Positives
The T135D is a noticeable step up from most notebooks in terms of performance. At a very reasonable price point of around $600, the T135D is equipped with a 1.6GHz AMD Turion Neo X2 dual core CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. Perhaps most impressively, paired with its 13.3 inch screen is an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 graphics card, which adds even some gaming potential – something you won’t find in just about any other laptop of its size – to the T135D. Overall, the T135D’s improved specs make it a more capable all-around machine than the average netbook, appropriate for home or work use.
For the style-conscious, the T135D has a very slick yet understated appearance, with a glossy finish and subtle use of LED status indicators. The combo of the graphics card and well-balanced screen make the T135D a good option for heavy video viewers, as well.
Negatives
The T135D’s glossy finish can, however, be a disadvantage in one respect as well, as fingerprints tend to show up very clearly on this type of surface. Also, the added power of the T135D brings with it a corresponding drop in battery life – although it’s still not too far from most netbooks in this respect – as well as a bit more heat around the keyboard and touchpad.
The Bottom Line
In the $600 dollar range, the Toshiba Satellite T135D represents an excellent value for consumers who are looking for an ultraportable, netbook-style laptop with a bit of added size and computing strength. The T135D will allow students and businesspeople alike to do whatever they need to do, wherever they need to do it.
