What About The R400's Performance?
While I'm high on the R400's look and a number of other very nice features, I'm not so sure about the components Toshiba is using in the notebook. Here's a table of key performance related components.
| Component |
Specs |
| CPU |
Intel Core Duo U2500 1.20 GHz, 2 MB L2, 533 MHz FSB |
| Chipset |
Mobile Intel 945GM |
| Graphics Processor |
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 up to 256 MB shared memory |
| Memory |
2 GB DDR2 533 MHz PC2-4200 |
| Hard Disk Drive |
80 GB PATA 4200 RPM |
These are not high performance components. In fact, they're not so far from minimum requirement components for Windows Vista. Yes, the minimum Vista CPU is a single core 1.20 GHz CPU and min memory is 1 GB and the smallest hard drive is 40 GB, but the components Toshiba has chosen for the R400 are not high performers. And, that integrated GMA 950 graphics processor is a real bottom feeder.
So what's performance like? Interestingly, so far I'm quite happy with the performance of Vista Ultimate on the R400 in both standard and Tablet PC mode. Everything moves quickly. Aero windowing works quickly and flawlessly and MS Office 2007 is fast to open and very responsive. Of course, I remember thinking Windows XP was quite fast when I installed my first copy. And, it was until I began installing a lot of my favorite memory resident programs, then crawlsville. Let's hope this won't happen as we give the gift of memory resident apps to Vista. Of course, the R400's 2 GB of memory - expandable to 4 GB when 2 GB modules are available - give it a leg up when dealing with memory resident software.
You'll have to wait a bit before we're able to present objective tests of Vista performance on any notebook computer. The tools for testing are in development right now and we're not going to present any numbers until they're certified.
Before I close this first look at Toshiba's Portégé R400 Tablet PC notebook, here's a table of the computer's other features.
| Feature |
Specs |
| Size |
12.0" x 9.43" x 1.26" without feet |
| Weight |
Starts at 3.79 lbs |
| Power Supply |
60W 15V 4A |
| Display |
12.1" diagonal widescreen LED backlit |
| Display Resolution |
1280x800 |
| Optical Disk Drive |
External USB DVD/CD |
| Case |
Magnesium and Polycarbonate ABS |
| Physical Security |
Cable lock slot |
| - |
Fingerprint reader |
| Pointing Device |
TouchPad |
| Sound |
Built-in monaural speaker |
| Microphone |
Built-in |
| LAN |
Intel PRO/1000 Ethernet |
| WLAN |
Intel PRO 3945 ABG |
| WWAN |
EV-DO Verizon Wireless |
| Bluetooth |
v.2.0 |
| Video Port |
RGB output |
| Audio Ports |
Mic input |
| - |
Headphone output |
| USB |
2 v.2.0 |
| LAN |
RJ45 |
Conclusions
Toshiba's Portégé R400-S4931 Tablet PC is quite impressive in many ways. It looks great and has a range of new and special features that make it an impressive little notebook computer. Though some of its components are less than stellar performers, Vista Ultimate, unbridled by memory resident programs, runs quite fast in both standard and Tablet PC mode. I'll reserve judgment on performance until I've got some memory resident apps to test out and until Vista-ready notebook performance tests are available, but for now I'm high on Vista on notebooks like Toshiba's R400, if you plan to keep your notebook fairly vanilla.
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