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Important question about 5205-S119

post #1 of 22
1/15/04 at 5:42pm
Thread Starter 
Hi folks.

I have been looking for a desktop rep for a long time and finally decided on the 5205-S505. However I learned that its discontinued and they sold it all out before christmas.
The only available 5205 model now is the S119 but I afraid it has a big disadventage, which is the processor.
I checked Toshiba's pdf files for these two models.

S505:
*Mobile Intel Pentium 4 -M at 2,20 GHz
*Integrared co-processor
*512KB Level 2 Cache

S119:
*Mobile Intel Pentium 4 -M at 2,20 GHz
*256KB Level 2 Cache

I know that the S119 has a better res screen, better graphics card etc., however I also know that the cache size and the co-processor have a big impact on the overall performance.

I read all the threads about s119 and I saw that nobody is complaining about that.
To my knowledge, the cache size is very important, and is expensive too. Maybe that's how Toshiba offers the S119 at such a low price.

Maybe I am going to purchase the s119 neverthless, however I have my doubts.

What do you think? Am I right or not?
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post #2 of 22
1/16/04 at 12:16am
This all sounds really odd.. the cache (L2) shall be the same as the P4-M has the L2 cache built in, and as far as I know there are no different models here at 2.2 Ghz.

I think they are the same and may very well be a Toshiba typo.. just like they listed the 40 gig hardisk as a 4200rpm before but in the PDF it was 5400rpm (it is 5400 rpm and they corrected it on the main page now).

- Raist
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post #3 of 22
1/16/04 at 12:19am
BTW, I think the reason Toshiba is offering such a low price is because they have/had a surplus of Pentium 4-M's (which are being phased out in favor of the P-M), and the Geforce FX 5600 which is being phased out for the Geforce 5700 FX. Expect Toshiba to announce new models very soon with the Geforce 5700 FX (I would say next month).
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post #4 of 22
1/16/04 at 1:35am
I'm definitely waiting for that announcement, I really like the current case for the S119 though. I wonder if they'll use the case that the A45 has...though, none of toshiba's other laptops current have the clear screen to my knowledge.
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post #5 of 22
1/16/04 at 2:55am

p4m cache

http://www.geek.com/procspec/intel/p7mobile.htm

the p4m 2200 has 512k L2 cache
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post #6 of 22
1/16/04 at 3:56am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raist3d
This all sounds really odd.. the cache (L2) shall be the same as the P4-M has the L2 cache built in, and as far as I know there are no different models here at 2.2 Ghz.
I think they are the same and may very well be a Toshiba typo.. just like they listed the 40 gig hardisk as a 4200rpm before but in the PDF it was 5400rpm (it is 5400 rpm and they corrected it on the main page now).

- Raist
Well Raist, I agree with you that the cache is built in, and it surprises me too to have such a conflict. The P4-M 2,2 comes with 512KB cache I know. But still I do not understand how Toshiba could have made such a silly and big mistake in their official pdf file.
http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont..._5205-S119.pdf

To clear all the doubts, I would appreciate a lot if any of the S119 owners would check his/her system to see the actual cache size and give feedback here. I think you should be able to see the cache size in the setup menu before windows is loaded.

Thank you all for your replies and efforts folks!
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post #7 of 22
1/16/04 at 4:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hikki-fan
I'm definitely waiting for that announcement, I really like the current case for the S119 though. I wonder if they'll use the case that the A45 has...though, none of toshiba's other laptops current have the clear screen to my knowledge.
One thing to keep in mind: these machines are probably going to be in the $2k+ USD range.. if they are going to be true successors to the 5205 line. I say this because this is what made me be ok with "pulling the trigger" and getting a 5205-S119... since the prime directive was more battery life everything else is gravy. Quite frankly at $1,350 the S119 is a good deal.

I am not saying with this "don't wait" but more like - weight the options and the price. Either way, whatever you buy, there will be something better all the time.

- Raist
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post #8 of 22
1/16/04 at 4:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
Well Raist, I agree with you that the cache is built in, and it surprises me too to have such a conflict. The P4-M 2,2 comes with 512KB cache I know. But still I do not understand how Toshiba could have made such a silly and big mistake in their official pdf file.
http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont..._5205-S119.pdf

To clear all the doubts, I would appreciate a lot if any of the S119 owners would check his/her system to see the actual cache size and give feedback here. I think you should be able to see the cache size in the setup menu before windows is loaded.

Thank you all for your replies and efforts folks!
There's no such setup menu. Toshiba's BIOS is now configured within windows itself. But there's no 256k P4-M model, so I can say right now, it's not the first time Toshiba has a misprint in specs. I remember my now sold (yes sold it this week) 5105-S701, that listed an 8x CDR/CDRW/DVD -rom drive when it actually can record at 16x CDR...

This very S119 until recently listed a 4200 rpm hardisk, but it's 5400 rpms. And so on.

- Raist
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post #9 of 22
1/16/04 at 4:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
Well Raist, I agree with you that the cache is built in, and it surprises me too to have such a conflict. The P4-M 2,2 comes with 512KB cache I know. But still I do not understand how Toshiba could have made such a silly and big mistake in their official pdf file.
I just ran Futuremark's 3dmark2003 and got the info. Yes, the P4-M is listed as having L1 8k cache/ L2 512k cache.

It's the same as usual.

Man seeing that the L1 is = 8k reminds me probably why the P4's design kinda sucks :-)

- Raist
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post #10 of 22
1/16/04 at 7:23am
Thread Starter 
Thank you raist, think that wipes off the doubts.

I think I am gonna make the purchase. It would be nice if the s119 had the same battery performance as the 5205 (3H with no 2nd battery), but like you said, whatever you buy there will be a better one.

I read somewhere in the forums that your machine came with a free wireless router. I do not see that offer in the toshiba site. Is it a favor of them which they do not advertise?

And another question. Since I live in Europe and I am not a US citizen, I dont have a US credit card. So it seems I can not make the purchase at shop toshiba. Would anybody suggest a way for me to make the purchase without a US credit card? . (for those who are curious how the item will be sent to me, I will have sent it to a friend of mine in NYC and he will later bring it to me). But how to make the payment is a big problem.

Thanks
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post #11 of 22
1/16/04 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
Thank you raist, think that wipes off the doubts.

I think I am gonna make the purchase. It would be nice if the s119 had the same battery performance as the 5205 (3H with no 2nd battery), but like you said, whatever you buy there will be a better one.
IT DOES! The S119 *IS* a 5205. The only reason you are seeing "less" battery life is because the 5205-S705 as rated of old, Toshiba was using the long extended mode to say "up to 5 hours with extended battery" Under the new mobile mark, it's also the 3 hours, 57 minutes with the extended battery. They are the same, they use the same battery. It's the same model roughly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
I read somewhere in the forums that your machine came with a free wireless router. I do not see that offer in the toshiba site. Is it a favor of them which they do not advertise?
That apparently was an offer going on and I didn't have such offer.. maybe if you ask Toshiba they might throw that in- I don't know.

[/QUOTE=whiteheart]
And another question. Since I live in Europe and I am not a US citizen, I dont have a US credit card. So it seems I can not make the purchase at shop toshiba. Would anybody suggest a way for me to make the purchase without a US credit card? . (for those who are curious how the item will be sent to me, I will have sent it to a friend of mine in NYC and he will later bring it to me). But how to make the payment is a big problem.

Thanks[/quote]

You should check "shopt toshiba" of Europe.. I think there's one. Also if you buy a US model, Toshiba may not honor the warranty (not really sure on this). You should call and ask Toshiba.

- Raist
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post #12 of 22
1/16/04 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for your valuable feedbacks, especially Raist.
When I get the machine, I want to upgrade to XP-pro. Some say that in this model this is quite problematic since it has no setup (BIOS configured in windows).
Any comments about that from anybody?
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post #13 of 22
1/17/04 at 4:16pm

you probably wont have any problems wth the upgrade

But do the upgrade while not connected to the internet, then install some kind of firewall ( zonealarm recommended ), update your antivirus, then do the windows update thing while you have a firewall active.

Just way too many exploitable security holes in xp pro without all the latest patches applied. My p25 has xp pro (media center) dual boot with 2003 server.
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post #14 of 22
1/17/04 at 6:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
Thank you all for your valuable feedbacks, especially Raist.
When I get the machine, I want to upgrade to XP-pro. Some say that in this model this is quite problematic since it has no setup (BIOS configured in windows).
Any comments about that from anybody?
Hmm I don't think it should be a problem with XP pro, but then you should ask Toshiba. It's true that the BIOS can only be booted from windows only. It's both good and bad.

- Raist
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post #15 of 22
1/18/04 at 10:10pm

You are welcome...

Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteheart
Thank you all for your valuable feedbacks, especially Raist.
I forgot to say, "you are welcome" :-)

- Raist
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post #16 of 22
1/23/04 at 12:51pm
Raist,

BIOS accessible from Windows only! Now, isn't that troublesome. If Windows went bonkers then, how do you make changes to the BIOS settings ? I really hope... that we can access the BIOS in Safe Mode.

Btw, what are the advantages of having the BIOS accessible only through Windows ?

TIA
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post #17 of 22
1/23/04 at 3:44pm

huh? f2 on restart brings up bios

Changing options in the bios works regardless of what os is installed, if any.

Try it when your machine powers up hit f2 you get into bios setup menu
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post #18 of 22
1/24/04 at 2:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by decent_guy_inus
Raist,

BIOS accessible from Windows only! Now, isn't that troublesome. If Windows went bonkers then, how do you make changes to the BIOS settings ? I really hope... that we can access the BIOS in Safe Mode.

Btw, what are the advantages of having the BIOS accessible only through Windows ?

TIA
Just a better interface I guess.

Haven't tried the other trick someone else mentioned.

- Raist
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post #19 of 22
2/6/04 at 4:04pm
@sleddog:

Are you sure hitting F2 brings up the BIOS with S119 ? ..or.. is it some other Toshiba laptop you are talking about. It doesn't work for me.

I went through Toshiba's tech support site and they clearly mention that these portable systems are called as 'legacy free' systems where the BIOS is accessible only via Toshiba HWsetup.
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post #20 of 22
2/6/04 at 5:09pm

sorry was not on 5205

Never heard (until now) of a laptop that did not have a key to press at startup that brings up the bios menu ... interesting.

When you power your machine on does it say anything "press f2 for setup" or "press esc for setup" ... even briefly?

Weird
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