Customer Reviews

Toshiba Satellite M45-S359 15.4" Laptop (Intel Pentium M Processor 760 (Centrino), 1024 MB RAM, 100 GB Hard Drive, DVD SuperMulti Drive)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I didn't purchase this computer through Amazon (Circuit City), but I feel some obligation to provide feedback on Amazon as I regularly read other Amazon customer reviews (to see what real customers are saying) before purchasing electronics and computers--I'd like to return the favor.

While I'm impressed with the computer, let me begin by saying that I am reviewing a second M45-S359; the first had to be returned because the touchpad mysteriously stopped working and the keyboard began functioning irregularly (it developed a three second lag began typing and the characters being shown on the screen.) Hence the reason for the four-star rating and not a five.

This computer replaces a Sony VGN-A150 I own, so I'll compare the two. The Sony was my first deviation from Toshiba laptops; while it is a good computer, dollar for dollar, the Toshiba is a much better bargain. Sonys are too expensive for the lesser configurations offered to customers. I've got two daughters in college, both of whom own Toshiba laptops, as does my wife. We've not had any problems with Toshiba; they are relatively well constructed and problem free.

The m45-S359's Intel Pentium M processor (2 GHz) is Intel's fastest processor for laptops to date. Combined with the 1 gigabyte of RAM and the 533 MHz front-side bus and 2 MB L2 cache, the machine is really fast. Screen redraws are very quick as is opening programs. More than enough memory and speed for surfing the web and using the usual Microsoft Office standards (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Publisher). The Sony has a 1.5GHz with the same front-side bus and cache configuration and 512MB of RAM (which I upgraded to 768MB). Needless to say there is a noticeable difference in performance. While the Sony is a good performer, it can't keep up with the Toshiba. I don't play many computer games, only Empire Earth. Not only does the Toshiba handle the graphics-intensive program flawlessly, it is very smooth. On the Sony, the game has an occasional tendency to jerk. Additionally, the Toshiba renders the game in full screen while the Sony can only muster 800X600 leaving bothersome thick black borders on either side of the screen. The Toshiba's processor is quiet and the computer stays very cool and with a 100GB hard drive (5400 RPM) accessing data is quick.

The wireless capability is very handy and works flawlessly--very quick set-up and connection. It took about 30 seconds to connect right out of the box w/o reading directions. It linked to our wireless home network and no problems connecting anywhere in the house.

The 15.4 inch TruBrite screen is very nice. Max resolution is 1280X800 and text and images are very crisp and clear--no more tired eyes from extended computer use. Screen width is adequate for just about productivity program you'd want to use. I would have preferred a higher resolution, but that's a personal preference, not a complaint about the screen. Side-by-side, I think the Sony's screen is just slightly brighter, but you'll not be disappointed with the Toshiba screen.

Multimedia is very nice. The DVD/CD-ROM is nice given its flexibility of recording various formats and the speakers with virtual surround sound offers a clear and crisp sound, much better than the Sony's. Additionally, I'm not sure why Sony puts black mesh across the speakers and the whole of the top edge of the computer; it is simply impossible to keep clean no matter what you try. The Toshiba, luckily, doesn't have this. Additionally, you can play CDs and DVDs on the Toshiba without booting up the whole system, which is handy, particularly if you're operating on battery power.

The casing and layout are user friendly as well. All USB ports, which are 2.0, are on either side of the computer--two on the right and one on the left--which keeps you from having to move the computer around to access them in the back. (not the case with the Sony, which has two of its USB ports on the back). The serial port connection is also on the left side. LAN and telephone connections are in the back. Controls for the CD player and Web access are next to the keyboard.

Compared to the Sony, which weighs in at about 7 lbs, the Toshiba is a joy to carry around (6 lbs). The Toshiba's profile is a bit lower as well, so it's easier to move from place to place. The keyboard is nicely centered and feels sturdy. It is also nice that Toshiba provides customers with a restore disk--more convenient than having to burn your own.

Now for a few "aw shucks" points. The biggest shortcoming is battery life--tops is 2.5 hours; less of course if you've got the processor and screen at their highest settings. You may want to consider buying the 12-cell battery from Toshiba to extend battery life--I will.

While the 6-in-1 memory card reader is great, compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, MMC, and XD Picture Card, it would have been nice to have a slot for CF cards as well (yes, some of us still use them).

When the CD-ROM is accessing information, it can vibrate a bit; operationally not a problem, just a bit annoying.

Of course, I can do without all the preloaded software (as I'm sure most of us can), but it is easily removed. Toshiba has bundled some software that allows the user to pre-define functions that can be accessed by touching the four corners of the touchpad. But frankly, it is so hard to scroll without activating the software that I found it easier to turn off.

And I still miss the infared capability earlier Toshibas came equipped with.

All in all, a great machine and a purchase I'd make again.

I am not sure why other people have problems with it and give such low reviews. My laptop works fine and it has been one year I had it. Trusts me I have tons of software installed on it, four external hard-drives, and a bunch and bunch of other stuff that would would crush, freeze and cause all sorts of other problems on other comps - I know from experience. I highly reccomend this model and I think it is really under-rated on this review page.

This is my first laptop, but I have done a lot of research before I bought this laptop. I know people that have Sony, Dell and they always had problems. I don't know why people have rated this product so low. I personally think this is fastest laptop I have ever seen with a 1GB of ram its just great. The graphic card is excellent online gaming it also great. I downloaded a demo of Need for Speed Most Wanted just to see how good my graphic card is and the game did not lag at all, I also played it online and it worked great. You can run a lot of stuff at the same time, this laptop handles it great. The wireless card is also great.
Take a look at the CNet rating on this laptop. www.cnet.com then type satellite M45-S359 in the search.

I have owned a Toshiba M45-S359 for one month. There are two major problems. In the first week, I noticed the USB ports would stop working if the computer went into sleep mode. Because this is my business machine, I disabled sleep mode and continued using the computer. One month later, the mouse touchpad has failed. I believe the problem occurs when the computer reaches a certain temperature. I contacted Toshiba for a replacement. They refused. The computer is one month old an under warranty.

I am an attorney and thinking about filing a class action on behalf of m45-s359 owners. If you have similar problems, please email me at m45s359complaints@hotmail.com. Please provide you name, address, phone, date of purchase, and problem.

I've owned 2 Toshibas before this one. The first two were awesome in just about every way. While the second, the 5105-s501 had some issues with the hard drive, installing the fix recommended by Toshiba resolved those issues and I still have this laptop working in top condition!

Now, the M45. Impressive, but I have to admit, that the construction is definitely NOT up to par with the first two.
I don't rate speakers because well, this IS a laptop! Touch pad as with the 501 is a bit "flakey." Meaning sometimes, it seems to "stick." A small scan results in moving up or down the whole page. As for the screen, what can I say except that it is "pretty!" However, I did notice that viewing angle is a bit critical. Not sure if this is normal with truebrite screens. Normal viewing seems to result in images as well as text fading towards the lower part of the screen. However, it is so slight that I am sure most people won't even notice.

As for performance, without running benchmark tests, it is only subjective, but this pentium processor with the faster RAM and front side bus does seem to run a little faster.

All in all, I am still happy with this purchase! Although, it could have been better, I feel this model is another WINNER for Toshia!

Pros:
1- High performance (Video/Divx(coding/decoding)/Game)
2- High quality screen (Bright, good contrast, not supporting many resolutions though, maybe because it has a wide aspect ratio)
3- Good specification (Good size RAM, SATA hard drive)
4- Good features (memory card reader)
5- My favorite (Express media Player, no need to boot up the OS to watch a DVD, I love it)
6- Reliable (to my experience in these past five weeks)
7- Good Audio (Not the best speakers and power output, but it does produce clear sounds not usually expected from laptops in this price range)
8- Good wireless reception(picks up neighboring networks well!, but I have my own)
9- Good size and design, and not heavy in comparison to other laptops that I have had.
Personally, I very much recommend this laptop (specialy to students and HomeOffice owners).

GARBAGE... and less than one year old.

After owning a Toshiba Satellite for less than 10 months, I have had to send it for repair 2 times. First time: computer would shut off mid-operation due to a defective circuit board. Second time: computer won't boot... get's halfway there (hard drive spins) but it won't come on. No diagnosis yet.

I have never experienced any problems with the Dell, Gateway, and IBM laptops I have owned in the past. Yet this Toshiba has been nothing but a headache.

Spoke to their customer care, with absolutely no satisfaction. If you plan on purchasing a reliable laptop, stay far away from Toshiba. If you decide to take your chances, take out the extra repair coverage. I wish I had never purchased mine.

I've owned my Toshiba M45-S359 for a year now, and this computer is a great deal. A highly depreciated one, but still great. I am a graduate student and am extremely hard on my computers. It is plugged in and on about 24 hours a day and it's usually busy chugging away as a multimedia and study center. That being said, I don't suggest you balance your coffee and an 1900-page textbook on top of your computer, but I've done it and it's held up pretty well.

Pros: This little laptop is fast, capable, and durable. It's extremely lightweight for its capabilities and I never have a problem grabbing it under one arm as I'm running to class. I've spilled water, pop, and tea on it, shook it upside down in a panic (without turning it off), have crumbs of every possible food group stuck in the keyboard and touchpad, dropped it out of my car and off my shoulder several times (zipped in a cruddy $19 Targus case), and it still manages to work.

The Harman/Kardon speakers are surprisingly loud and clear for a laptop and it's fine for throwing onto the end of the bed and watching a movie. It has a huge 100GB hard drive, which takes forever to fill up. It also has 3 USB 2.0 ports (2 lateral on the right, and 1 horizontal on the left - very useful for those chunky JumpDrives) and a Firewire port. I have two 500GB hard drives, a industrial laser printer, speaker system, and wireless mouse/keyboard hooked to it. I am also usually running 5-6 programs at a time. And it still works at lightning speed. It has frozen on me only once since I bought it... in a year. That's not just good, that's great.

Cons: (1) Battery life isn't good. It generally holds out for about an hour and twenty minutes at "normal" power-settings, and only slightly longer at the "long-life" setting. I bought the six-hour battery for my first round of finals and it ran fine on "full" power for 4 hours, but that was an expensive investment I was expecting to make. (2) The screen can seem a little dimmer than other computers, but the clarity is awesome. I haven't had eye-strain yet and I look at it for about 8-12 hours a day. (3) The wireless capabilities don't seem to always be up to par with my old Dell but it works well 99.93% of the time.

Comparatively: I previously owned a heavy, chunky Dell Inspiron and after having to replace three batteries on the Dell and scratching the screen (from frequently grabbing it with one hand and piling textbooks on it), I bought this. I did about a month of research (between Sony, Dell, and HP) and this laptop was up against a 17" HP Pavilion with a 10-key. The HP was cool, but incredibly heavy. At six pounds, the Toshiba was the hands-down winner and I've never regretted my choice. If I had to, I would jump in front of a (slow-moving) car to save my laptop. I will keep on buying Toshiba laptops as long as they make them, but I don't anticipate needing another one for another three or four years because of the technology and capabilities of the M45-S359. It's awesome.

My husband is a computer consultant, and we have had it with these computers. They seemed to be the best deal each time we were in the market for a new laptop, but don't waste your money. I have one that is 2 years old, and it shuts down from over heating about every hour. My husband gave me that one after giving up on it and buying a new one, and it over heats, and about twice a day when he puts his hands back on it to start working again, it dies. And it REALLY dies, it takes a lot of time to get it going again, and a couple of times (including yesterday) it died and took all day to get it going again normally. Don't buy these computers. They really suck. We gave it a second shot, and it is just not worth it. It has cost us a fortune in missed work because of its faults. We called Toshiba about his current laptop issues, they said they were aware of the problem, and just bring it to a local Toshiba technician, and they will fix it for free, but will have it for 2 weeks! 2 weeks! That is crazy! Hope this saves you the hassles these computers have caused us.

This computer is alright for the price. I bought mine on sale at Wal Mart for 950, so it seems like a powerful laptop with the centrino processor, DVD superdrive, and Xbrite screen for a cheap! price. Well, let me tell you the truth about this machine as a user and owner for 6 months. I havent had any of the mechanical errors or problems that some other users experienced.

+the screen is fairly bright and quite nice for a laptop under 1000, not as nice as sony vaios or some other xbrite laptops though.
+has centrino processor and dvd burner.
+Is durable, i treat it bad, and it keeps on tickin.

-whole laptop is built cheeply, it feels like 'fake' plastic and all the ports are awkwardly placed around. DVD tray is weak and cheap. They used cheap materials to build the laptop to let them sell the tech. at a bargin price.
-The speakers sound like donkey doo, although thats pretty standard on laptops. And what's worse, they are looking out at you like two wierd eyes at either side on the top of your laptop base. Again, poor design.
-The laptop is bundled with all this interesting software which causes the computer to run slow and it's very hard to delete it all, non computer savvy users will be crying with all the hidden, strange exe programs floating around.
-Laptop is big and heavy, not too portable, and battery charger is like the titanic towing comcast's entire cable foundation.