gen 2 and run it into the ground. While I want to play much more current games than three years ago and more, I am willing to wait if it means having high end gaming capabilities AND the ability to write for hours on end.

For me, it's either both or nothing!

 

And I'll stick with my Satellite 1135.

But I don't think we'll have to wait that long. The G73JW should show up in Sept. As for the Qosmio line, looking back, the x305 was released in Jan '09, the x505 was released in Oct '09. I don't think Toshiba will go another 6 months without a refresh; they know they can't rely on the G73s problems forever.

 

I don't think there will be any refresh before Intel releases Sandy Bridge.

 

Ingvarr, I don't follow.

 

ChiroVette, it's the code name for the next gen of processors that'll replace the core i7, i5 series.

 

Thanks, Compunsmurf! Any idea when they will make their way to desktops and then laptops? Or is it all speculation at this point?

 

Wikipedia says it will release in Q4 2010, and I've recently heard it's more like Q1 2011, so that fits into my timeframe of roughly 6 months.

 

I found this pretty knowledgeable answer in a debate over the x505 vs G73JH

Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q887 vs ASUS G73JH-A2 Laptop? - Yahoo! Answers

It's interesting that he actually liked the keyboard of the Qosmio. I would definitely agree that the keys on the G73JH were smaller, and the layout in some instances was a bit weird.

 

Thanks for the review post.

The problem I have is that I don't believe the Best Buy's in the US carry the Qosmio line, at least I have never seen them. So going into a store to demo one is not going to happen. Also, while I am the first one to rant on a forum, the tone of that review hardly sounds objective! I took your review a helluva lot more serious than I did this guy, who to me sounds like he has some kind of an agenda. I could be off, but I am not fanboy, and his "review" sounded like a fanboy rant to me.

Edit: Actually I thought you said that the keys on the Qoamio were smaller and that the keyboard felt more awkward than that of the G73?

 

No, I said the G73's keys were smaller, but had spacing between them, as opposed to the continuous layout of the Qosmio. The layout of the G73 is a bit unconventional though, especially the arrow keys and number pad. And I suppose your fingers could fall in between the spaces, since the keys are smaller.

BTW, where are you, NYC? I could check to see if any of the stores there carry one...I know for a fact B&H has it.

 

LMAO Now I am getting more and more confused as this day wears on. I have to get my hands on a Toshiba to demo one.

 

This video shows a guy typing on the x505,

Dailymotion - Toshiba Qosmio X500 on www.globalhardware.fr - une vidéo High-tech et Science

Judge for yourself.

 

I couldn't really tell much from the video because he only typed a moment. Other than that, it was an interesting video infomercial. Shows how pretty the laptop is, if nothing else. Doesn't address any of my concerns, unfortunately.

On a side note, I checked and Best Buy does indeed sell the Qosmio, but there are none in my area. So I would have to order the macine for in-store pickup. I doubt I could order it to demo the unit.

 

Well, if you're willing to put down money for a trial, why not get the Qosmio from Costco? They have a great 90-day return policy, and I know they have a store in Manhattan. They only carry the Q885/887, but I'm pretty sure you're not interested in the HD screen anymore.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11538889

 

Wow didn't realize that Costco had this laptop. I may have to consider doing that, or at least going down there to demo one. Thanks for the info. They have a store here in Brooklyn as well as two in Long Island.

 

I've been contemplating purchasing the Costco Q887 model for awhile but be aware, the Costcos by me in South East Michigan do not have Qosmios at the stores, and I believe they are order "online only" products.

I could be mistaken, but to save you a drive I would double check to see if they actually have them on display.

 

Thanks for the tip. I am going to Costco in a week or two anyway, so I will call ahead and see if any of the 5 or so in NYC and Long Island have them!

 

You'll probably have to order it online and have them ship it to you, but they will refund your shipping if you return it to a store.

 

I went back and visited the Q890 again, this time I was able to adjust the settings.

I did make sure the screen was set to max brightness and high-res, and the graininess did seem to be much better. However, the dimness and color is still a disappointment. Using the Nvidia control panel, I wasn't able to get a blank page in MS Word to look white; it was tinted yellow. In comparison with a G51 side-by-side, the difference was extremely noticeable. The Device manager showed that the screen was made by Seiko, which was really surprising; I only knew they made watches. All in all, I just couldn't get the screen to look acceptable.

I also tested the speakers, this time purposely using bass-heavy music. You'll need to hear them for yourself, but there's a reason Toshiba didn't include a subwoofer; you really don't need one. Getting booming bass is easy (you can see the speaker drivers oscillate) and if you need more bass, the Dolby control panel can boost the bass alot (although too much and treble becomes murky). The speakers definitely get a thumbs up from me.

The problem with the keyboard isn't really the glossy surface or flat keys; it's the fact that they're too tightly spaced. Your hand never stretches or moves around while typing; that probably explains the 'cramped' feeling.