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Toshiba Tecra A6

The corporate version of Toshiba's Satellite M100, the Tecra A6 provides the latest-generation components and a number of business-friendly features.

Michelle Thatcher Former Senior Associate Editor, Laptops
Tech expert Michelle Thatcher grew up surrounded by gadgets and sustained by Tex-Mex cuisine. Life in two major cities--first Chicago, then San Francisco--broadened her culinary horizons beyond meat and cheese, and she's since enjoyed nearly a decade of wining, dining, and cooking up and down the California coast. Though her gadget lust remains, the practicalities of her small kitchen dictate that single-function geegaws never stay around for long.
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Michelle Thatcher
The Toshiba Tecra A6 series is the business version of the consumer-oriented Satellite M100/M105 series. Replacing the old Tecra A5, the new Tecra A6 has the same 5.2-pound base weight as the Satellite M100/M105 and many of the same design features--though the Tecra A6 offers a few features that the Satellite M100/M105 lacks, such as antishock protection for the hard drive and a spill-resistant keyboard. On the other hand, the solely silver-and-gray Tecra A6 does not include the Satellite M100/M105's three different color options and multimedia controls.

Toshiba sells one preconfigured version of the Tecra A6. Otherwise, you must configure your own system by choosing from among several of the latest laptop parts, including Intel Core Solo and Duo processors rated between 1.66GHz and 2.16GHz; 256MB to 1GB of speedy 533MHz SDRAM; an integrated Intel 950 graphics subsystem or discrete Nvidia Quadro NVS 110M graphics chip; 40GB to whopping 120GB hard drives spinning at a standard 5,400rpm; a CD burner or double-layer DVD burner; a 14.1-inch wide-screen with a typical 1,280x768 native resolution; 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi cards made by Atheros or Intel; and options for biometric security (a fingerprint sensor) and Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR.

In CNET Labs' performance and battery tests of its predecessor, the Tecra A5, the portable displayed midrange scores in both areas. Check out our full review of the Tecra A5-S116 to learn more about what to expect from its successor, the Tecra A6.