Toshiba Satellite L745-S4210 Review - School Laptop
The Toshiba Satellite L745-S4210 is the kind of back to school laptop parents wouldn't mind buying for their kids, because it's practical and unpretentious. And by unpretentious, I mean it comes off a little bland and thick compared to its peers. But what it lacks in flare it makes up for with an up-to-date processor, great battery life, and affordable pricing. Students, though, would rather sink their teeth into something that'll impress on the outside and in. Toshiba employed the right materials on the cover, using a brushed aluminum finish with a navy blue tint. Anything attractive about its metallic top, however, is undone by its overly thick frame. It measures 1.3 inches thick, which is much bulkier than the HP Pavilion dm4-1265dx ($649.99, 4 stars) (1-inch thick) and even larger budget laptops like the 15-inch HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl ($649.99 list, 4.5 stars) and Acer Aspire AS5742-6811 ($699.99 list, 4 stars). Despite its bulk, the L745-S4210 4.5 pound frame is only a smidge heavier than HP dm4-1265dx (4.4 pounds). Though not much to get excited about, the L745-S4210 has all the essential features that an average user would need. This includes three USB 2.0 ports, one of which offers Sleep and Charge, a feature that let's you charge your phone or music player when the laptop is turned off. It has a built-in DVD burner, a feature that you wouldn't get with some smaller laptops like the 13-inch HP dm3t. The HDMI port is your ticket to external LCD hookups, where you can stream both audio and video. The laptop also features the standard VGA,Ethernet, and audio jacks. It has a 4-in-1 card reader and 1.3-Megapixel webcam.
The Toshiba Satellite L745-S4210 is the kind of back to school laptop parents wouldn't mind buying for their kids, because it's practical and unpretentious. And by unpretentious, I mean it comes off a little bland and thick compared to its peers. But what it lacks in flare it makes up for with an up-to-date processor, great battery life, and affordable pricing. Students, though, would rather sink their teeth into something that'll impress on the outside and in. Toshiba employed the right materials on the cover, using a brushed aluminum finish with a navy blue tint. Anything attractive about its metallic top, however, is undone by its overly thick frame. It measures 1.3 inches thick, which is much bulkier than the HP Pavilion dm4-1265dx ($649.99, 4 stars) (1-inch thick) and even larger budget laptops like the 15-inch HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl ($649.99 list, 4.5 stars) and Acer Aspire AS5742-6811 ($699.99 list, 4 stars). Despite its bulk, the L745-S4210 4.5 pound frame is only a smidge heavier than HP dm4-1265dx (4.4 pounds). Though not much to get excited about, the L745-S4210 has all the essential features that an average user would need. This includes three USB 2.0 ports, one of which offers Sleep and Charge, a feature that let's you charge your phone or music player when the laptop is turned off. It has a built-in DVD burner, a feature that you wouldn't get with some smaller laptops like the 13-inch HP dm3t. The HDMI port is your ticket to external LCD hookups, where you can stream both audio and video. The laptop also features the standard VGA,Ethernet, and audio jacks. It has a 4-in-1 card reader and 1.3-Megapixel webcam.
