Toshiba Satellite A100 (SK8 and SK9) build quality

I have been looking at these two laptop for about three weeks at staples on four indiviual visit. The keyboard feels pretty good, and the build quality look pretty good. The SK8 is $1400 cdn, and the sk9 is $1800. What I am really worry about is the build quality of these two laptop, would these two be consider low end or mid end laptop. I have heard that only low-end toshiba laptop has bad quality, but also heard that quality are almost exactly the same through out the entire a100 series. Can anyone advise me if this is a good investment for a university student. I need this to last at least two years.

 

What exactly are you going to be doing with the notebook? The A100 series does have pretty much the same built throughout its entire lineup, and overall is above average in most areas (however, I'm not too fond of the keyboard - the last time I tried one out, it had some flexing).

 

i have the sk9 and the keyboard flexs alittle and the screen flex a tad, and when i say a tad it is a tad

 

Is a tad an official unit of measure?

I've had a A100-ST8211 for about 3 months, and I think the build quality is pretty good. If you don't abuse it there should be no problem with it lasting 2-3 years. This is my third Toshiba laptop and I have gotten 3-4 years out of each one before trading up.

 

I really don't understand the Satellite A100 series build quality. I've had the opportunity to try out over a dozen of these...mainly OFH's and SK4's. Here is what i've found:

Most of them had keyboards where the keys would have some kind of spring problem...you could feel and hear the springs and it was a little annoying. The OFH i'm using presently is perfect and doesn't have that issue at all though, so it's obviously a QC issue.

The mouse pad buttons are also inconsistent. The OFH i'm using presently is perfect...the buttons click very quietly and it's simply a perfect click...they are spaced and feel right. However, the last OFH I had looked like the buttons were just one, with a cut down the middle (felt rough on the cut) and the left one clicked super loud...pretty annoying.

I've had creaking on the left wrist rest (space due to card opening) on most of them except this one. This OFH has a bump on the top of the screen near the bottom on the left side. Also some dark spots on white background presumingly from bad lights. I've had some problems with the Matshita drives too. This laptop has to go back because of drive errors. I have had one with a Pioneer drive that made some loud noises upon startup and use, but never any errors or anything.

Screens overall have been nice, although one had a terrible washed out colours on the bottom, and one had a pixel defect of some kind...kind of like a tiny line that looked like a hair, permanently etched in.

I also had one with a defective headphone jack.

Also had what I think was defective ram or bad HD sectors (constant errors and program shutdowns).

Overall, i'm pretty dissapointed with the Toshiba Satellite line (OFH and SK4 anyways). The QC seems to really SUCK. I have a SK8 on order and am praying that it won't have any of these problems. This is really unacceptable. But what's the alternative? Pay more for HP? I did that and it came with a nice scratch on the top of the screen (on outside) right out of the box!

It really ticks me off when you spend a thousand bucks and don't get something that works like it should. And hopefully they will fix their fans or heatsinks or whatever so they don't get so fricken hot on the palm rests and on the bottom. HP is way better in this aspect.

Toshiba better get their act together...i've had nothing but bad experiences with them including a dvd player brand new out of box that had defective sound, and crappy quality tv's.

 

Build quality varies from machine to machine -- even at times when it's the same model. The demo unit (A100-SK9) I say at Future Shop (if you don't know what it is think Best Buy) was of overall good build quality. Keyboard was next to perfect, screen was acceptably bright, and everything seemed sturdy enough. Unfortunately for me though, the SK9 I bought wasn't nearly as well built. Screen literally shakes whenever you type harder. Oh, and did I mention the keyboard's "clicking" sounds whenever you run your hands across the keyboard? Trust me when I say this, don't get a Toshiba. Qosmio and their business line might be another story, but Satellite and Satellite Pro? Stay far away from it. Toshiba's got no quality control whatsoever.

 

Couldn't agree with you more cy007. My SK8 had the shaky screen too...they all do! The cheap metal they use is crap and bends and creaks. I have a HP dv5000 now and LOVE IT. No comparison to the Satellites. The keyboard is AWESOME...very solid feel...the screen...even NICER than Satellite and solid (no shaking). Overall better build construction and I don't burn my lap anymore! It's -slightly- warm on the base...but barely...the Satellite was HOT.

I will never go back to Toshiba, and so far i love the HP...hope it stays this way!

 

Yeah I hear (well not literally lol) ya. Toshiba wasn't always like this you know. Anything prior to the Satellite M30 was built like a rock. Why the sudden downturn on quality? To make more money? Bad move Toshiba, you'd only lose loyal customers this way.

 

VERY bad move Toshiba. I only bought one because of what they "used" to be like...rumour had it that they were one of the best. I learned the hard way, and now they lost me as a customer for life.

Still very happy with the HP so far....I become even more and more impressed over time. Except for the slight blister on the outside of the screen that doesn't affect the screen quality at all...BUT my Toshiba's had this too so I figure it's just a normal thing due to heat.