Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990 review: Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990

Though it may seem like many Toshiba Satellites look the same, that's not necessarily the case if you hang around your local Best Buy. For a few years now, Toshiba has been supplying a Best Buy-exclusive laptop as part of the retailer's Blue Label series, with a redesigned look that stands out from the rest of the Satellite pack. We reviewed the Satellite E205 last year, and we thought at the time that it beat out other Toshiba laptops in terms of overall value and design. Of course, we were curious whether the trend would continue in 2011.

8.1

Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990

The Good

A standout keyboard and touch pad, solid specs, Blu-ray drive, and Intel Wireless Display make the <b>Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990X</b> stand out from the pack--and as a bonus, the retail bundle includes the necessary Netgear box for Wi-Di.

The Bad

The E305 lacks dedicated graphics, and its Webcam isn't HD.

The Bottom Line

The Best Buy-exclusive Toshiba Satellite E305-S1990X is a heck of a 14-inch laptop, offering a rock-solid combination of specs and design for a reasonable price.

This year, Toshiba's back at it with the Satellite E305, and once again we've come away impressed. The $899 14-inch laptop has a thinner design, a slicker look, and a very solid set of specs, including a Blu-ray/DVD combo drive, a second-gen Core i5 processor, a 7,200rpm 500GB hard drive, and Intel Wireless Display 1.2. And, unlike many laptops with Wi-Di, this retail package includes the required Netgear box that interfaces with your TV in the bundle. (In case you're unfamiliar with Intel Wireless Display, read more about it here.)

It's not revolutionary, but the E305 earns a spot on our list for a quality midrange laptop worth considering. Aside from lacking robust dedicated graphics, this is a laptop with barely any flaws.