Telkom Notebook special, is the Toshiba any good?

[Silver82]

Hi

I'm thinking about getting this notebook from Telkom:

Toshiba: Intel T2330 (or Celeron M520P), 1GB RAM, 160GB Hdd, DVD Writer, 15.4" WXGA LCD Screen, 802.11 b/g Wireless Card, Vista Home Premium.

It works out to an extra R93 on my phone bill, over a 36 month period = R3348.

I need it mostly for watching movies on my tv (it has a vga out which I can connect to my LCD tv), and I do a bit of graphic editing. I don't play any games though.

Is there anything better out there in a similar price range, or will this be sufficient?

 

[|tera|]

I'm typing on one at this moment It's actually my mom's. She asked me if it was worthwhile and initially I said no, but I've been using it for almost 2 weeks now and I can't complain.

The Wireless performance is very good when using the latest drivers and all around it's pretty snappy on Vista SP1.

I'd say go for it

 

[Nick333]

Hi

I'm thinking about getting this notebook from Telkom:

Toshiba: Intel T2330 (or Celeron M520P), 1GB RAM, 160GB Hdd, DVD Writer, 15.4" WXGA LCD Screen, 802.11 b/g Wireless Card, Vista Home Premium.

It works out to an extra R93 on my phone bill, over a 36 month period = R3348.

I need it mostly for watching movies on my tv (it has a vga out which I can connect to my LCD tv), and I do a bit of graphic editing. I don't play any games though.

Is there anything better out there in a similar price range, or will this be sufficient?

I've also been looking at those deals and it seems almost to good to be true. Its a R8500 laptop as far as I can tell. For R3348 I would say hell yeah its good.

Only problem is if you take it on an adsl package you will be stuck with Telkom for the next three years.

 

[The_Techie]

Seems like a good deal

 

[|tera|]

I've also been looking at those deals and it seems almost to good to be true. Its a R8500 laptop as far as I can tell. For R3348 I would say hell yeah its good.

Only problem is if you take it on an adsl package you will be stuck with Telkom for the next three years.

Thing is, we had a contract ADSL package (business) for 24 months, after it expired, we just took the Laptop, so we're only on contract for the laptop, as far as I know

 

[hj2k_x]

Thing is, we had a contract ADSL package (business) for 24 months, after it expired, we just took the Laptop, so we're only on contract for the laptop, as far as I know

If that is the case then it really is a steal. If you are tied to the Devil for ADSL for 3 years, then, it is not.

 

[Silver82]

@ Teraside: thanks. Am I correct in assuming that there isn't an s-video port? I've tried checking up on the net, but most of the specs I get for laptops in this 'model range' (because there isn't a review on one with these exact spec), only have vga out. My main concern is playing divx and possibly HD-divx files (I could be pushing it here) on my Sony Bravia. If the VGA is sufficient, then I'll be picking up one of these 2mo

@Nick333: it won't bother me too much as I'm moving in the next few weeks, so the contract will stay with my parents, I'll just pay them the 90 bucks every month.

 

[hj2k_x]

@ Teraside: thanks. Am I correct in assuming that there isn't an s-video port? I've tried checking up on the net, but most of the specs I get for laptops in this 'model range' (because there isn't a review on one with these exact spec), only have vga out. My main concern is playing divx and possibly HD-divx files (I could be pushing it here) on my Sony Bravia. If the VGA is sufficient, then I'll be picking up one of these 2mo

@Nick333: it won't bother me too much as I'm moving in the next few weeks, so the contract will stay with my parents, I'll just pay them the 90 bucks every month.

Can you show me the link to the exact deal that you are getting it on?

 

[Nick333]

@Nick333: it won't bother me too much as I'm moving in the next few weeks, so the contract will stay with my parents, I'll just pay them the 90 bucks every month.

Go for it then.

 

[|tera|]

@ Teraside: thanks. Am I correct in assuming that there isn't an s-video port? I've tried checking up on the net, but most of the specs I get for laptops in this 'model range' (because there isn't a review on one with these exact spec), only have vga out. My main concern is playing divx and possibly HD-divx files (I could be pushing it here) on my Sony Bravia. If the VGA is sufficient, then I'll be picking up one of these 2mo

I just looked for you, it doesn't have S-Video only a VGA port

 

[Silver82]

http://www.telkom.co.za/common/pcbundle/toshibanotebook.html

and looks like the first notebook on this site: http://www.laptopdirect.co.za/lapto...ical=RFZEIHdyaXRlcg==&cat=185&brand=52&page=2

But another one of their flyers specifies the Celeron M520P processor, I just hope they've still got stock of the one they mention on the net.

 

[hj2k_x]

http://www.telkom.co.za/common/pcbundle/toshibanotebook.html

and looks like the first notebook on this site: http://www.laptopdirect.co.za/lapto...ical=RFZEIHdyaXRlcg==&cat=185&brand=52&page=2

But another one of their flyers specifies the Celeron M520P processor, I just hope they've still got stock of the one they mention on the net.

Ya, well make sure you get that lappie then when you apply for it. 3 Years is a long time to sit with something that you don't want and still have to pay for it.

 

[|tera|]

I'll have to make sure if we aren't on a contract, I don't pay the bill, so I can't be sure

 

[sn3rd]

This sounds too good to be true!

 

[Silver82]

I know, it just sucks that they don't put the model number anywhere. But I guess this is to cover their ass on this clause:

'Should conditions render unavailable any materials or Equipment specified herein or otherwise required in order to fulfill the PC bundle Agreement, a substitution deemed by Telkom to be suitable for the performance of its obligations will be supplied.'

I'm just going to make sure I get the right specs when I get this. I think the difference between a T2330 and Celeron M520P (which I can't find anywhere on the net) is pretty big.

 

[|tera|]

My mom's laptop has a Celeron M 440 @ 1.86Ghz as per system information, the model is a: Satellite L40 13G

Here it is:
http://eu.computers.toshiba-europe....p/productPage.do?service=EU&PRODUCT_ID=129761

 

[PeterCH]

You may have problems playing h264 HD movies on that Celeron M520P setup.
1 GB of RAM for Vista is also bad, maybe if u install XP instead, but that will
cost you an extra XP licence (even an OEM one) which can cost about R1000.

If I were you, I'd get a Centrino laptop ie Core 2 Duo not Celeron, with 2GB of
RAM. Onboard video is OK since you're only gonna watch video and the latest
Intel G-fx chipsets offer MPEG2 and H264 video accelleration. You may go
for a heavier model vs a lighter one to save costs as you'll use the machine as
a desktop replacement more than a mobile notebook.

You have a Sony Bravia set so I guess it's at least 720P which means you'll
want to watch your movies in 1280 by 720 and you may have performance issues with
DivX/Xvid and especially h264 codecs in that high res.

Best bet would be to get hold of an HD h264 file, go to the MS WMV showcase or Apple trailers
and download an HD trailer there. Convert it to h264 AVC High Profile at a high datarate and
(you may not need to do that for Apple movies as they are probably in that form already)
burn that to DVD-R or a USB flashstick. Include VLC to be able to play the file back.
Then take it to Incredible and find a laptop with similar specs running Vista and see how
smoothly it plays back. See how well full HD (1920by1080 and how well 1280by720p) performs.
Your VGA output should be able to handle up to 1920by1200 resolution.

Remember also that with onboard graphics running stuff at high res, ie high enough to
make your Bravia work for itself, will use up system RAM, as much as 384MB out of
1024MB which is not a lot of RAM left over for Vista.

 

[Silver82]

Thanks, 80gb hdd though? The ad says 160gb on the net, and 120gb on the flyer.

What do you think of its performance? I use photoshop on a daily basis.

 

[|tera|]

Thanks, 80gb hdd though? The ad says 160gb on the net, and 120gb on the flyer.

What do you think of its performance? I use photoshop on a daily basis.

We got this one last year October, so Telscum is bound to have used a newer model already, the performance is excellent in every regard

 

[Silver82]

@PeterCH: Yeah, thought as much, should be ok with the Intel T2330 though? Since I got Lost in 720p.hdtv.x264, mkv file, I'm hooked! I've got my pc hooked up to my tv, so want to be able to do the same with the notebook.