![]() ![]() The secondary keys are all a good size and they're laid out well - although the strip of Home/End, PageUp/PageDown navigation keys along the right-hand side of the keyboard takes a little getting used to if you're used to a different layout. With this thin a system it's not surprising that the keyboard doesn't have as much travel as some notebooks and the keys have a distinct click as you type, but they're comfortable to type on for a long time and the isolated key tops are both large enough and well enough spaced that typing is accurate as well. ![]() As well as the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the R830 also has built-in mobile broadband (14.4Mbps HSUPA) and Intel's new wireless display - if you have the right TV or Netgear adapter that lets you play HD video from the laptop on your TV screen. It has a good selection of ports for something this small VGA, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, an SD Card slot cleverly tucked into the end of the palm rest, separate headphone and microphone sockets and one port each of USB 2, USB 3 and combined USB and eSATA (a port that can also charge devices while the Portege is switched off, if you choose). The only drawback is that charging time is quite slow after a couple of hours, we still had only 33% charge.Īt 1.5kg the Portege R830 isn't as ultra-ultra-light as the upcoming Sony Vaio Z which weighs just under 1.2kg, but then it also packs a DVD drive which is rare in any ultraportable, let alone one this lightweight (Toshiba claims the double-sided motherboard is a quarter the size of the competition, which would explain why there's room for the optical drive). Playing a DVD continuously, the battery lasted over 5 hours. Unlike some current 13-inch ultraportables, it has a removable battery you probably won't need to carry a second battery though, as we got over 6 and a half hours of battery life for a mix of editing documents, heavy web browsing, streaming music and video with a high screen brightness (so turning off Wi-Fi and turning the screen down should actually get you the promised 9 hours). Don't let the slimness and light weight fool you the build quality is excellent. The chunky silver dropped hinges are robust as well, but the thin screen will flex if you deliberately try to twist it - although as with the previous generation, it also stands up well to the punishment of being thrown into your carryon and dragged around the world. The design is all about practicality the matte black case is magnesium alloy and the chassis is particularly sturdy without being heavy or looking clunky. That helps with the 20 second boot time (from powering on to being logged in to Windows) we also like the option to have the R830 turn on automatically when you open the lid (tucked away in the BIOS). We also appreciated the 7200rpm speed of the 500GB hard drive the new Core i5 processors are strong performers and it's nice when the drive speed keeps up. That's the principle and it seems to work even on a hot day it's not uncomfortable to use the R830 in shorts for general tasks - we had to run four GPU-accelerated web apps and stream a video before we noticed any increase in temperature and it was never hot enough to be a problem. That's because unlike most notebooks that let the components heat up and then use a fan to push hot air out of the case, Toshiba designed the case so that fan pulls cool air in and passes it over the motherboard to keep things fairly cool in the first place. That’s because instead of a low-voltage processor, you get a full Sandy Bridge Core i5-2520M - and no, it doesn't scorch your lap. The R830 isn't cheap, and it's both light and long lasting but the design is understated - and the performance is unusually good. Ultraportables tend to be pricey and to favour sleek design, battery life and light weight rather than performance. ![]() (Pocket-lint) - Want an ultraportable notebook that concentrates on features rather than style? Optical drive, full speed processor, wireless display, USB 3.0, light weight, long battery: Toshiba delivers again with the Sandy Bridge update to the Portege range - mostly.
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