Toshiba Satellite R830-11C ~ Haiwo Gadget

Right now you can hardly move for notebooks with the hardware combination of Intel Core i5-2410M and Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics. Just recently we presented a large number of them as part of the Intel TestIT!2011 project. So how can a notebook distinguish itself from the crowd? Toshiba’s simple answer to this question is to put the same hardware into a smaller 13.3-inch subnotebook, targeting a different price range. The case is made of magnesium instead of plastic, the screen is matt, and an SSD has been used instead of a conventional hard drive.

Inside of the 13.3-inch notebook is an Intel Core i5-2410M processor. This is a mid-range processor from the latest generation of Core i processors, based on the Sandy Bridge architecture. The i5-2410M is a dual-core model with a base speed of 2.3 GHz per core. Thanks to Hyperthreading the processor is able to process four threads simultaneously. If more power is needed at a particular time, the system can dynamically overclock the system. Depending on demand, either both cores can be overclocked to 2.6 GHz or one core can be overclocked to 2.9 GHz. In this way it is possible to give the processor performance another boost, although this will only happen if the processor is adequately cooled. With a TDP of 35 Watts the processor is quite frugal, and doesn’t need an excessively elaborate cooling system, which is sure to be an advantage in a 13.3-inch notebook.

The processor contains an integrated graphics card, which is a great benefit to the system. It allows the notebook to do without a dedicated graphics card, which would have used up a lot of additional energy. The integrated graphics unit is an Intel HD Graphics 3000. Compared to earlier models, the HD Graphics 3000 integrated graphics card has gained in power, now sitting at the same level as an entry-level graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce 310M. This means that you can generally play some older games on it without problems, and even some newer games (for instance StarCraft 2). However, you do have to accept some sacrifices in terms of quality and resolution with the more modern games. Integrated graphics cards are primarily designed for basic tasks like working on office documents, surfing the net, or playing videos, not for games. Especially with a notebook like the Toshiba Satellite R830, you can assume that it will focus on the business and office side of things, rather than gaming.

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