I wanted a new laptop my old one is 9 years old and still going strong but the graphics were starting to lack on gaming.This laptop was a good deal for the price. (I got it for $499 fulfilled by Amazon and now price has changed.)
Pros:
-It runs very cool I've left it on for days and the only warm spot I feel on it is near the exhaust fan.
-The built in speakers are pretty good. It comes with SRS Premium Sound which is nice with a bit of tweaking the bass default makes it sound like it's underwater.
-I have not had any issues with it dropping the wireless connection.
-No issues with it networking to other systems in the house (including 2 XP and one Win7 box)
-I've done some gaming on it and it performs well.
-Touchpad is big and responsive
Cons:
-The LED lights on the front are a bit too bright.
-The keyboard drops or repeats keystrokes despite tweaking (this seems to be a common issue with Toshiba keyboards)
-Boots very slow from a restart (well over a minute), but boots in less than 40 seconds from a shutdown.
-Came with too much bloatware (not surprising)
-When I purchased this, it listed in the description that it came with Win8 Pro which it did not, it's just Win8 basic.
-Does not come with any manuals or recovery disks. The manual is built-in and can be found online which is okay. Recovery can be obtained for 'free' from Toshiba for $40 shipping and handling.
Warning: do not try to uninstall the Toshiba Driver for Windows Media Player, even though WMP isn't included in Win 8, because I somehow lost my wifi and got a Blue Screen of Death after doing so. I had to run System Restore and reinstall this (seemingly useless) driver to get my Wifi working again (and I still have to clear out the system dump files from all the errors and BSODs during this process). I mean, *painful* uninstall of crapware.
Otherwise, this seems like a 5-star laptop, esp for the price. It's slim and lightweight, yet still runs work applications impressively (I'm running Photoshop and Office apps simultaneously; and have compiled VC++ without lag, as well).
Packaged nicely; quick boot; and has Office pre-installed, so type in your Office key and you're up and running in short order.
I like it. Needs debloating, but even if you didn't debloat, the only thing you really *need* to remove is the PC Health Monitor (Desktop system tray; useless; monitors your battery; takes up memory). At least that's easy to remove (not tricky like WIldTangent!): Add/Remove programs. You don't need most of the Toshiba utilities, in fact, but keep the Toshiba App Installer so you can reinstall whatever you might miss.
Keep the "Desktop Assist" program around until you get used to Win 8 and the Toshiba utilities. I don't use the media apps included (iTunes and VLC freeware does fine for me), but the Keyboard and Mouse utilities, specifically for this Toshiba, are essential since the Function keys are defaulted to "media controls"... no no no. F5 should be "refresh", not "turn mouse off". But "Desktop Assist" made that easy to figure out and fix.
Don't use IE; download anything else and make it the default browser, because the Win8 version of IE has no ad blocker. (Talk about seeing the internet in a new way! UGH!) The Win8 apps will automatically use the desktop browser once you do that.
I won't trash Win 8 here: it's not bad once you get used to it, but the Win 8 apps don't share well at all with Win 7 applications. If you use One Note, the Win 8 app (not pre-installed) has a beautiful interface, but it doesn't work like One Note 2010. At all. I ended up putting my notebooks (5+ years worth) on SkyDrive so my desktop app, Win8 app, and mobile would all work together well.
Speakers are great. (And trust: use that Desk Assist program to change the Function keys back to function keys, and Fn+Function Keys to turn the volume up and down. The sound card needs the Fn 9 and Fn 10 keys to really get this laptop rocking, but the speakers are great for such a thin laptop. (If you just use the built in Windows Mixer, the speakers won't get it as loud.)
Feels like an older Protege; plays video beautifully; edits video without lag if you're not multitasking. Definitely worth twice the money imo. Win 8 is awkward, but the Toshiba Desktop Assist really helps you get acclimated. (My desktop looks like Win 7 now; everything works fine; I've gotten used to Win 8 apps, too.)
Seriously, Toshiba: get rid of the crapware. That's why this 5-star laptop has only 4 stars.
Buy Toshiba Satellite S955D-S5374 15.6-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed Aluminum) Now
Toshiba has always been reliable in the PCs and this one doesn't defer from the path. It's a great PC. Windows 8 is a bit of getting used to and I don't see that all the bugs are out of it. However, that's not Toshiba... that's Windows.Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite S955D-S5374 15.6-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed Aluminum) Here
You can price shop as much as you want and you never find this much power for the dollar. Toshiba manufacturers their own LCDs and hard drives two of the most important and expensive parts.The Toshi's ability to run numerous heavy applications simultaneously gives every student access to the tools to be successful.
It cleaves through Microsoft Office almost like it is angry at it !
Photoshop and Creative Suite run with ease.
Mathematica just launches and calculates with consistency, it plots smoothly and usually finishes faster than the projected calculation estimates.
An Information Technology student can use it for their lab work without being connected to the campus lab because this thing can replicate a campus lab. (see my uploaded pic) Even an inefficiently configured Windows Server simultaneously executing six virtualized servers and my foot on this things neck still couldn't crash it. That means a DBA candidate, a JAVA or C# developer and web designer doesn't have to wait in line for campus lab networks since you can host and control your own nicer and portable computer lab on tfis hucking thing ! (s e e the user uploaded p i c), be your own computing cloud.
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If you just hate Windows, I don't blame you since it is hard to tolerate unless people pay you to and Toshiba's are LINUX and Macintosh friendly. Real friendly because it is only laptop maker I've found that lends resources to the Linux developer community along with modified drivers. However, that shouldn't be confused as official Toshiba Technical Support but LINUX users are expected to be independent enough.
You can download a free Mac OSX clone, install it onto a camera card and reboot your Windows 8 into a MaC and without hassle nor risk damaging Windows fragile boot manager (see vid review / 1st appended comment for download links and pics).
Kids are gonna end up loading video games on it, thats fine since most parents I know would rather have our kids distracted playing WoW than wasting spare time playing real life strip poker with the townies, and the integrated lid camera helps you skype the kids to make sure the background image matches the dorm room you're borrowing student loan money for.
This S955 is little more expensive than the cheaper S8 and S7's because the aluminum case exudes quality and rigidity while the less expensive plastic ones feel as cheap and icky as wearing a strangers dirty underwear. The less expensive systems are just as powerful but hold them in your hands side and by side and you'll know where that extra money is going.
NOT all is perfect, the touchpad arrives out of the box designed to annoy and it has to be tuned (see the appendix) or you will end up cussing at the walls before you finally just fling the whole laptop into the floor. Toshiba has some bizarre romantic affair with Norton and it arrives jammed with Norton bloatware constantly demanding payment for ongoing protection but doesn't work any better than free Microsoft Security Center. Removing the Norton isn't as easy as you'd think because of confusing double inverted choices during the removal process "which are just so not possibly unright".
The BIOS arrives locked until you download the Toshiba Value Added Tools that seem like anything but and you risk bricking the machine when Windows fails to boot and Toshiba Telephone Support insists you access the inaccessible BIOS to receive technical support. Toshiba uhnashamedly admits your laptop may or may not include the software along with a dearth of notices or warnings anywhere in the box leaves the owner wondering if Toshi is relying on the $25+ special servicing fee to swap an unlocked drive in the mail.
The beautiful screens are also delicate, the lid closes without a latch but also with zero tolerance. I ruined an LCD after pinching an SD card between the lid and keyboard and the terrible cracking sound was just as awful as a snow skier that snaps their leg after grabbing air and dreading the pain of returning to ground. The LCD although cracked in the corner with that dreaded black moon sunspot, managed to spider across the rest of the panel by the afternoon.
Invest in a $180 damage / owner abuse protection plan since replacing a Toshi screen is about $200 not including labor.
Five+ pounds including the battery can be tiring, the wider deck requires a compatible backpack or roller case inexpensively sold by Toshi or listed as compatible and sufficiently padded, it doesn't have to be ZeroHalliburton rated for skydiving but it should specifically "be wide screen friendly" without being overly dorky enough to invite attacks from bullies. This CaseLogic, is a suitable case and will sufficiently protect a Toshi from most threats except tornado's and stupidity. Case Logic PNC-218 18-Inch Laptop Case (Black) . This isn't a system that should be shoved into a tight fitting case then squeezed further with unexpected docs printed on the campus library since you'll only have yourself to blame for a shattered screen.
Want Toshiba Satellite S955D-S5374 15.6-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue Brushed Aluminum) Discount?
WELL I HAVE THIS LAPTOP FOR A WEEK NOW I KNOW THAT MAY NOT BE A LONG TIME TO RATE BUT I WILL ANYWAY. IT IS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD. VERY FAST. IT IS A WAY DIFFERENT FROM VISTA AND OTHER WINDOWS SO I AM STILL GETTING USE TO IT. BUT OVER I CAN SAY IT IS WORTH IT. I AM STILL TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE MICROSOFT OFFICE :( FOR THE FEATURES:WEBCAM: SHOWS VERY CLEAR
VIDEO/SOUND: VIDEOS ARE CLEAR AND THE SOUND IS LOUD!!! (THAT'S A PLUS :D)
KEYBOARD: VERY GOOD/RESPONSIVE
KEYPAD/MOUSE/ IT IS OKAY, COULD OF BEEN MORE RESPONSIVE
SIZE: A LITTLE BIGGER THAN I EXPECT BUT AT LEAST IT IS LIGHT!!
COLOR: JUST AMAZING
BRIGHTNESS: VERY VERY BRIGHT
BASICALLY IT IS DOING A SPECTACULAR JOB....
UNTIL LATER.....
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