If you're looking for a digital video recorder for your favorite TV shows, a high-end gaming machine, a fast dual-layer DVD burner, and a mini stereo all wrapped up in one slick package, Toshiba’s Qosmio G25 is the ticket. At close to $3,000, it's a huge investment, but considering all of this notebook’s talents, not to mention its jaw-dropping gorgeous design and ultrabright display, you simply won’t find a better combination of style and substance.
The first thing we noticed about the 9.5-pound G25 is that it looks more like an AV component than a computer. Toshiba went back to the drawing board after its boxy first design and came back with a more angular aesthetic, complete with a slot-loading DVD drive up front, a smooth circular volume dial on the right, and soothing blue LED lights. Open this beauty up and you’re greeted with an elegant piano black finish beneath the display.
The Qosmio runs Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, which means you can kick back and enjoy your recorded TV shows, photos, music, and movies on the monster 17-inch screen using one simple interface. The good news is that, unlike the previous version, Toshiba doesn’t force you to use two remote controls to operate the QosmioPlayer feature and Media Center menus. QosmioPlayer plays TV, DVDs, or CDs (but not MP3s) without booting into Windows. If you want to kick back with the remote from across the room, plug the Qosmio into your big-screen TV using either the component or S-Video connections.
Windows MCE 2005 was fairly easy to set up. Despite some recognition problems with our Time Warner digital cable box and some required adjustments to the sound input, this notebook recorded television with ease. The Qosmio includes an IR blaster that attaches to your cable box to control the channels.
With the front-facing, slot-loading optical drive, you can archive all of your multimedia files to DVD-RAM or dual-layer discs. There was a slight problem with our drive, however. It hesitated to eject our discs, and only did so when the notebook was tilted down. We didn’t have any issues with the 5-in-1 memory card reader, which transfers digital photos using virtually any format.
The widescreen display seems deceptively larger than its actual 17 inches. With Toshiba’s TruBrite technology, the screen is so bright that you may have to turn it down a notch. The colors on DVD movies popped, and even analog cable footage seemed warmer and clearer than on a traditional TV. Game graphics were absolutely intense. We played Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 at its highest possible settings, and the gameplay was flawless. The system yielded high scores of 15,910 and 6,118 on 3Dmark2001 and 3Dmark03, respectively. The notebook ran quietly despite the heavy-duty tasks we threw at it, and it remained cool to the touch.
The built-in Harman Kardon speakers above the keyboard are excellent. Whether it’s a game or movie, the sound produced by these speakers was as good as many quality PC speakers we’ve used. We noticed sounds and music in a recorded show that were completely missed during a previous viewing on our standard TV. Should you want full surround sound, connect the Qosmio to a 5.1 setup or receiver with the S/PDIF port. Volume adjusts can be made with either the control knob on the right side of the system or the remote.
With loads of A/V inputs and outputs, the Qosmio will connect to almost every type of television set. Besides composite and S-Video, the component output will accommodate high-definition displays. Inputs are restricted to analog connections, so forget about viewing or recording HDTV footage, and there’s no DVI port for connecting to a larger LCD.
Given all of the multimedia talents at its disposal, it’s easy to forget that the Qosmio is a fully capable PC. The 2-GHz Pentium M is a vigorous worker. Startup was quick, and programs launched and worked simultaneously without a single hiccup. The system’s MobileMark score of 219 put this Toshiba in the upper echelon of portable PCs (or at least semi-portable). Having Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in covers all of your wireless connectivity bases.
Since it features a brighter-than-the-sun display, we didn’t expect the Qosmio to last long on a charge. The less than two hours of battery life hardly matters, since this nearly two-inch thick system wasn’t designed with portability in mind. It’s likely that the Qosmio will stay on AC power, except when you want to show it off.
A notebook this big can accommodate a full-sized keyboard. The keys are evenly spaced out, so that it never feels cramped, and the oft-used keys aren’t doubled up with others. The trackpad is a bit small and the surface is rough, making it uncomfortable to use. Above the keyboard are touch keys that control some of the Qosmio's multimedia functions.
For apartment or dorm dwellers with lots of cash to spend, the Qosmio is a strikingly powerful and attractive replacement for cumbersome boomboxes, televisions, and desktops. As long as you can live without HDTV recording, the Qosmio will fit right into your existing A/V setup.
|
|
| Processor |
| Processor Type |
Intel Pentium M Processor |
| Data Bus Speed |
533 MHz |
Cache Memory |
| Installed Size |
3 MB |
RAM |
| Installed Size |
1 GB |
| Technology |
DDR2 |
Storage |
| Hard Drive |
120 GB |
| Drive Controllers |
IDE (ATA/EIDE/ATAPI),
IDE/EIDE Drive Array (RAID),
Serial ATA |
Optical Storage |
| Type |
DVD+-RW Dual Layer Combination Drive,
Hard Drive |
Display |
| Type |
LCD Display w/ TruBrite Technology |
| Aspect Ratio |
16:10 |
| Graphics Processor / Vendor |
NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600 |
| Video Memory |
128 MB |
| Max. Resolution |
1440 x 900 |
| Video Bus |
PCI Express x16 |
Audio |
| Sound Support |
SRS TruSurround XT Virtual Surround Sound |
Networking |
| Data Link Protocol |
Ethernet (10/100 Mbps),
Wireless Ethernet - 11 Mbps IEEE802.11b,
Wireless Ethernet - 54 Mbps IEEE802.11a,
Wireless Ethernet - 54 Mbps IEEE802.11g |
Expansion |
| Expansion |
Memory Stick PRO,
MultiMedia Card (MMC),
SD Card,
Sony Memory Stick,
Type II PC Card,
xD-Picture Card |
Miscellaneous |
| Chipset Type |
Intel 915PM Express |
| Input Devices |
Keyboard,
Remote Control,
Touchpad |
| Included Devices |
Built-In TV Tuner,
DVD Player (Seperate Function),
Microphone,
Modem,
Wireless LAN Antenna |
Operating System |
| Operating System |
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition |
Battery |
| Average Run Time |
1.85 hour(s) |
Dimensions (W x D x H) |
| Unit |
16 in x 11.5 in x 1.9 in |
Weight |
| Unit |
9.47 lbs |
Warranty |
| Warranty |
1 Year Limited Warranty |
|
|
= Comment
= Outstanding
= Good
= Poor
= Bad
