Toshiba Tecra A11
This mainstream business system has plenty of power and business features
Small business owners and entrepreneurs need to scrimp and save any way they can, which is why systems such as the Toshiba Tecra A11 represent a real deal. For $879, users get a fairly powerful system, a large 15.6-inch display, and security and IT features that would otherwise be too costly for a start-up.
While the A11 comes preinstalled with Windows XP Professional, Toshiba packages Windows 7 Professional with the system, which we installed prior to running our benchmark tests.
Design
Although business notebooks aren’t known for their flair, more consideration is given now to their looks. The A11’s matte black lid is dimpled with a stylish pattern that doesn’t show fingerprints, and it continues on the deck; the bezel is also a matte black plastic, but lacks the design. Overall, it’s a much understated look that will no doubt appeal to business users, but it lacks the full panache of the HP ProBook series, which has a more elegant brushed aluminum lid. Above the keyboard are buttons for launching Toshiba’s Eco Utility, outputting the screen to a projector or larger display, and volume controls. These are handy to have, but we think they would be better put to use if they offered quick access to, say, PowerPoint or some other business-centric function.
Heat
The large chassis of the A11 kept the system relatively cool while streaming a Hulu video at full screen. After 15 minutes, the touchpad was 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys reached 95 degrees, and the middle of the underside was 97 degrees. Still, this system was working hard: the underside by the exhaust vent measured 105 degrees.
This mainstream business system has plenty of power and business features
Small business owners and entrepreneurs need to scrimp and save any way they can, which is why systems such as the Toshiba Tecra A11 represent a real deal. For $879, users get a fairly powerful system, a large 15.6-inch display, and security and IT features that would otherwise be too costly for a start-up.
While the A11 comes preinstalled with Windows XP Professional, Toshiba packages Windows 7 Professional with the system, which we installed prior to running our benchmark tests.
Design
Although business notebooks aren’t known for their flair, more consideration is given now to their looks. The A11’s matte black lid is dimpled with a stylish pattern that doesn’t show fingerprints, and it continues on the deck; the bezel is also a matte black plastic, but lacks the design. Overall, it’s a much understated look that will no doubt appeal to business users, but it lacks the full panache of the HP ProBook series, which has a more elegant brushed aluminum lid. Above the keyboard are buttons for launching Toshiba’s Eco Utility, outputting the screen to a projector or larger display, and volume controls. These are handy to have, but we think they would be better put to use if they offered quick access to, say, PowerPoint or some other business-centric function.
Heat
The large chassis of the A11 kept the system relatively cool while streaming a Hulu video at full screen. After 15 minutes, the touchpad was 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys reached 95 degrees, and the middle of the underside was 97 degrees. Still, this system was working hard: the underside by the exhaust vent measured 105 degrees.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The A11’s deck is large enough to comfortably fit a full keyboard and number pad. The black matte lids are of the traditional variety, had a nice textured surface, and responded well when typing. We were up to our usual speed in no time.
The 3 x 1.6-inch touchpad is comfortably large, and its surface let us move around with ease. Below, the two mouse buttons (separated by a fingerprint reader) are made of a shiny metallic plastic, which makes them really stand out on the all-black deck. Despite picking up fingerprints, the buttons were large and responsive when pressed.
The A11’s deck is large enough to comfortably fit a full keyboard and number pad. The black matte lids are of the traditional variety, had a nice textured surface, and responded well when typing. We were up to our usual speed in no time.
The 3 x 1.6-inch touchpad is comfortably large, and its surface let us move around with ease. Below, the two mouse buttons (separated by a fingerprint reader) are made of a shiny metallic plastic, which makes them really stand out on the all-black deck. Despite picking up fingerprints, the buttons were large and responsive when pressed.
Display and Audio
The 15.6-inch display on the A11 has a resolution of 1366 x 768; if the screen were any larger, pixels would start to look a little too large, but here, it’s good for having two windows open side by side. The screen has a glossy finish, which is unusual for a business notebook; this makes it more reflective than we’d like. Horizontal viewing angles were wide enough so that two people could sit on either side of the screen, but vertical viewing angles were much more limited; we found that the ideal position was 10 to 15 degrees past vertical.
The stereo speakers, mounted on the left and right front of the system, were very loud for a business notebook. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to run” blared out as if we were at the Stone Pony ourselves, but lower tones were sadly lacking, drowned out by treble notes that became harsh as we cranked the volume to its max.
The 15.6-inch display on the A11 has a resolution of 1366 x 768; if the screen were any larger, pixels would start to look a little too large, but here, it’s good for having two windows open side by side. The screen has a glossy finish, which is unusual for a business notebook; this makes it more reflective than we’d like. Horizontal viewing angles were wide enough so that two people could sit on either side of the screen, but vertical viewing angles were much more limited; we found that the ideal position was 10 to 15 degrees past vertical.
The stereo speakers, mounted on the left and right front of the system, were very loud for a business notebook. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to run” blared out as if we were at the Stone Pony ourselves, but lower tones were sadly lacking, drowned out by treble notes that became harsh as we cranked the volume to its max.
Durability and Security
Chances are, a notebook such as the A11 will see a lot of use in its lifetime, which is why Toshiba outfitted the machine with what it calls Easy Guard Technology: hardware and software features designed to increase its longevity. This includes a 3D accelerometer that parks the hard drive in the event the notebook is jarred, and shock absorbers that further protect the hard drive and other components such as the LCD panel.
On the security front, the A11 includes the aforementioned fingerprint reader between the mouse buttons, Infineon Trusted Platform Module Software (which encrypts the hard drive), and Toshiba’s Secure Digital Token Utility, which lets consumers use an SD Card as a key to access the notebook.
Chances are, a notebook such as the A11 will see a lot of use in its lifetime, which is why Toshiba outfitted the machine with what it calls Easy Guard Technology: hardware and software features designed to increase its longevity. This includes a 3D accelerometer that parks the hard drive in the event the notebook is jarred, and shock absorbers that further protect the hard drive and other components such as the LCD panel.
On the security front, the A11 includes the aforementioned fingerprint reader between the mouse buttons, Infineon Trusted Platform Module Software (which encrypts the hard drive), and Toshiba’s Secure Digital Token Utility, which lets consumers use an SD Card as a key to access the notebook.
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