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Toshiba Satellite P200-143

Author	Andy Vandervell
Published	19th Jul 2007
Manufacturer	Toshiba
Supplier	John Lewis
Price	£850.21 (Exc VAT)
as reviewed	£999.00 (Inc VAT)
Latest Price	Click here

Features
Performance
Value
Overall

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Performance was tested by running PC Mark 05 and our in house Photoshop and Virtual Dub tests. Given the spec, it wasn't a great surprise to see the P200-143 struggling. Put up against the cheaper Acer Aspire 5920 and the similarly priced and targeted Evesham Zieo N550-HD, the Toshiba trails significantly in all tests.

In the Photoshop test the Toshiba took nearly two minutes longer than the Acer Aspire 5920, and over two minutes than the Evesham. This result was more or less mirrored in the Virtual Dub test which saw the Toshiba trail the Acer by just over two minutes, and the Evesham by well over five. These results were backed up by similarly discouraging PC Mark scores, which considerably lower across all disciplines.

Gaming performance wasn't that much better and subjective testing showed than playable frame rates could only be achieved at lower non-native resolutions, with the majority of effects and texture detail turned down. In any case it's only sufficient for playing some of the older DX9 games, and will be at a loss when the DX10 titles begin to arrive.

Being a large notebook battery performance isn't a high priority, but subjective testing provided unsurprisingly poor results with the notebook managing slightly less than two hours during general usage with display brightness at full, and with Wi-Fi enabled. It's unlikely you'd be able to make it through a film with the no mains power, though this isn't any great surprise.

What this and the overall performance results show is that though the Toshiba Satellite P200-143 is mostly competent, performance is some way off what we'd expect for a notebook of this size and price. That you can get the exceedingly quick Evesham Zieo N550-HD for only £100 more is temptation enough, and that includes a Digital TV Tuner to boot.

Verdict

A big display, large hard drive and decent design are the best things about the P200-143. Otherwise it's a merely competent but slightly outdated notebook, with Draft N Wi-Fi thrown in. Until the range is properly updated there are better options available.

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