Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 TruBrite 18.4-Inch Laptop (Black/Red)

by Toshiba

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 17.4 x 1.6 inches ; 9.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B003N7O3EG
• Item model number: PQX33U-03J01R
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,931 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 20, 2010

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890: Hard-core Gaming, Brilliant Graphics

Amplify your 3D gaming and video editing with incredibly fast frame rates with the Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 gaming laptop, which features a stunning 18.4-inch display--with true 1080p high-def resolution--and the Intel Core i7 processor with four cores of intelligent processing power. Additionally, it offers ultra-fast DDR3 system memory and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M graphics with 1 GB of GDDR5 video memory. Together, this pairing of high-performance technologies allow you to rip through the latest 3D games at lightning-fast frame-rates or create high-definition video and audio faster and more efficiently with smooth rendering and encoding.

The Toshiba Qosmio X505 features a striking design on the outside and is packed with premium technologies on the inside (see larger image).

The stunning Fusion finish in Omega Black with stylish red chrome accents (see larger image).

A comfortable full keyboard with LED Backlighting and numeric 10-key pad (see larger image).

The Qosmio X505 features Toshiba's striking Fusion Finish in Omega Black with stylish red chrome accents and a comfortable full keyboard with LED Backlighting and numeric 10-key pad. An intuitive touchpad with multi-touch control enables greater flexibility to browse and control what's happening on-screen with gesture-commands--including two-finger pinch, swipe, rotate and scroll.

This Qosmio X505 complements the large 500 GB hard drive capacity with a 64 GB solid state drive, which offers lightning-fast access times to your games and even greater reliability.

It also includes a 1.3 megapixel webcam with Face Recognition capabilities for added security. And if you're using one laptop for several users--say for the whole family or for a small business--Toshiba Face Recognition lets you switch profiles with one simple look.

This Qosmio comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version).

Key Features

• 18.4-inch high-definition TruBrite display with 1920 x 1080 resolution for amazing color depth and clarity and native 1080p support.
  

• 1.73 GHz Intel Core i7-740QM processor (with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.93 GHz) delivers maximum processing power in response to peak demands. Intel's Turbo Boost technology maximizes speed for demanding applications, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload--providing more performance when you need it the most. It also comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics--an advanced video engine that delivers smooth, high-quality HD video playback, and advanced 3D capabilities, providing an ideal graphics solution for everyday computing.
  

• 64 GB Serial ATA solid state drive is free of moving parts and almost two times faster than conventional drives. You can load an entire game onto the solid state drive, then sit back and enjoy the fun with no gaps in the action.
• 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM)
  

• 6 GB of DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; upgradeable to 8 GB) gives you the bandwidth you need to get the most of today's popular software, multitask all day long and run applications without a glitch.
  

• NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M with 1 GB GDDR5 discrete graphics memory offers what gamers want most--hyper-realistic action with intense 3D visuals, plus vibrant, lifelike scenes and dynamic character effects--thanks to NVIDIA's PhysX technology. It goes beyond everyday gaming with built-in CUDA technology to speed demanding system tasks, like video playback and HD movie editing. You'll also enjoy up to a 50 percent improvement over previous generation mobile graphics processors, and a more rewarding Windows 7 experience with accelerated video and image processing (2298 MB total available graphics memory).
  

• Watch Blu-ray Disc movies in crystal clear resolution with the read-only Blu-ray drive; also supports reading/writing of CD-R/RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, DVD±R DL, and DVD-RAM The drive also offers Labelflash printing, which enables you to personalize your discs and keep them looking attractive and organized with direct-to-disc laser printing.
  

• Wireless Connectivity
  • With its integrated Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities, this laptop provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers.
  • With integrated Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as printers and cell phones.
    

• Harman Kardon stereo speakers bring an added dimension to music, movies and gaming with rich, immersive virtual surround sound.
• Dolby Home Theater suite of technologies delivers virtual surround sound from stereo speakers or any pair of headphones.
  

• Included Toshiba Software:
  • Toshiba Media Controller offers simplified media sharing. Using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, it lets you share videos, music and pictures from the media library on your laptop with compatible devices in your home entertainment network, or with other compatible laptops and devices, like an Xbox 360 game console. And you can do it all without moving equipment, burning discs or fumbling with cables.
  • Toshiba Bulletin Board is an easy-to-use organizational and productivity app that lets you build your own personalized space on your desktop. With Toshiba Bulletin Board, you can quickly and easily manage your to-do lists and calendars, plus create your own custom work area by pinning your favorite photos, documents, links and more.
  • Toshiba ReelTime helps you cut down the time it takes to search for files. The easy-to-use app takes traditional text-based file structures one step further to help you find what you're looking for more quickly. Accessible from your taskbar, it shows you a visual timeline of your recently accessed files--using graphical thumbnails--so you can easily identify and get to your files faster.
    

• Included Toshiba Utilities:
  • Toshiba eco Utility makes it easy to go green as you go mobile. Hit the Eco Button and you'll launch the Toshiba Eco Utility, which puts all sorts of easy-to-read information on your screen, and gives you the ability to adjust the power settings on your laptop. It also activates a light showing you're in the Eco Mode. The Toshiba Eco Utility lets you pick the optimal power plan for your situation. Choose High-Performance when you need every watt you can get, Power Saver for the least energy consumption, or Balanced as a perfect blend of the two.
  • USB Sleep and Charge offers a great way to keep your portable electronics powered up without requiring your laptop to be on. With this laptop's Sleep and Charge USB port, you'll be able to charge your smart phone, MP3 player, and other portable electronics--all without having to keep your laptop awake.
  • Hard Drive Impact Sensor takes the worry out of taking your most important files and multimedia on the go. Able to detect sudden movement along three different dimensions, the impact sensor (a complex system of hardware and software) helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. And it works faster than you can blink to help protect your laptop and all-important data.
    

• Up to 3.75 hours of battery life (12-cell battery; 87 Wh)
  

• Dimensions & Weight: 17.4 x 11.6 x .63 inches (WxDxH); 9.7 pounds
  

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion 4 total USB ports with 1 eSATA/USB combo port that also features Sleep and Charge capabilities. The combo eSATA/USB port enables you to connect to compatible external hard drives for lightning fast transfers of large multimedia files--up to 5 times faster than via a standard USB port. FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals. HDMI-CEC high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your compatible digital TV or external monitor. The HDMI-CEC connection also allows you to control additional media players with just a single remote as well as scale up movies and games to 1080p high-definition video. VGA video output (analog, RGB) Combo headphone S/PDIF digital audio output plus microphone/line-in jack Multi-format memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card, xD Picture Card ExpressCard (34/54) slot lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. And with Windows Anytime Upgrade, you'll be able to add new features to your PC in as little as 10 minutes. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process, it requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings

What's in the box

This package contains the Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

It also comes with the following software:

Norton Internet Security 2010 (30-day trial); Microsoft Works 9; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Edition (60-day trial); Google Toolbar; Microsoft Windows Media Player 12; Microsoft Silverlight; Toshiba PC Health Monitor; Toshiba Online Backup (30-day trial)

This laptop is backed by a 1-year limited hardware warranty.

Environmental Specifications

• Energy Star 5.0 certified
• Gold EPEAT designation for meeting standards to help reduce its environmental impact.
• RoHS compliant effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances

Learn more about Toshiba's environmental commitment.

Learn More

25th Anniversary of Toshiba Laptops

This year, Toshiba celebrates its 25th anniversary of innovations and quality in the notebook PC business. Beginning with the launch of the Toshiba T1100, the world's first clamshell-type, fully functional laptop PC, Toshiba has led the with such innovations as the first laptop with a color monitor in 1991 and a laptop with integrated CD-ROM drive in 1995 (followed by the addition of a DVD drive in 1998). And in 2009, Toshiba unveiled the world's first ultraportable laptop with 512GB solid state drive.

Today, Toshiba continues to be a leader in @ manufacturing, with virtually all of its consumer laptops earning EPEAT Gold status for meeting standards that help reduce overall environmental impact.

Product Description

Get the extreme performance you crave - without the extreme price. Our Qosmio X505 laptop delivers powerhouse mobile performance with blazing - fast graphics, the latest in multi-core processor technologies and a high-def sound system - all wrapped up in a sophisticated Fusion Finish design. Enjoy faster and smarter performance with a powerful combination of breakthrough processor technologies, including the newest Intel Core i7 or Core i5 processors, plus the graphics horsepower of the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M GPU. Up to 8 GB of ultrafast DDR3 memory gives you more bandwidth to do, create and enjoy, while massive single or dual high-speed hard drives hold tons of entertainment. Savor luxurious sound with built-in harman/kardon speakers and Dolby Home Theater audio technology. Enjoy the latest movies with a Blu-ray Disc player on select models. Or simply plow through your day on a brilliant, HD 18.4-Inch diagonal display. The Qosmio X505 laptop has the power, performance and portability to do anything you can imagine - at a price you can afford.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, Powerful - Best Laptop I've Owned by Far!, September 13, 2010

By 

Kaio (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 TruBrite 18.4-Inch Laptop (Black/Red) (Personal Computers)

Cosmetically, the Qosmio looks like a technological piece of art; under the hood, it gets even better. Every time I lay my hands on it, I'm thrilled I made this purchase.

I originally got the TOSHIBA QOSMIO X505-Q850 and am posting that review here as well since the 890 is essentially the same laptop and I thought this review would be helpful to people....

I'd been hoping to put off buying a new laptop but the screen on my old HP was failing and I just can't justify sinking money into obsolete tech. I convinced myself I was willing to live with the funky lines running through my screen in favor of being frugal, but with each malfunctioning pixel, it was clear I had to buy a replacement soon.

If you're like me, a new laptop isn't something to be taken lightly. It's a decision I'll have to live with a good many years, so selecting the right model is important since I'll be using it on a daily basis. Well, I'd like to say I did exhaustive research comparison shopping every new laptop, but that simply wasn't the case. I had two basic criteria that eliminated 99% of the laptops on the market: I wanted the largest screen possible and a lighted keyboard.

Enter Qosmio...
(Insert angelic harps here)

Thankfully, Amazon makes it easy to search laptops by attribute like screen size, and the first laptop that came up on my search was the Qosmio x505-Q850 -- the pictures were more reminiscent of an elegant sports car than laptop -- it was love at first sight. The screen was a whopping 18.4 inches, which is huge for a laptop, and much to my surprise, it even had a lighted keyboard!!!

(Angelic choir join the harps and crescendo for dramatic effect...)

Could finding my perfect laptop be this easy? "Calm down," I tell myself, "looks aren't everything." The price isn't cheap, yet it's nearly half the cost of Alienware, it's nearest rival in specs and looks. Excitedly reading the product info, I was thrilled to see the Qosmio's feature set is just as brilliant on the inside as it is on the outside. With the latest quad core processor, a blazing fast solid state drive for the OS, a 2nd SATA drive, 6gb of memory, the latest NVIDIA graphics card, Bluetooth, HDMI output and Blu-Ray drive, this Qosmio is a powerhouse indeed.

Delving deeper, I learned this new Qosmio had just been released and was in limited supply. Even buying direct from Toshiba was a 2 month wait. Amazon had a few in stock but quickly sold out. With more pixels disappearing on my old HP, I kept a keen lookout hoping someone would get the Qosmio in stock soon. I was hoping to buy at Amazon and get triple points on their credit card (every 2500 points gets me a $25 gift card and triple points on a laptop would be near 6000!!) but alas, a different retailer got in a small quantity, and much as I hated to do it, I cheated on Amazon and made my purchase elsewhere.

When my Qosmio arrived, it was a euphoric experience. The box is red and black with a huge red Q on it and the same detailed design that's on the laptop itself. As I peeled back the box tab to open it, the inside flap had little red letters that said "Enjoy your laptop." My heart fluttered, "I will," I thought to myself, "Don't you worry."

Angelic harps reach their apex as I open the Qosmio box. And there it was -- emerging through light beams -- with its high gloss black finish glistening, and points of light sparkling off red metallic accents. I challenge anyone to find a more stunning looking laptop.

Okay, so literary embellishments aside, this really is a great laptop. And Windows 7 is pretty awesome too. Boot up time is lightening fast; 45 seconds tops from the moment I hit the power button and I can click on anything and get going instantly. And this new processor is a total beast too. Photoshop CS4 opens near instantly. A 100gb backup took barely over an hour. And rendering video editing is blazing fast too. I'm not a gamer, so I have nothing to report there, but judging by everything else, it ought to be equally fast in that department.


"Gaming Laptop" is just a euphemism for Fast!

If you see a computer that's touted for "gamers" don't assume that's all it's good for. "Gaming computer" just means fast, and who doesn't want a fast computer?? I've seen several reviews that did speed tests pitting this new Qosmio against its rivals and it outperformed them with ease. Granted, it was the only one with this new processor and as others follow suit, the speed comparisons will level off.


Blu-Ray Rom vs Burner

ROM basically means this drive plays Blu-Ray disks but doesn't burn them. (It does, of course, burn DVD+-RW and CDs.) At first, I was disappointed Qosmio didn't have a Blu-Ray burner. But then I realized I'd rather archive all my video to MPEG4 or WMV and watch it directly off Media Share. I already use Media Share to listen to all my music, so why not do the same with video too? It's way more convenient to access MP3 files digitally than it is to load a CD into a player, just like it's easier to do backups with external hard drives as opposed to disks. Digital files are just faster and more convenient, so a Blu-Ray burner may already be meaningless for my purposes.


HDMI Output

One of my favorite features of the Qosmio is the ease with which it can be connected to my 50" plasma! Just run an HDMI cable from your computer to your plasma and it's good to go! Audio is automatically cut from the laptop and plays out the TV instead. And the picture is full 1080p HD! Play any video clip, surf the web or watch a Blu-Ray movie all on your plasma!! Very cool!! Oh, and in case you're wondering, the Qosmio uses a standard HDMI cable, not the mini size seen on camcorders. And Qosmio automatically detects the HDMI signal and turns on an off the external display automatically. You can have both screens active at the same time, or choose between the two. Combined with my Philips Wireless HDMI transmitter and it all couldn't be easier to use.


Lighted Keyboard

I've read some forums where people were upset the keyboard doesn't stay lit all the time and turns off after so many seconds. NOT TRUE -- the keyboard CAN be set to stay on all the time. On your Qosmio, just go to: >Start >Toshiba >Utilities >HWSetup >Illumination >then under "Keyboard Backlight," click the radio button "FN" then check the box "On." After you reboot, you'll be able to turn the keyboard on and off by using the "FN" + "Z" keys. Personally, I have my keyboard set to stay on all the time, and naturally, it turns off automatically when the computer is shut down. It's also worth mentioning that the keyboard itself is very smooth and QUIET! I don't know about you, but clackety-clack keyboards drive me nuts! No reason why they can't all be virtually silent like this Qosmio's. I have to strain just to hear a sound -- perfect!


No Crapware

I hate it when I buy a new computer and it's loaded with garbage programs that basically amount to advertisers littering all over my new hard drive. Thankfully, Qosmio comes with very little corporate garbage under the hood -- a Microsoft Office trial, Quickbooks, Toshiba Online Backup -- oh, and that crappy Norton I got rid of on my first bootup. Aside from that, it's pretty much a clean install with only the necessities, and I'm thankful for that. I'll install my own programs, thank you very much! Incidentally, Toshiba did a good job of including some helpful utilities and a decent DVD/CD burning program, so kudos there.


Harman / Kardon Speakers

No, these aren't going to fill a room or blow anyone's hair back, but compared to other laptops I've encountered, these speakers are great! If I'm out on the go, they're just fine and plenty powerful. But when I'm home, I do plug in a set of Altec Lansings for a fuller, dynamic sound. But truth be told, I don't listen to music off my laptop. But I do have it connected to my DirecTV receiver and listen to music on my home theater system via Media Share. There's nothing like it!


Eco-Mode

I applaud Toshiba for including this feature but it's nothing I'll ever use. Basically, you can setup this feature so that at a push of a button, your the Qosmio will conserve energy and you can feel good about reducing your carbon footprint. That's all well and good but I didn't spend 2 grand for a sluggish computer. I paid for speed and I want speed, I'll deal with my carbon footprint elsewhere. I take the bus most places, so I have most people beat right there. I'll burn my laptop as fast as I please; thanks much.


Face Recognition Login

Yes, you heard me -- this Qosmio has a built in web cam that's good for video calls via Skype, but it also does one better -- the built in web cam also enables the use of face recognition software in lieu of a password for login! Cool!


Fingerprints

The high gloss finish of this Qosmio is stunning but it also picks up fingerprints with ease. Personally, I don't mind. I wouldn't want to sacrifice the Qosmio's lux look and don't mind wiping it down to keep it shiny and clean. Besides, we've all seen the reports that say people's keyboards have more germs on them than a public toilet, so it's a good thing to wipe your laptop down frequently no matter what.


Solid State Drive

I credit Qosmio for wanting to be on the cutting edge but the solid state drive on this thing is way too small -- only 64gb. It does have a 2nd 320gb SATA which beats most competitors since it spins at 7200rpm. But the SSD is still small for my taste. To make matters... Read more ›

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rocking Laptop for a great price!!!!!!, August 1, 2010

By 

T. Anderson (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 TruBrite 18.4-Inch Laptop (Black/Red) (Personal Computers)

This review was originally posted in my blog. You can read it there by googling "Mine is bigger than yours- Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 Laptop Review". I have uploaded the images to this review and included "see uploaded images" for reading it here.

I recently had to buy a new laptop. I'd love to buy a MacBook Pro, but can't come to terms with the amount of cash you have to lay down.

I needed something fast since mine completely died, so I decided to try to get something prebuilt. I ended up finding this power house on Amazon. I did a comparison of price for the same options on Dell and IBM and the cost was nearly twice the price.

I used to be an HP fan. I could always count on getting good stuff cheap from them, but after two computers completely died on me in the past year I have left HP behind. Both had hard drives go bad and cost me a ton of time getting back on track. Below is the short list of what I had to install and configure.

Microsoft Office 2010
Microsoft Project 2010
Microsoft Visio 2010
Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 Developer
Visual studio 2010
Expression Studio
Sparx EA
MDG Sparx EA add-ons - Zachman Framework, TOGAF, DoDAF-MODAF, and SysML.
VirtualBox
VMware Player
Windows Virtual PC
Paint.net
iTunes / sync phone

Data wise I am usually pretty good at backing up, so I didn't lose much there. This new laptop is a monster. I had no idea it would be so big. It will not be traveling to the islands with me. Like I said above I purchased it pre-built so I could get it faster, and actually just ordered it off Amazon. Below are some of the specs and picture of the laptop compared to my old one.

See uploaded images

The Intel Core i7-740QM processor rocks.

See uploaded images

I also needed a new bag since this behemoth would only fit in one of my back packs.
The laptop has a solid state drive as the primary. It is smoking fast. I installed Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate Edition in 23 minutes. A two hour chore on most systems. One thing to note is that Toshiba uses 10GB of the primary to create restore disks. After you create them you can claim the space. Below is the hard drive configuration out of the box.

See uploaded images

The power cord is also crazy large.
See uploaded images

Some of my favorite features are:
-- The speakers kick butt.
-- Has a Blu-ray player
-- Runs quiet and cool
-- I can run 2 Virtual PCs at the same time
-- The keyboard lights up. At first I thought that was corny, but now I love it. My wife comes into my office late at night to read and hates having the over head light on so she uses a reading lamp and I use a desk lamp. I am not the best typer, especially on a new keyboard, so the lighting up keyboard rocks.
-- The big clear screen. It is great for design diagrams and coding.

The only downside is that this behemoth won't be going on vacation with me. It will be fine for occasional business travel, but we lug so much other equipment on vacation, another 15 pounds won't cut it.

All in all if you want a power house for a great price this is a great option.

47 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Laptop I have ever owned, July 9, 2010

By 

Bill - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 TruBrite 18.4-Inch Laptop (Black/Red) (Personal Computers)

I currently am a Systems Administrator for a fairly large corporation, I have been a Network Administrator, an IT Manager and IT Project Manager. I have dealt with hundreds of Desktop and Laptop products ranging in brands from HP to Dell to Lenovo(IBM) and from Intel to AMD. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with this product.

The processor literally screams it's so fast, the screen is incredibly, I watched a blu-ray on it already and was quite impressed. It is large, and it is quite heavy, but I knew that going into the purchase. The reason I chose such a large and heavy system is because I did need something portable, but I also needed something that would serve in the desktop capacity as well. It has thoroughly met my expectations and exceeded them.

My only honest complaint is that it is a fingerprint magnet...if that's my only complaint what am I complaining about again....?????