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Toshiba P25-S607 - soulreaper

post #1 of 77
8/6/03 at 1:41pm
Thread Starter 
I got my hands on a brand new Toshiba P25-S607 laptop with the following specs:

Pentium 4 - 2.8ghz with HyperThreading and 800mhz FSB
1gb DDR266 Memory (upgraded from stock 512mb)
60gb 5400 rpm hard drive
DVD-RW+
17 inch WXGA
Remote Control
Nvidia GeForce FX Go5200 with 64mb DDR VRAM
TV-Tunner Module
Dual Hard Drive Compatible
Integrated 8.02.11 wireless LAN
Harman/Kordon Stereo Speakers with subwoofer
IEEE 1394 port and Secure Digital slot
Windows Media Center Edition

Price = $2843 with tax for the laptop
Memory upgrade price for 2 sticks of 512mb DDR266 200-pin = $184 with shipping


First Impressions
I had a chance to look at this laptop at the local Circuit City. It's definately big...and heavy, but powerful and robust with features. I decided to purchase the laptop. I purchased a targus laptop backpack to carry it...and it bairly fits in it. I was rather impressed with the HyperThreading processor in the laptop. Programs seemed to be quick and zippy. The screen is awesome. I played AOE2 and Counter-Strike for about 2 hours without ghosting or shadowing.

Desktop Screen Shot


3D Mark 2001
Settings:
http://webpages.charter.net/fefist/L...ark2001se2.jpg

Score:
http://webpages.charter.net/fefist/L...mark2001se.jpg

PC Mark 2002
Score:


Sandra 2002
Cache & Memory Benchmark:


Memory Bandwidth Benchmark:


CPU Multi-Media Benchmark:


CPU Arithmetic Menchmark:


3D Mark 2003
Settings:


Score:


Laptop Pros:
- Huge Screen
- No Ghosting
- Zippy Processor
- Spacious hard drive
- DVD-Burning capabilities
- Nice speakers
Laptop Cons:
- Horrible Video Card Performance
- Slow Hard Drive
- Size
- Weight

Final Impressions
So from all this information…what kind of person would use this laptop? A person who does exactly what it’s made for…a media center. Playing DVD’s, Browsing the internet, Writing email, maybe some programming, but definitely not gaming. Games that require low FPS like Counter-Strike and AOE2, it works fine, but I wouldn’t even want to try Unreal Tournament 2003.

I did love the speakers and the screen though…but that is about all this laptop has. So with that all said, I say pass on this laptop.
LL
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post #2 of 77
8/6/03 at 1:50pm
How does this thing work in Photoshop>?
Any Sysmark scrores (Maybe Internet Content Creation scores)
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post #3 of 77
8/6/03 at 3:35pm
Thread Starter 
The laptop worked pretty good in photoshop once it loaded. It took about 30seconds to load with the slower 5400rpm hard drive.

Any other benchmarks, please post a link, and I'll do it up. The laptop goes back the 11th...so lets get this thing fully tested before then.
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post #4 of 77
8/6/03 at 4:13pm
DDR 266 memory?

The 865PE chipset used in that machine supports dual-channel DDR400 memory. I wonder why Toshiba doesn't advertise that capability anywhere... It looks like all they offer withthe machine is the single-channel PC2100 memory.

Very strange.

-phubar
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post #5 of 77
8/7/03 at 2:36pm

Re: Toshiba P25-S607 In Depth

Quote:
Originally posted by soulreaper
I purchased a targus laptop backpack to carry it...and it bairly fits in it.
Do you know which model Targus it is? Is it a roller/backpack or just a backpack?
Quote:

Laptop Pros:
- Huge Screen
- No Ghosting
- Zippy Processor
Sure is a step up from my old, 3800 Inspiron 650Mhz PIII. At least 350% faster. Processing Canon CRW files on it while on vacation was torture.
Quote:

- Spacious hard drive
- DVD-Burning capabilities
The CostCo version does't have that, just the DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive. I purchased a Sony 510UL, firewire/USB 2.0 burner, and use it on any machine in the house and burn just about any disc except DVD-ROM. If it's W2K or above, you just plug it in, sometimes have to reboot if it's the first time the drive has been connected, and presto, your burning.
Quote:

- Nice speakers
Laptop Cons:
- Horrible Video Card Performance
Better than the 32MB on the orginal and CostCo version. I had to test at 16Bit and 800x600 to equal your 3DMark 2001 score 32Bit and 1024x768. I wonder if the video card is upgradable?
Quote:

- Slow Hard Drive
I don't know about the other P25's, but the CostCo version has a 4200RPM drive. Your hard drive score is about 27% faster, as is the drives RPM. I'm hoping that a 7200RPM will give me about a 70-75% increase in drive speed.
Quote:

- Size
- Weight
It's just huge, isn't it. But I only travel 1-3 times a year, and usually for more than a week at a time. So the machine mainly sits on my desk, next to the dual LCD/CRT monitor setup I have for my video/gaming tower.

GlenBA
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post #6 of 77
8/7/03 at 2:55pm
Quote:
Originally posted by phubar
DDR 266 memory?

The 865PE chipset used in that machine supports dual-channel DDR400 memory. I wonder why Toshiba doesn't advertise that capability anywhere... It looks like all they offer withthe machine is the single-channel PC2100 memory.

Very strange.

-phubar
Do you know what dual-channel SODIMMs would fit? I'd like to upgrade to 1G, and since it is 2x256, I'll have to buy 2x512MB anyway. So why not get dual instead of the standard? Crucial finally has the P25 listed, $50 cheaper per SODIMM than on the Kingston website. They have generic 200-pin PC2100 that has the same specs as the memory for the P25 (same price also), and they have 200-pin PC2700 (is that DDR400?) for $20 more.

GlenBA
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post #7 of 77
9/1/03 at 12:51am
I picked up one of these from Best Buy. Total cost to me is 1500 with the extended warrenty. Work is picking up the rest. So far, I have enjoyed the computer and works great for work. What type of backpack will hold a laptop this big and still allow for some college engineering books?
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post #8 of 77
10/9/03 at 2:13pm
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by phubar
DDR 266 memory?

The 865PE chip set used in that machine supports dual-channel DDR400 memory. I wonder why Toshiba doesn't advertise that capability anywhere... It looks like all they offer with the machine is the single-channel PC2100 memory.

Very strange.

-phubar


Quote:
Originally posted by GlenBA
Do you know what dual-channel SODIMMs would fit? I'd like to upgrade to 1G, and since it is 2x256, I'll have to buy 2x512MB anyway. So why not get dual instead of the standard? Crucial finally has the P25 listed, $50 cheaper per SODIMM than on the Kingston website. They have generic 200-pin PC2100 that has the same specs as the memory for the P25 (same price also), and they have 200-pin PC2700 (is that DDR400?) for $20 more.

GlenBA

Toshiba support (for what it's worth) told me the chip set does support the DDR400 BUT they were getting their info straight from the Intel website and not their own knowledge of the product they sell?????

The 865PE uses DDR400, this is Intel information.

If you use the memory selection option on the Crucial website it only offers PC2100 for this model not the PC3200 (DDR 400). I spoke to them about it and their very knowledgeable support guy told that in all likelihood the OEM (Toshiba) version is locked down at the lower BUS speed and although you can use DDR 400 it will show no increase in performance. He told me to see if the I could adjust the BUS speed in the bios as this may be a possibility although unlikely in his estimation.
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post #9 of 77
10/21/03 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally posted by soulreaper
The laptop worked pretty good in photoshop once it loaded. It took about 30seconds to load with the slower 5400rpm hard drive.

Any other benchmarks, please post a link, and I'll do it up. The laptop goes back the 11th...so lets get this thing fully tested before then.
That cant be right. I have the same speed drive in my 8887 and my machine should be significantly slower anyways with the slower FSB. Photoshop 7.0 loads in about 5-6 seconds on mine.

Jeff
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post #10 of 77
10/21/03 at 9:40am
Thread Starter 
Just giving the facts man.
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post #11 of 77
10/21/03 at 9:50am
I know - I had just hoped that you meant 3 and not 30

Seriously considering this laptop... The only holdback is the slow memory and video card... Dont know if I can get around those..

I was up for my second Sager, but im waiting on the SXGA screens and frankly, Im not liking the production habits of Clevo at the moment.. So much for consumer confidence.

Jeff
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post #12 of 77
10/21/03 at 9:57am
Thread Starter 
Just get the new alienware area-51m. They are fantastic machines. I love mine. Plus it has upgradable video, cpu, memory, hard drive, wireless, and media drive. Comes standard with a ATI 9600 with 128mb memory and DDR333. You should check them out...
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post #13 of 77
10/21/03 at 10:10am
A little out of my price range. I need to spend a max of 2100 after shipping and everything.

Jeff
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post #14 of 77
10/21/03 at 10:15am
Sasafrasinfraserfrasin.... Not to mention they are in Florida, which adds almost $200 MORE to the total in tax... lame.

Jeff
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post #15 of 77
10/31/03 at 10:40am
Quote:
Final Impressions So from all this information…what kind of person would use this laptop? A person who does exactly what it’s made for…a media center. Playing DVD’s, Browsing the internet, Writing email, maybe some programming, but definitely not gaming. Games that require low FPS like Counter-Strike and AOE2, it works fine, but I wouldn’t even want to try Unreal Tournament 2003.
Hi,

I dont understand why your system is definitely not for gaming. You got 64 dedicated video, 2.8 Ghz processor and 1 Gig of Ram. What is missing?
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post #16 of 77
10/31/03 at 10:27pm
Quote:
Originally posted by ibs
Hi,

I dont understand why your system is definitely not for gaming. You got 64 dedicated video, 2.8 Ghz processor and 1 Gig of Ram. What is missing?
A Sager Logo?
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post #17 of 77
11/3/03 at 1:12pm
jah, jah,

Im planning to get that missing Sager logo by ordering the new 4080 when it becomes available. Im just wondering what more is missing in a high-end system like the Toshiba, since it is described as definitely not for gaming.
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post #18 of 77
11/3/03 at 7:50pm
I had a look at the Toshiba (having owned several in the past) and I found it looked more like the landing deck of an aircraft carrier than an actual laptop. The thing I noticed was that the leading edge of the wrist support area was a sharp edge. IMHO you would have cut off circulation to your hands if you were using it for any length of time.

The other downside I could see was the low resolution. Whilst it is wide screen the resolution seemed to be a bit low for my liking.

I also believe it does not support dual channel operation and the memory speed has been capped at a 533 FSB.
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post #19 of 77
11/7/03 at 4:54am
Quote:
Originally posted by ibs
Hi,

I dont understand why your system is definitely not for gaming. You got 64 dedicated video, 2.8 Ghz processor and 1 Gig of Ram. What is missing?
It is sad to see people still sucked in by memory alone... i guess that is how NV sells the 5200.. lol

ANyway, the CPU and RAM are WORTHLESS without a good GPU. In this case, the laptop does NOT have a good GPU, therefore, it cant play games at all..
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post #20 of 77
11/7/03 at 8:35am
Im starting to realize this. But to clear things up, 64 mb dedicated graphics is sufficient given that you have a good graphics card to go with (say for gaming), and that the Geoforce 5200 is not one of them.

I see from other posts that the Ati 9600 Pro, to be included in the new 4080 is good. So with 128 dedicated ram, I should be well equipped for all occasions?
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