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    Tecra A6 vs. Tecra M5

    Discussion in 'Toshiba' started by suspensif, Jul 25, 2006.

  1. suspensif

    suspensif Notebook Enthusiast NBR Reviewer

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    Hi,

    I am debating between a number of models. Within Toshiba brand, I have my eye on either Tecra A6 (nice wide-screen, available in matt) vs. Tecra M5 (seems better quality: with magnesium-alloy casing; + extra features like built-in microphone which A6 doesn't have).

    Does anyone using A6 find the touchpad hard to use? The buttons seem smaller.
    Also, is there enough room for your hands to type comfortably?

    The M5 seems to have a larger area to rest your wrists when typing.

    I am currently working on an old Dell Inspiron 1100, with a 15" screen. I am very comfortable with a 14.1"widescreen, but I wonder how much tighter would one feel with a diagonal 14" display on the M5.

    Thanks for helping me decide!

    ~Suspensif
     
    suspensif, Jul 25, 2006
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  2. klonny

    klonny Notebook Guru

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    I've got the M5..I like and since it was a work machine cost wasn't an issue, but when I step back and think it cost about $2k for the machine I think I could have gotten a Dell for $1500 and been happy.
     
    klonny, Jul 27, 2006
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  3. chris_c28

    chris_c28 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I spent quite some time checking out both today as I was interested in the Tecra A6 and M5. I wish Toshiba offered a widescreen option for the M5 as the build quality between an M5 and A6 is very very different. The M5 is solid and actually feels nice, but the A6 is quite poorly built (the casing creaks like my current M50 and the screen looks washed out). Also, the M5 comes with a true Toshiba BIOS while the A6 uses the Phoenix BIOS. Both units on display have discoloration problems which I thought Toshiba had supposedly fixed.
     
    chris_c28, Jul 27, 2006
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  4. petrv

    petrv Notebook Consultant

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    Klonny, can I ask what display have you bought it with? Any comments about the heat and fan noise?
     
    petrv, Aug 1, 2006
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  5. klonny

    klonny Notebook Guru

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    I did a review on the M5 a few months back, it should be in the Toshiba archive. I love the keyboard, very solid, heat...well it gets hot, nothing to worry about unless you set it on your lap naked i guess. keyboard does not get hot. Fan noise can be very annoying BUT a little tweaking with the setup and the fan is no problem. I don't know the display...it's a 14.1 normal size.
     
    klonny, Aug 4, 2006
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  6. suspensif

    suspensif Notebook Enthusiast NBR Reviewer

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    klonny, thanks for your response. after much debating and brain wrecking, i ended up buying an HP nc6400 just past sunday! (my review coming soon to a forum near you!) if ever possible, it's exactly what i was looking for.

    !

    ~suspensif
     
    suspensif, Aug 4, 2006
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