Product: Toshiba Portégé R830

http://us.toshiba.com ¦ Retail price: $799

By Jennifer Wagner

The Portégé R830 laptop has a full-voltage 2nd-Generation Intel Core processor with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology that enables each processor core to work on two tasks at once.

Quality and Effectiveness: The Portégé R830 is useful right out of the box. The four gigabytes of memory makes programs zoom, and the model’s lightness makes it backpack friendly.

Ease of Use: This reviewer was able to load extra software and connect to any environment or projector with ease. The keyboard is a perfect size, and the fingerprint recognition simultaneously provides security and dispenses with the need to remember a password. The memory-card reader is a great add-on. The Hard Drive Impact Sensor protects data while the laptop is in use. But the computer comes with some preloaded software that seems unnecessary.

Suitability for Use in a School Environment: The Portégé R830 fits nicely on a student’s desk. It connects to projectors and televisions with ease. A number pad would be helpful.

Overall Rating

This computer costs more than a netbook, but it does come with a three-year warranty and a CD/DVD player. The four gigabytes of memory is outstanding. It feels like a netbook but has more. It is a good machine straight out of the box. Projector connectivity is one of teachers’ and presenters’ biggest headaches, and the Portégé passed that test many times.

Top Features

¦ The Portégé is backpack friendly.
¦ Laptop is ready to be used and jostled by all grade levels.
¦ It connects easily to anything.