Toshiba Satellite A665-S6086 16-Inch Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Slate)

Though I've had a netbook, this is my first laptop.

I, too, purchased it at my local yellow and black signed brick and mortar big box store.

I couldn't be happier with it.

Pros -

Excellent LED backlit display;

Full size keyboard with 10-keypad;

Very good 802.11b/g/n wireless reception;

Great speakers;

Both RGB (VGA) and HDMI video outputs;

Toshiba's support website;

X2 finish is fairly fingerprint resistant;

Battery life of 4+ hours at full brightness.

Cons -

No bluray or bluetooth, but in this price range, it's no big deal;

I've heard the built-in web-cam isn't the best;

As others have noted, the battery will not last as long as advertised, but I've been able to get over 4 hours at full brightness.

After about a month, I did a clean install of Windows 7 Professional.

Before doing so, easily found all the drivers and Toshiba software at their very good support website.

Though I still use my desktop for any gaming or heavy graphics, this laptop is great for everything mobile.

All in all, it's an excellent first laptop.

Let me start things off by saying this thing is FAST. I got it as a desktop replacement for my aging HP Media Center, which tended to give off too much heat in the summer. The A665 doesn't disappoint. In fact, it's actually faster than my HP (Core 2 Duo). And it gives off less heat. ;)

PROS:

* Fast, fast, fast, and plenty of RAM. Running multiple programs or using Firefox with a dozen tabs open at once isn't a problem; Photoshop isn't a problem; video editing is a breeze; 1080p video plays flawlessly.

* Beautiful, large, vibrant screen. Crisp and clear. Hinges are firm on the lid.

* 7200 RPM hard drive is wickedly fast.

* Speakers are excellent for a laptop, as long as you set the laptop on a flat, hard surface. There's even noticeable bass response that has to be heard to be believed.

* Keyboard is superb. Despite the laptop's overall flimsy feel, the chiclet style keys feel firm, give great feedback, and the num pad is slightly offset from the main keys, making mis-types unlikely. The keys themselves are glossy (ie, fingerprint magnets), but otherwise it's an utter delight to type on.

* Battery life rocks. 6-8 hours depending on whether or not wireless is enabled.

CONS:

* Overall build quality tends toward the flimsy. There's a lot of flex in the laptop lid, making me wonder just how easy it would be to damage the LCD. Pressing on the palm rests also reveals more flex than I'm comfortable with.

* The sucker is big and, thanks to the hefty battery, heavy. Not the best choice if you're looking for something to truck to school or work each day. (However, this isn't an issue for me because it's a desktop replacement I don't take it anywhere.)

* Under Linux, the touch-sensitive buttons at the top of the keyboard don't light up.

* Optical drive is somewhat slow when copying data from DVDs, and tends to speed up / slow down a lot when burning DVDs.

* Screen flickers randomly when running on battery power. Again, not too much of an issue for me since I use the A665 at home, but worrisome should I need to take it on the road.

Despite the flimsy feel and potential screen flicker issues, this bad boy has performed impeccably during everyday use, video editing projects, and watching 1080p video. EXCELLENT desktop replacement!

Buy Toshiba Satellite A665-S6086 16-Inch Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Slate) Now

I just purchased this exact laptop at Best Buy for $300 less than listed here. So far it doesn't disappoint. Very fast. Sharp graphics on screen. I purchased this for school, and I know it will be a great computer for my use which is internet usage, online classes and document creation. I hope I am one of the lucky ones that gets advertised battery usage, as this is the feature that won me over. I like the textured surface, as it doesn't show fingerprints like some of the smooth surface laptops.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite A665-S6086 16-Inch Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Slate) Here

I bought this at best buy 2 weeks ago, got a good deal, 18 months to pay, no interest and had geek squad set it up and install/set up wireless router in my home. Good idea to use them, was here 2hours getting everything done and answering questions. Computer is perfect for my use, basically email, internet etc. Does not have blu ray capability, no biggie to me, never bought one to view yet. So far, this is just what I expected and I am very happy with it. I can always add software if needed.

Want Toshiba Satellite A665-S6086 16-Inch Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Slate) Discount?

I can't get into specifics on this computer, because I am at Best Buy right now (01/10/11) and this model (Toshiba Model:A665-S6086) is going for $599.99 and all the specs are the same as this model. When I saw the price and compared it to the price here at Amazon I almost fell over. No, I do not work for Best Buy, I'm an independent accountant and work for myself so you don't have to worry about any bias in this review. Shop around. I'm going to be walking out of here in less than 10 minutes with this baby and I'll be getting it for $600 plus tax. Something for all of you to consider and I thought I would do my good deed for the day and "pay it forward." By the way, I shop Amazon all the time, mostly MP3 downloads, but I do love this site. I just wanted to point out that you don't have to empty your wallet on this model if you just shop around. Happy shopping everybody. Peace!

Mike M., Kalamazoo, MI