Toshiba Satellite S955D-S5150 Pro Reviews

Slimmer, sexier, and lighter than the S855D-S5256—and also priced $50 lower—the S955D-S5150 could make for quite a contender if the rest of the package fell into place. It’s certainly a very portable 15-inch notebook. Plus, its battery life still beats the S855D, which included a larger battery (but also a full-voltage APU). But the S955D succumbs to the same fate as the other budget A8-4555M models we’ve reviewed before it: specifically, weak CPU performance coupled with restrictive battery life. Gaming performance is better thanks to the dual-channel RAM, but this notebook still isn’t meant for gaming. The only upside is the price and portability, but for $50 and some size and weight savings, the compromises elsewhere don’t feel warranted. Moreover, for the most part, the majority of the S855D’s construction complaints still apply here, with a frustrating keyboard and a predominantly plastic construction leading the pack. Where to go, then, if you’re searching for an ultraportable, affordable 15-inch notebook? Options remain unfortunately thin, with HP’s Sleekbook 15z and Lenovo’s IdeaPad S405 receiving mixed reviews as well. It might be worth saving up a bit more and expanding your budget to include such models as the well-received Samsung Series 5 510R5E, the Asus PU500CA-XO002X, or (if you don’t mind a 14-inch screen), Toshiba’s own U840t—you’ll likely appreciate the difference the extra cost makes.