Toshiba Satellite Notebook - I?ve Been Very Happy With My Toshiba Satellite Notebook. I?ve Been Using T

For years, the Toshiba Satellite series of notebooks earned a reputation for reliability and performance, particularly for users needing portable internet access. This review reflects on the Toshiba Satellite M35-S320, an older model that, despite its age, continued to meet the reviewer's needs thanks to its solid original specifications and innovative features for its time.

What Made the Toshiba Satellite M35-S320 Stand Out?

The Toshiba Satellite M35-S320, released several years prior to this review, was a well-regarded laptop. While it might be considered obsolete by today's rapidly advancing technological standards, it remained a highly functional machine for its owner. At its core, the M35-S320 featured a 60GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, and a Pentium-M 1.5 GHz processor.

Beyond these internal components, the M35-S320 also included a combined DVD-ROM/CD-RW unit, a 32MB NVIDIA Geforce FX Go5200 graphics card, and a 15.4-inch TFT screen. A key selling point, and the origin of the "Satellite" name, was its built-in wireless modem and network card. This feature was quite advanced and a significant novelty when the first Toshiba Satellites debuted, making them state-of-the-art for mobile connectivity. While integrated wireless networking is standard in virtually all laptops today, the Toshiba Satellite series was a pioneer, making it a popular choice for on-the-go internet access. These notebooks were designed to connect online right out of the box, provided a network was available.

Beyond Basics: Entertainment on the Go

Toshiba Satellite notebooks were also capable of handling robust entertainment features, including movies and computer games. Equipped with capable graphics cards, fast processors, and ample RAM for their era, they could run many contemporary games and play movies with excellent visual quality. For the reviewer, the M35-S320 frequently served as a gaming platform and a portable movie player, even in "remote areas" like a busy office environment.

Evolving Performance: The M-65 and Beyond

At the time of this review, the "M" series of Toshiba Satellite notebooks had evolved, with models like the M-65 representing newer advancements. The M-65 boasted an even larger hard drive, a faster processor, and an improved graphics card. This newer model was often marketed with an emphasis on its graphical power, while still retaining the core "Satellite" capability for web access that defined the series.

Any Downsides? Addressing Sound Quality

Despite the many positives, one recurring complaint about the Toshiba Satellite series, including the M35-S320, was the sound quality. The M-35's built-in audio was noted as lacking. However, this issue could be easily remedied by purchasing an external set of speakers, which would significantly boost the sound experience for a relatively small additional cost.