Toshiba Mini NB255-N245

Netbooks might be taking a backseat because of tablets, much there is still a considerable amount of population who prefer netbooks over laptops and notebooks.  Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 netbook is an upgraded version of NB305-N310. The sleeker and compact design of the netbook makes it great for satisfying your communication and amusement needs. The netbook powered by Intel Atom N450 processor gives high quality performance. But does it have enough to carve a niche for itself in the netbook market. Check out our Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 review to know the answer for yourself.

Looks And Design

Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 10.1 Inch Netbook comes with a glossy Clestial black finish and we liked about the devices is that though it was glossy it did not get smudges or fingerprints easily. This is because of the texture of the netbook and very much like the NB 205 series, the netbook boasts of a boxy design. Most part under the hood of the netbook is made up of matte plastic and Toshiba has done fine job in constructing and designing the notebook.

Keyboard And Touchpad

Toshiba Mini Netbook NB255 boasts of a full sized keyboard. Though the keyboard is not island style in nature yet we felt that that the keys are quite comfortable to type. The keys are flat and provided springy feedback and we also liked the textured palm rest. The bottom of the keyboard however was not that elegant with some of the keys placed quite closed to each other.

The touchpad of the machine is pretty smooth and offers nice navigation. The touchpad measures 3.1×1.6 inch and the large space of the touchpad is pretty handy for users who have large fingers. The dedicated mouse buttons are comfortable to use and easy to press.

Display

The notbeook sports a 10.1 inch display which produces pictures of resolution measuring 1024×600 pixels. The colors are quite vibrant and sharp. The display has a bright and glossy surface and it gave a few reflections. The viewing angles are quite good though in some cases the colors do get a little washed away when viewed from angles.

Specs

Following are the technical specifications of the laptop

• Dimensions: 10.4×8.3×1.2 inches
• Weight: 2.8 lbs
• Processor: Intel Atom N455/ 1.66 Ghz
• Chipset Type: Intel NM 10 Express
• RAM: 1GB (Can be expanded up to 2GB)
• Technology: DDR2 SDRAM – 667 MHz
• Display: 10.1 inches TFT
• Display Resolution: 1024×600 (WSVGA)
• Graphics Processor: Intel GMA 3150 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 4.0
• Data Link Protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n
• OS Provided: Microsoft Windows 7 Starter

Heat

Heat is one very important aspect for any notebook. If the machine gets heated up very soon, then users will not be able to carry out operations for very long. But thankfully, Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 does not get heated up very quickly and the machine is relatively cool.

Audio

The audio quality of the notebook is not up to the mark as it has only one speaker. The speaker is located on the right side of the system.  The bass however is very clear. But one should not expect the audio performance of the notebook to be stunning.

Ports

Ports in the device are same which you will find in a netbook. There are 3 USB ports, 1 VGA port, 1 Ethernet port, a mic and a memory card slot. There is a separate security lock slot which protects the netbook from unauthorized usage. Though presence of sleep-and-charge port would have been appreciated, but then considering the price of the machine, we did not expect it to be there.

Webcam

The webcam of the machine is not that good and the colors captured are not that clear. The images lack clarity and sharpness. Even when we used advanced settings, the performance of the webcam did not improve much. During video conferencing, the faces appeared to be quite dark.

Graphics

Graphics in the laptop is powered by Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 and the graphics performance of the netbook is quite decent. The graphics rendered were very good and smooth.

Software

There are some in-built software in the machine such as Microsoft Works and Skype. There is also 60 days Norton Internet Security. Toshiba has also equipped the Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 10.1 inch netbook with some applications which includes ReelTime and Bulletin board. Toshiba’s PC Health Monitor and Media controller are also in the machine.

Battery

The netbook is equipped with a standard battery whose runtime was approximately 7 hours. The performance of the battery is decent enough and will continue to sustain during most of the work.

Price

The price of the netbook is approximately $ 300. The netbook provides great performance though some of the users may find the battery life to be a bit short. The design and performance of the machine is quite good and if you are looking for a robust machine at a cost effective price point, then you can bank upon Toshiba Mini NB255-N245.