Toshiba Portege A600 Review Roundup

Toshiba Portege A600

If you are looking for a pink notebook with the size of a netbook, but still carry the features of a full size laptop, Toshiba Portege A600 would be one of the nearest that you can get. It has a 12.1-inch screen size, and a casing fully made from plastic that make it extremely light (very close to netbook weight). But inside, this little machine has a big feature set.


Toshiba currently offers 2 models of A600 online: A605-P210, and A600-ST2231. The model that's shaded in pink is A600-ST2231 which comes with the following spec:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SU9300
• 3GB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz SDRAM
• 160GB HDD (5400rpm)
• IntelR Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• DVD-SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) with Labelflash drive
• IntelR Wi-Fi Link 5100AGN (802.11a/g/n)
• BluetoothR V2.1 + EDR
• IntelR 82567V Gigabit Network Connection
• Finger Print Reader
• 2 USB (2.0), 1 eSATA/USB (2.0) combo port, SD Card reader, ExpressCard Slot
• Weight Starting at 3.22 lbs.
• OS: Genuine Windows VistaR Business 32/64-bit, SP1 with downgrade media for WindowsR XP Professional
• Color: Soft pink
• Starting price: $1299
  

Toshiba Portege A600 Review

Here are some reviews for Toshiba Portege A600 done by the professionals, and the rating they given to this machine:

1. NotebookCheck (85% out of 100%)

"The Toshiba A600 is basically a downright solid business notebook, with unfortunately coarser flaws in regards to the case stability. The new business device can't keep up with its forerunners in this. Fanciers of the successive models will probably be a bit disappointed in consideration of the stability of our test candidate.

Toshiba recompenses this, though, with two things. For one thing, the color coding, whereas the Portege A600 is now available in four different styles (Glossy Black, Lotus Pink, Pearl White and Titanium-Silver). And for the other, through its wide-range guaranty." Read full review

2. MobileTechReview (3 out of 5)

"With the growing popularity of netbooks, casual laptop users who need to check their email and browse the Net will find the slower Atom processor machines running either Linux or Windows XP adequate for the job. But “full notebooks” are better for business users who need to run Vista, work on productivity tasks (Office, Photoshop, etc.), need more ports and expansion slots and require an optical drive. The Toshiba A600 fits the role well. It’s one of the cheapest 12-inch notebooks on the market and it has good enough performance running most business applications and multimedia. Though not equipped with the fastest mobile processor, the Toshiba has an attractive price and that means more now to businesses and individual users." Read full review

3. CNet UK (8.1 out of 10)

"It's hard not to be impressed by the Toshiba Portege A600. It might not be the thinnest or lightest of the thin and light models out there, but it's certainly a decent ultra-portable laptop. It features the built-in optical drive that rivals such as Samsung's X360 lack and, although by no means a powerhouse, will cope with most tasks. Throw in built-in HSDPA and a decent battery life, and it's a good amount of kit for the money. That said, increasing your budget slightly puts the 1.1kg Portege R600 within reach." Read full review

Conclusion

The Toshiba Portege A600 provides great values for its price. While it's equipped with a specs that's good enough to run most business application, it's also small and light enough to be as portable as a netbook. And what we love most about it is of course the pink color which also make it a perfect choice for young professional ladies, or individualistic executives that fancy something a little more eye-catching. The only drawback is that the plastic casing may make it looks plasticky and easily scratched. This can be solved by getting a laptop case, or you might also want to check out the Dell Latitude E4200, another stunning 12-inch pink laptop, which provides a solid casing, but heavier and more expensive.