Toshiba Satellite S875-S7242 Pro Reviews

For the user looking for a budget-friendly desktop replacement that will won't stray too far from the desk (or, more appropriately, the power outlet), the Toshiba Satellite S875-S7242 packs solid hardware into an affordable package while pumping out admirable benchmark scores that hold their own against more expensive systems.

The Toshiba's software bundle is unremarkable, unless you count a scandalously short 30-day trial of Norton Internet Security as remarkable: Windows 7 Home Premium, Google Chrome, Microsoft Office Starter 2010 (the ads-included, some-features-excluded versions of Word and Excel), and a slew of house-brand utilities for system maintenance. A one-year parts-and-labor warranty protects your investment. Serious image or video editors may pine for a full 1080p screen, rather than the 1,600x900 panel here (though the HDMI and VGA ports mean it's easy to connect an external monitor or HDTV if you need more screen real estate). And we would have liked it if the aluminum lid was matched by an equally smudge-resistant keyboard tray for a cleaner, more premium look. Still, if you're in the market for an under-$1,000, large-screen laptop with ample power for productivity applications, the Toshiba Satellite S875-S7242 is a solid choice. It shows that even in the age of the ultrabook, the big-screen desktop replacement is very much alive and well.