The Portege R705-P25 is the latest edition to Toshiba’s Portege range, and it has a lot to live up to to match the other great models released with the Portege badge. However, with an unbelievably light 3.2 pound chassis and a great overall build quality, the Portege R705 may just be the best Portege ever made.
The Portege range of ultra portable laptops has always been impressive, but they have also been rather expensive as well. This release is notable not only because it marks the 25th anniversary of Toshiba laptop production, but also because this model is just as good as its predecessors while also being much less expensive.
The R705 features an Intel Core i3 processor, a 500GB hard drive, Intel Wireless Display Technology, and a 13.3 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768. While the resolution is not mind blowing, the screen is bright and glossy – but not too glossy – if you know what I mean. Viewing angles are disappointing however, although it has always been hard to find an ultra-portable laptop that excels in this regard.
The R705 has a nice – if somewhat subdued – look, that is fairly standard boardroom friendly Toshiba fair. It features a chiclet keyboard and a multigesture touchpad, although the keyboard lacks a backlight which is a bit of a shame. All the usual ports are accounted for, with Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, and an SD card reader, although only 2 USBs may not be enough for some people.
The Intel Wireless display performance is impressive, giving you the ability to beam video directly to a big screen and avoid the squinting eyes that come with small screen viewing. You will need to buy some additional hardware however, with the Netgear Push2TV on offer for about $100. This is great technology indeed, and if you already have a big screen, you can transform this 13.3 inch laptop into a multimedia centre.
The Portege R705 is a great little laptop with very few limitations, at a low asking price of only $889.99. Toshiba claim that this is the lightest 13.3 inch laptop in the world that includes an optical drive, which is a rather impressive feat when you consider the price, the build quality, and the technology inside.
Specifications
Intel Core i3
500GB HDD
4GB DDR3 RAM
DVD SuperMulti
13.3 inch LED display
1366 x 768 resolution
Intel Display Technology
Ethernet
HDMI
VGA
SD reader
2 x USB
