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Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934 review: Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934

Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
3 min read

Editors' note: This review is part of our Winter 2009 Retail Roundup, covering specific configurations of popular laptops that can be found in retail stores.

6.1

Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934

The Good

Attractive, if generic, design; multimedia controls.

The Bad

Below-average performance; relatively short battery life; fingerprint prone; comparatively small connection assortment.

The Bottom Line

If you need a basic laptop, the Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934 is a respectable option, but a little more money will easily net you more computer.

For less than $530, the Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934 is a decent-looking laptop with all the necessary ports and connections for average day-to-day use, and just enough performance to do what a lot of people do with their computers: surf the Web, send and receive e-mail, and run some productivity apps, all while streaming video, playing a DVD, or listening to music. If you can afford a little more, we recommend the $599 HP G60-235DX for better performance, a bigger hard drive, and more battery life, plus a 16:9 display and separate number pad.

Price as reviewed $529.99
Processor 2.0GHz AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core RM-70
Memory 3GB, 667MHz DDR2
Hard drive 250GB 5,400rpm
Chipset AMD RS780M
Graphics 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3100 (integrated)
Operating System Windows Vista Premium SP1 64-bit
Dimensions (WD) 14.3 inches wide by 10.6 inches deep
Height 1.5 inches high
Screen size (diagonal) 15.4 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 6.0/6.9 pounds
Category Mainstream

There's no mistaking this laptop as anything other than a Toshiba, due to the inch-high silver branding on the lid. The top is a shiny, pearlescent, dark blue that, while attractive, retains your fingerprints with every touch. The same goes for the glossy, black keyboard and wrist rest. The notebook has a comfortable, matte-black keyboard with bright white markings, which makes them visible in low light.

Over the keyboard is a row of multimedia controls, including programmable mute and CD/DVD buttons. (Out of the box they're set for mute and launching Windows Media Player.) Below the keyboard is a standard, two-button trackpad. However, the only thing delineating it as a trackpad is that the case's texture turns from smooth to slightly rough. It's not a problem per se, but if you're used to having a bit of an edge to run your finger around, this might take a little while to get used to. Also worth noting is the welcome inclusion of a physical volume dial on the case's front lip.

The 15.4-inch wide-screen LCD display offers a 1,280x800 native resolution, which is standard for a screen this size. It's a bit big for regular travel (we like to stick to 14 inches and below for that), but text and icons are highly readable and movies look very good.

Above the screen is a serviceable 1.3-megapixel Web cam and there is included software for using it. In fact, Toshiba includes a lot of software--most of it trialware--which will either make you happy, because it's less work for you, or cranky, because you have to uninstall so much of it to reclaim hard-drive space. One thing we do like is Toshiba's drop-down menu for the Function keys and other hardware- and software-management tools.

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  Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934 Average for category [mainstream]
Video VGA-out VGA-out, S-video
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data 3 USB 2.0, multi-format media-card reader 4 USB 2.0, SD card reader
Expansion ExpressCard/54 ExpressCard/54
Networking modem, Ethernet, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi modem, Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN
Optical drive DVD burner DVD burner
6.1

Toshiba Satellite L305D-5934

Score Breakdown

Design 6Features 7Performance 5Battery 6Support 6