In this Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook review we look at what we believe is the best notebook you can buy for your money. Now, notebooks traditionally have been an area of much compromise for consumers out there. Usually if you wanted the power and features of a desktop you had to pay a high price tag. If you had a tight budget, however, you probably had to settle for a bare-bones model of a notebook.

It’s rare that we get both features, performance and a price that won’t break your budget in one little package. The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook is one such package.

The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook
 

Design and Construction

The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 is a sturdy little unit that can fit in the smallest of spaces. Its dimensions are 5.1 lbs and 13.5 by 9.5 by 1.5 inches, yet it is sturdy enough to be taken with you anywhere you need to go.

Its frame is of very solid construction so it can handle all the shakes and jiggles that you might normally give it, especially on an airplane.

It has a wide 14.1 inch TruBrite widescreen so you can watch your favorite DVD movies. The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook also sports Harman Kardon sound speakers for above average audio quality for a notebook.
 

CPU and Memory

In our Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 review we note that M55 has an Intel Pentium M 740 processor operating at 1.73 GHz, with 512 MB RAM. Intel has a well-established reputation for making one of the best processors out there.

That power does not go to waste on this little notebook. You might think that 1.73 Ghz is not exactly the fastest speed that you can get for a computer these days. However the M55 performed very well compared with other notebooks—even some with slightly higher processor speeds. Additionally the generous 512 MB RAM is more than enough for even your most demanding applications.
 

Graphics

The quality of the graphics we saw on this spacious 14.1 inch TrueBrite widescreen was very impressive. The image was razor sharp and very bright. You can watch movies in breathtaking widescreen format and with amazing clarity.

The graphics technology used in the Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook is an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 GM. This is a graphics technology that is basically integrated onto the motherboard rather than providing a separate slot for an AGP card. With the 900 GM you will still be able to handle most of your professional graphics applications. It won’t be suitable for 3D gaming, however.
 

Data Storage

Data storage is an area where we normally expect to skimp with notebooks. We were pleasantly surprised with the Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook. It has a large 100GB hard drive, more than enough storage for most professional applications. It also includes a built in DVD writer so you can burn your own DVDs.
 

Other Components

The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 notebook has plenty of features for multimedia. There are four USB ports and a FireWire port for video editing. There is also a 4-in-1 card reader that will let you upload images from a variety of media formats. And for audiophiles the Harman Kardon sound speakers deliver rich, robust sound.
 

Shortcomings

This Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 review would not be complete without a look at the product’s shortcomings. One of the most common complaints about notebooks is their cramped keyboards and hard to use mouse devices. The Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 shares this particular shortcoming. Some of us are fat-fingered and making our way around cramped keys may be a bit uncomfortable.

Also we found the touch-pad to be a little bit light to the touch. These are minor annoyances, but all things considered we think that you could get used to them and learn to be productive on this notebook.
 

Conclusion

We conclude this Toshiba Satellite M55-S325 review by reaffirming what we said at the start—this is the best notebook out there. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar it delivers the best performance for your money, and all in a tiny unit.

Multimedia lovers—whether movie watchers or video editors—will find this a very robust unit that can handle all their needs. There is plenty of storage capacity and the benchmark performance ratings on this unit were above average. It includes bonuses like a standard DVD-writer, as well as an exceptionally bright viewing screen. It’s definitely the best bang for your buck.

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