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Toshiba Tecra A8-S8314Toshiba is all business with its latest durable, secure, dual-core workhorse. Price:
$1,349
by Rachel Metz 
Sometimes looks are not deceiving: With rounded corners and a titanium, silver-and-black body, the Toshiba Tecra A8-S8314’s solid, business like design is true to the no-frills workhorse inside. Toshiba safeguards against bumps and falls by including protection for the motherboard, a protective display cover, a 3D accelerometer, and a reinforced, spill-resistant keyboard.
At 6.2 pounds and about an inch thick, the A8-S8314 is well suited for performing office tasks or watching a DVD. The 15.4-inch widescreen LCD has good viewing angles between about 65 and 110 degrees. Within that range, the screen is crisp and sharp during multitasking and multimedia play. The A8-S8314’s full-sized keyboard has a nice feel to it, and the keys don’t click obnoxiously. Next to the keyboard is a dedicated button for the Toshiba Assist feature, which links users to Internet settings information, password-protection, computer-fix, and optimization features. There’s also a dedicated screen-magnifying Presentation button, which tends to make onscreen objects look a bit blurry but could be useful for far-away viewers or those with poor eyesight. One confounding feature is the A8-S8314’s dual set of mouse buttons. One sits below the trackpad where you’d expect it. The other set of buttons—designed to work with the pointing stick—is perched beneath the keyboard, one stacked on top of the other; this arrangement requires a bit of getting used to. All three USB ports, the FireWire port, the VGA connector, and the Ethernet and modem connectors, are located on the back of the system. This placement is a little irritating but understandable given that this system is designed primarily for desk use. More frustrating is the fact that the USB ports are right next to each other, which makes plugging in multiple peripherals difficult, to say the least. The right side of the chassis houses the DVD burner, while the left side houses the SD Card and PC Card slots. The speakers on this laptop are useful, but as is often the case, you would be better off using external ones. For low to moderately loud music, the sound was clear, but when we turned up the volume, the audio got tinny and muddled. The A8-S8314’s 1.8-GHz Intel Core Duo T2400 held up well on our tests. It scored a 215 on MobileMark 2005, which is about average for a mainstream notebook. This system also delivered good performance when we put it through the multitasking wringer: streaming video, playing another a DVD, and typing in a Word document while using an instant messaging program. With Wi-Fi off, the A8-S8314 lasted 3 hours and 30 minutes, which is average battery life for a mainstream notebook. The system scored a 1,480 on our 3DMark03 test—below average for this class of system but plenty good for everyday tasks. The A8-S8314 boasts several security and durability features, notably the fingerprint reader, TPM circuitry, and UPEK Protector Suite QL to ensure simple and safe data protection. Users also get Toshiba’s Backup Utility for backing up and recovering data. In addition to the spill-resistant keyboard and 3D accelerometer, you’ll also find shock-absorbent chassis and LCD panel. Other bundled software includes Microsoft Works version 8.5 and InterVideo WinDVD 5, plus 60-day trial versions of McAfee Internet Security Suite and Microsoft Office Small Business Edition. The system is backed by a one-year warranty for accidental damage, as well as a one-year standard warranty, which includes a year of 24/7 support. Despite a few design issues, the Toshiba Tecra A8-S8314 is a solid mainstream notebook for users looking for fast performance and a big screen. Compare Prices | Toshiba Tecra A8-S8314 Specifications
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