Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

by Toshiba

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 15.1 x 1.6 inches ; 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0030INLSW
• Item model number: PSLU6U-00G001
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,571 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 17, 2010

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Toshiba Satellite L505: Impressive Yet Affordable Everyday Performance

Offering solid performance and impressive affordability, the Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 laptop is a great choice for handling computing essentials at home, school or work--from surfing the web and downloading video to managing household finances or studying for finals. This all-purpose, eco-smart machine features a stunning 15.6-inch display with 720p native high-definition resolution. To top it off, the L505 features a brilliant high-gloss Fusion Finish in Graphite Gray that's sure to turn heads.

The Toshiba Satellite L505 laptop is tailor made for handling life's essentials at home, school or work.

Spacious 104-key keyboard with 10-key input (see larger image).

Thanks to the built-in webcam and Toshiba Face Recognition software on this machine, you'll enjoy a more convenient way to communicate, log on or share your laptop among the family. Other high-tech features include a power-saving Eco Utility to help reduce power consumption based on your needs and one USB/eSATA combo port.

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.

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Key Features

• 15.6-inch high-definition TruBrite display for amazing color depth and clarity (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
  

• 2.13 GHz Intel Core i3-330M dual-core processor for a fast, responsive PC experience (3 MB L3 cache). It 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. Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking.
  

• 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
  

• 4 GB of DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; upgradeable to 8 GB)
  

• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD with up to 1696 MB of dynamically shared memory allocated by the system.
  

• 8x SuperMulti DVD drive with double layer support and Labelflash printing, which enables you to personalize your discs and keep them looking attractive and organized with direct-to-disc laser printing.
  

• Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for greater speed and range.
  

• 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.
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Fast Ethernet (10/100)
• Three total USB ports with one eSATA/USB combo port
• VGA video output
• Enjoy proactive PC health--without the worry. For your peace mind, this laptop comes with an innovative PC Health Monitor that constantly keeps tabs on things like your machine's power usage, temperature and hard drive--so you won't have to.
• Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.
• Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.
• Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
• 6-cell battery (4400 mAh)
  

• Weight: 6 pounds
  

• Dimensions: 15.1 x 10.2 x 1.55 inches (WxDxH)
• Warranty: One-year limited hardware warranty
• 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

The front of the Toshiba Satellite L505 (see a pop-up image of all ports and controls).

What's in the Box
This package contains the Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 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), Toshiba PC Health Monitor, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Edition (60-day trial), Windows Media Player, Google Toolbar, WildTangent Orb Game Console

More Details

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8x DVD-SuperMulti Drive

This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD±R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It offers the following read/write speeds:

• Write: 24x CD-R, 24x CD-RW, 8x DVD-R, 8x DVD+R, 6x DVD-R DL (double-layer), 6x DVD+R DL (double-layer), 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 5x DVD-RAM

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Integrated Webcam with Face Recognition Capabilities

A 1.3 megapixel digital web camera built into the LCD's bezel lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. The integrated webcam does more than just video chats. It includes Toshiba Face Recognition capabilities--the ultimate hands-free, hassle-free way to log onto your laptop. Just show your face to the webcam--no keeping track of hard-to-remember passwords and no unnecessary typing. 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.

Product Description

Offering impressive everyday performance and affordability, the Satellite L505 laptop brings you the Toshiba quality you deserve for handling life’s essentials at home, school or work. This easy-to-use, all-purpose, eco-conscious laptop gives you ample processing power, memory and storage for surfing the Net, downloading video, checking email, managing household finances or studying for finals. It also offers wireless broadband connectivity to keep you plugged into what’s happening, along with ports for enjoying and sharing your media. A stunning diagonal 15.6” high-def display lends a whole new visual dimension to whatever you’re doing. New Toshiba productivity help you master your day. And beautiful styling design means you’ll not only be multitasking like mad, but traveling in style.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

288 of 290 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic mid-range laptop. Great for college students., March 9, 2010

By 

N. J. Heldt (61801) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) (Personal Computers)

Not too long ago, I needed to buy a new laptop computer since my old Dell computer nearly died. (There was some sort of hard drive problem that would only allow me to start up in 'safe mode.') After scouring Amazon for several days, I decided upon this Toshiba Satellite computer. It seemed like the best value for the money I was willing to spend.

Pros:
Big screen -- This is great for watching movies in true 16:9 ratio. The screen is also really bright so you won't miss any details.
It has a number pad -- I really like being able to use 10-key typing to enter numbers in documents and web sites. Having a number pad is surprisingly necessary.
Fast start-up / Fast wake-up -- This computer has enough resources to start up quickly from an off state. The start-up feels like it could be a little bit faster, but, again, it is still significantly faster than my old Dell. I usually don't put my computers in hibernation mode when I walk away for any extended period of time, so I can't critique that feature of this computer.
Stylish -- This computer looks sleek and sophisticated. It is a real joy to look at.
Generous system resources -- This computer has 4GB of RAM and 500GB of hard disk capacity. It also has those new Intel processors that feature "hyper-threading" technology. Since Windows 7 is a system hog, a new laptop should at least have 6GB of RAM, but 4GB seems to be just fine for this machine. I can switch quickly between programs, start programs quickly, and end them quickly, too. A 500GB hard disk is just an astoundingly huge amount of storage space. There is more than enough space for photos and movies.
The mouse-pad -- I don't know how Toshiba did it, but the mouse-pad is the coolest feature of the laptop. The mouse-pad looks like it was spray-painted on top of the plastic shell. It also works really well AND it offers multi-touch functionality. If you need to increase the size of the font on a web page, all you do is spread two fingers on the mouse-pad. It is actually pretty damn cool.

Cons:
Atrocious speakers -- OK, the worst feature in this computer are the absolutely horrible speakers. The sound that comes from them is tinny and without depth. I find it interesting, to say the least, that Toshiba would have a mid-range computer with decent hardware specs but include insufficient speakers. Whoduthunk?
Not enough ports / Bad port locations -- Again, for the amount of hardware specs this computer has, Toshiba only included 2 USB ports. The laptop shell is spacious enough to include 4 USB ports without any problems. My old Dell laptop had 4 USB ports. Also, the USB ports and power DC-in locations are really inconvenient: They are located on the right side of the machine. Most people are right-handed BUT protruding cords interferes with desk space which, in turn, limits the space that most people might have because of the locations of the ports. The USB ports and DC-in power port should be re-located to the back of the machine.

Other details:
The computer is finished with a matte black plastic shell. Just so you know, matte (any color) shows off every single speck of dust and finger print! After I type this review I'm going to wipe down the whole machine with a clean cotton cloth. Also, the keys are matte black, too, so they really show off finger prints! Don't laptop manufacturers know that laptops are dirty machines?! This laptop also weighs 6lbs. For me, it isn't heavy, but for others it might be too heavy.

Final thoughts:
Overall, I really like this laptop. It has plenty of resources for a multitude of applications. I can play some graphically intense games without too many problems. It has plenty of processing speed, RAM, and hard disk space for just about anything you can throw at it. This is a great all-around mid-range laptop. The only reason I didn't give this laptop a 5-star rating is because there simply are not enough USB ports, and the locations of the ports should be on the back of the machine instead of the right side. The speakers are also sub-par for what could have been included.

184 of 189 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Toshiba Service is Terrible, April 26, 2010

By 

Robert W. Gilstein "bobgil" (Dartmouth, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) (Personal Computers)

There's always a chance that you can get a lemon. Toshiba laptops arehighly rated for reliability, but I got a lemon.
Over the course of a few days my laptop slowed down more and more, then started crashing programs.
So I spoke with Toshiba Service and they at first told me to re-install Windows 7, which I did. Same problem. Called them agin, same suggestion. Did it again.
So they promised to send a box in which to return it. That took nearly 2 weeks.
I sent it in with a complete description of the problem. It came back loose in the box, not under the protective plastic that holds it in place. I called to complain. Who knows what inside could have been displaced during shipping. Basic response was "tough". Rude, curt response.
I tried the computer and it had THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS AS BEFORE I sent it in for service. I called and they told me that the system board had been replaced. This could not be true if the problem was exactly the same.
On two separate occasions I asked for the laptop to be replaced. They simply don't do that. Even thought the computer is brand new. Again Rude, curt response from both tech support and customer service.
These people obviously don't care.

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good laptop for the price, February 28, 2010

By 

Working Dad (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) (Personal Computers)

I got this laptop about 1 week ago, and I am generally pleased with the quality. Everything worked smoothly out of the box, and it's been working flawlessly with my wireless N D-link router. Toshiba's functions key controls for hibernating, changing video output, etc are well designed and intuitive to use.

On the minus side, the speakers are a bit tinny sounding. The video output is adequate for casual movie viewing, but will not satisfy someone looking for HD like video. This notebook has integrated graphics without a discrete video card and would not support high end games with 3D graphics. I also could not get an older game like diablo 2 to work. Additionally, Toshiba does note recommend trying to upgrade the video card (although it's possible), and doing so would void the warranty.

On a side note, I tried this computer with Toshiba Dynadock and did not find the speed sufficient for smooth operation. I would not try to dock this computer, or in general any computer that is not designed to be docked.

Overall, this is good computer for the price. It will be good for work and casual video viewing, but do not plan on playing games or using it for watching high quality video.