Toshiba T235D and its Battery Life

Firstly, I've been looking for laptops for my upcoming semester for quite some time. Toshiba I know has been in the field for quite some time. They too build many things and are based in Japan (normally associated with quality). I've never owned a Toshiba product but they seem to make quality products. Furthermore, I know a few guys in Afghanistan that have Toshibas right now. If they can stand up to the heat and dust in Afghanistan, I'm sure they are somewhat reliable.

I'm narrowing it down to (for me) the:


Toshiba T235D with the K325 Processor (More performance [I think. Nobody has reviewed the basic processor], less battery life [by about 50 minutes] but the cheaper price is better for me... Oh and its AMD) - $545


Toshiba T235 with the Intel Processor (Less performance [not by much], better battery life [by about 50 minutes]) -$612


Asus UL30 A (Least performance, Best battery life [By about 4 hours]. - $599

The UL30's massive battery life is what draws me to it, even though the build quality might be a little less than the Tosh and it might have a less rigid structure with the keyboard and all, that extra four hours would be awesome.

The T235D with the Athlon II Neo should use less power than the Turion, that is a fact. Theoretically, that entails more battery life. If I can get around 5-ish hours with a dim screen, I should be content. The price is what really makes me drawn to this one. I only plan on gaming with maybe some roms and older things like Age of Empires II, Knights of the Old Republic, etc. from time to time. Keep in mind, this is just my school device.

The T235 with the Intel processor has the best battery life of the Toshibas but it gets crushed by the Asus. For $13 more than an Asus, I only gain (what I think) is better build quality and better performance (slightly). I lose out on a few good hours of life.

I'm going to probably order mine by Tuesday since I go back to the University next week on the 23rd and a few days should give me time to test and give it a run to make sure its stable and whatnot.

Anybody that has the Athlon II Neo X2 and can note their current battery life, ANY information about service/repair from Toshiba, and the overall build quality (keyboard flex), I'd appreciate if they could chime in here.

 

icecubhosho - I almost bought the Intel version of the T235. My previous experience with AMD chips was that they were cost-effective alternatives to Intel but 1) operated with more heat (and fan noise) than Intel 2) didn't have the same battery endurance as Intel and 3) didn't perform as well as their Intel counterparts (except for graphics). I have been pleased, however with the latest K335 and K625 Neo chips. It appears that AMD has addressed these deficiencies.

You may or may not have seen the following review at Laptopmag.com:

Toshiba Satellite T235 (Intel) Review - A Review of the Toshiba Satellite T235 (Intel)

Which Toshiba T235 is Better: AMD or Intel Verison?

The review is specifically about the Intel T235 but they also give benchmarks and battery life for the AMD version as well. Not only that, they also provide benchmark comparisons to the Asus UL30A. They conclude that the Intel T235 is the superior model.

In the end, I didn't purchase the T235. Toshiba came out with the Intel R705 which included a Core i3, an optical drive, and Intel Wireless Display for $799. It is an awesome notebook for the money.

Goodluck with your decision. I am partial to Toshiba's build quality and just have too little experience with Asus. Maybe that will change in time but for now, I don't think you can go wrong with either T235.

 

I'm gonna order the AMD based one this week since its still about $50 cheaper and I realized the UL30 Amazon now sells has the weaker battery which is asinine to charge the same money for (they were selling the upgraded one for not much more).