Toshiba Portege M700 (Core 2 Duo T7500 Processor 2.2GHz, 1GB RAM)

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The rotating LCD is held firm by two latches at the ends.
(click for larger image)

We like the full-sized keyboard which is responsive and comfortable to type on even for long documents. We also like the fact that it is spill-resistant and prevents small amounts of liquids from reaching the internal components. It does not have drain holes like the ThinkPad T61, so pouring too much water on the device may still damage the laptop. The touchpad is reasonably usable for cursor control, though we found it a little small.

An optical drive drive is built under the hood and can be removed and upgraded. Our review unit held a DVD writer which can read and write on almost any flavor of CD and DVD. A weight-saver option is also included in the box which helps shave off a few hundred grams from the unit and increase battery life. The bottom of the unit contains proprietary expansion ports which are compatible with the Portege range of accessories.

Unlike Dell's latest tablet PC, which has a combination touch and active digitizer screen, the M700 uses only the latter. As such, you need the included stylus (found in the spring-loaded slot) to control the cursor on the 12.1-inch display. The native resolution is 1,280 x 800 pixels and powered with the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 chipset, which can pull up to 358MB of system memory for video rendering. A built-in 1.3-megapixel Webcam sits on the top, perfect for those who frequently video conference or need the occasional snapshot. It could have been put to better use like the Lenovo Y410 which, in conjunction with a face-recognition software, allows you to log into the computer merely by looking at the Webcam.

Typical of most current laptops, the Portege M700 holds a collection of three USB ports, a mini-FireWire and a VGA-out. The two USB ports located on the left deserve special mention as they are based on Toshiba's Plug-and-Charge technology (it first appeared in the Qosmio G40), which allows the unit to charge USB devices even when the laptop is turned off. A Type II PC Card slot completes the picture and leaves the rare few with ExpressCard devices in the cold.

Network connectivity is handled with the built-in modem and Gigabit Ethernet ports, while its wireless capabilities consist of the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n radios. While most business laptops could have gotten away with a low-quality mono speaker, the Portege M700 holds a pair of stereo horns. Though it won't win any prize for its entertainment value, the sound quality is still more than competent for the occasional movie or music file.

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