Core 2 Duo T7300 Processor 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM
The Toshiba Qosmio G40 was one of the first Santa Rosa-based notebooks by the Japanese maker. Unlike the Satellite, Tecra and Portege series, the Qosmio range focuses on delivering a complete mobile entertainment platform with features like integrated TV tuner, next-generation optical format, 5.1-channel audio output, etc. The downside is that in order to fit in all these components, the 4.8kg, 17-inch Qosmio G40 can hardly be deemed portable. Unlike Sony's AR series, this Qosmio went with the HD-DVD format, an important consideration if you already have a collection of Blu-ray discs. The Toshiba G40 may be exceptionally costly--easily surpassing the S$5,000 (US$3,289.98) price point--and there are other cheaper entertainment models like the Dell Inspiron 1720 and HP Pavilion dv9500. But, to be fair, the latter models are certainly not as feature-rich. The equally capable Blu-ray-equipped Sony VAIO VGN-AR38GP is even more costly at S$6,999 (US$4,604.67), and the Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 sans HD-DVD drive runs up a S$5,888 (US$3,873.84) bill.
Design of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
The Toshiba Qosmio G40 represents a marked departure from the previous Qosmio G series laptops. Instead of the white LCD cover and black keyboard, the new model flips the color scheme though it maintains the same glossy coat. Granted it makes the unit look very attractive in the showroom, but fingerprints and dust show up too clearly for comfort. It also does away with the slot-in optical drive and had gone with the conventional tray system instead. Though the former does add aesthetic appeal, the switch will be appreciated by those who stock 8cm discs that can be used only with a tray.
Like most vendors which intend to retail in the Europe market, Toshiba's Qosmio G40 is RoHScompliant. This means it conforms to the European standard that restricts the use of hazardous substances in the portable. We, however, admit that we use the term portable very loosely. With a weight of 4.8kg and dimensions of 440 x 299.4 x 45.3mm, it may be slightly slimmer than the older Qosmio G30 but still not a machine you'd want to commute with.
Like any proper multimedia desktop replacement, the Qosmio offers two sets of multimedia controls for different occasions. If you prefer to view movies on its 17-inch screen, there is a volume control wheel on the left of the keyboard, a row of touch-sensitive multimedia buttons on the top and a Qosmio AV controller/multifunction dial on the right. The latter's circumference is lit by a blue LED light so you do not have to grope for the controls in the dark. But if you want to link the G40 to a large-screen display, a full-sized remote control saves you the bother of having to walk to the machine everytime you want to skip a chapter.
Features of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
So what's so special about the Qosmio G40? Analog/digital TV tuner? Built-in subwoofer? HD-DVD drive? A skew of video output sources? We've already seen that on the previous iteration. So besides being based on the latest Centrino Santa Rosa chipset, what else does the G40 bring to the table?
For one, it takes advantage of the new platform to offer 1GB of Intel Turbo Memory (for explanation, see box below). One of the USB ports differs from the rest in that it is able to charge your USB device even if the Qosmio is turned off. Last but not least, the Toshiba G40 is one of the few machines in the market with a high-definition 1080p-ready display.
As mentioned, the 17-inch display is 1080p-compatible, which means it can display full-HD video without having to link to an external display. The 1,920 x 1,200-pixel LCD has dual lamps which produce up to 300nits brightness, more than sufficient for most environments. But behind the pixels is an engine powered by the high-end Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card with 512MB of dedicated video memory (VRAM). The VRAM can be boosted to 1,279MB during periods of heavy load by sharing with the system RAM. If 17 inches of high-definition display is not enough, you can hook up an even larger screen using the S-video, VGA-out, HDMI and component-video out jacks. An integrated TV tuner can handle both conventional analog and digital signals for times when you get bored with your movie collection.
The Qosmio G40 can even behave like a recorder by using its video composite input jacks. There are two harddisk slots in the G40, giving a total of 400GB of storage space. When that runs out, the multimedia files can be archived on HD-DVD discs. Unlike the first-generation HD-DVD drives, which can only read and not write, this Qosmio stores up to 15GB on a single-layer HD-DVD and 30GB on dual-layer discs. As HD-DVD platters are still rather expensive and not commonly available, the optical drive also allows the use of almost any flavor of DVD and CD to backup smaller files.
Most notebook sound systems feel like gratuitous additions with their tinny outputs and lack of bass. This Qosmio, on the other hand, offers a 5.1-channel experience with four Harman Kardon speakers and built-in subwoofer. Sound quality is head and shoulders above most notebooks, with the exception of machines like the Sony VAIO VGN-AR38GP. Nevertheless, the audio quality cannot be compared with dedicated horns of a full entertainment setup. If you desire bass that shakes the foundation of houses and superior audio clarity, an S/PDIF connection is available to stream to a full surround-sound setup.
Connectivity-wise, The Qosmio does not skimp. A generous five USB 2.0 ports (one of which is Plug-and-Charge-compatible), mini-FireWire, an ExpressCard/54 and a Type II PC Card slot are available. A 5-in-1 memory card reader handles SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD-PictureCard formats. We were a little surprised to see a biometric fingerprint scanner sitting between the touchpad buttons as this is not a business machine. Though it offers slightly stronger security than easy-to-crack passwords, without the TPM security chip this feature is more suited for easy login than actual data protection. A 2-megapixel Webcam sits above the display for times when you need to do a little video conferencing or a quick snap shot.
However, we found the network connectivity a little lacking. Given that the usual suspects were present, with 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet and modem ready and waiting. 802.11n compatibility, which is offered on quite a few Santa Rosa systems, does not make an appearance here. With an increasing number of homes hopping onto the 802.11n bandwagon, such an omission in a high-end system seems more than a little remiss.
As expected for a 17-inch desktop replacement, the keyboard is full-sized and comfortable to use for extended typing. A touchpad located below allows for cursor control and provides reasonable tactile feedback. However, we found that a numeric keypad--like the one found on the HP Pavilion dv9500, is conspicuously missing. Granted, this is an entertainment machine and the space is used by the volume and multifunction dial. However, even couch potatoes have occasionally been known to do some serious data entry.
Performance And Battery Life of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
When it comes to performance, the Qosmio G40 is certainly no slouch. Our S$5,299 (US$3,486.84) review unit held a Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 400GB of storage space and rans on the Windows Vista Home Premium Edition platform. As MobileMark has yet to be Vista-certified, we could not do comparisons with previous reviews. Instead, we could run commonly used applications like Office and Photoshop with no issues. Fortunately, we could still test its gaming performance with 3DMark06. Its powerful Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT rang up a score of 2,945, second only to the Acer Aspire 5920G in our Top 5 charts.
As expected of desktop replacements, battery life is not one of its stellar qualities. We ran The Incredibles DVD at half-screen brightness and with the volume turned up. Since we did not wish to be arrested for noise pollution, we plugged in a set of earphones to save our neighbors' sanity. The Qosmio G40 shut down after just under 2 hours, barely enough for most full-length movies. So it's best to keep the G40 plugged in.
After-Sales Service And Support for the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
Toshiba offers a one-year international carry-in warranty for this machine, with options to upgrade the coverage period at the point of purchase. For greater convenience, you can register the warranty online instead of mailing it in. Prompt assistance is available through a toll-free number for over-the-phone support and troubleshooting. An online support database called IRIS (Instant Response Information Service) features a search engine for solutions to commonly encountered problems. If the issue still cannot be resolved, the unit will have to be brought down to a Toshiba service center for repair. A list of service centers can be obtained from Toshiba's Web site, which also hosts updated drivers and utilities.
The Toshiba Qosmio G40 was one of the first Santa Rosa-based notebooks by the Japanese maker. Unlike the Satellite, Tecra and Portege series, the Qosmio range focuses on delivering a complete mobile entertainment platform with features like integrated TV tuner, next-generation optical format, 5.1-channel audio output, etc. The downside is that in order to fit in all these components, the 4.8kg, 17-inch Qosmio G40 can hardly be deemed portable. Unlike Sony's AR series, this Qosmio went with the HD-DVD format, an important consideration if you already have a collection of Blu-ray discs. The Toshiba G40 may be exceptionally costly--easily surpassing the S$5,000 (US$3,289.98) price point--and there are other cheaper entertainment models like the Dell Inspiron 1720 and HP Pavilion dv9500. But, to be fair, the latter models are certainly not as feature-rich. The equally capable Blu-ray-equipped Sony VAIO VGN-AR38GP is even more costly at S$6,999 (US$4,604.67), and the Fujitsu LifeBook N6420 sans HD-DVD drive runs up a S$5,888 (US$3,873.84) bill.
Design of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
The Toshiba Qosmio G40 represents a marked departure from the previous Qosmio G series laptops. Instead of the white LCD cover and black keyboard, the new model flips the color scheme though it maintains the same glossy coat. Granted it makes the unit look very attractive in the showroom, but fingerprints and dust show up too clearly for comfort. It also does away with the slot-in optical drive and had gone with the conventional tray system instead. Though the former does add aesthetic appeal, the switch will be appreciated by those who stock 8cm discs that can be used only with a tray.
Like most vendors which intend to retail in the Europe market, Toshiba's Qosmio G40 is RoHScompliant. This means it conforms to the European standard that restricts the use of hazardous substances in the portable. We, however, admit that we use the term portable very loosely. With a weight of 4.8kg and dimensions of 440 x 299.4 x 45.3mm, it may be slightly slimmer than the older Qosmio G30 but still not a machine you'd want to commute with.
Like any proper multimedia desktop replacement, the Qosmio offers two sets of multimedia controls for different occasions. If you prefer to view movies on its 17-inch screen, there is a volume control wheel on the left of the keyboard, a row of touch-sensitive multimedia buttons on the top and a Qosmio AV controller/multifunction dial on the right. The latter's circumference is lit by a blue LED light so you do not have to grope for the controls in the dark. But if you want to link the G40 to a large-screen display, a full-sized remote control saves you the bother of having to walk to the machine everytime you want to skip a chapter.
Features of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
So what's so special about the Qosmio G40? Analog/digital TV tuner? Built-in subwoofer? HD-DVD drive? A skew of video output sources? We've already seen that on the previous iteration. So besides being based on the latest Centrino Santa Rosa chipset, what else does the G40 bring to the table?
For one, it takes advantage of the new platform to offer 1GB of Intel Turbo Memory (for explanation, see box below). One of the USB ports differs from the rest in that it is able to charge your USB device even if the Qosmio is turned off. Last but not least, the Toshiba G40 is one of the few machines in the market with a high-definition 1080p-ready display.
As mentioned, the 17-inch display is 1080p-compatible, which means it can display full-HD video without having to link to an external display. The 1,920 x 1,200-pixel LCD has dual lamps which produce up to 300nits brightness, more than sufficient for most environments. But behind the pixels is an engine powered by the high-end Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card with 512MB of dedicated video memory (VRAM). The VRAM can be boosted to 1,279MB during periods of heavy load by sharing with the system RAM. If 17 inches of high-definition display is not enough, you can hook up an even larger screen using the S-video, VGA-out, HDMI and component-video out jacks. An integrated TV tuner can handle both conventional analog and digital signals for times when you get bored with your movie collection.
The Qosmio G40 can even behave like a recorder by using its video composite input jacks. There are two harddisk slots in the G40, giving a total of 400GB of storage space. When that runs out, the multimedia files can be archived on HD-DVD discs. Unlike the first-generation HD-DVD drives, which can only read and not write, this Qosmio stores up to 15GB on a single-layer HD-DVD and 30GB on dual-layer discs. As HD-DVD platters are still rather expensive and not commonly available, the optical drive also allows the use of almost any flavor of DVD and CD to backup smaller files.
Most notebook sound systems feel like gratuitous additions with their tinny outputs and lack of bass. This Qosmio, on the other hand, offers a 5.1-channel experience with four Harman Kardon speakers and built-in subwoofer. Sound quality is head and shoulders above most notebooks, with the exception of machines like the Sony VAIO VGN-AR38GP. Nevertheless, the audio quality cannot be compared with dedicated horns of a full entertainment setup. If you desire bass that shakes the foundation of houses and superior audio clarity, an S/PDIF connection is available to stream to a full surround-sound setup.
Connectivity-wise, The Qosmio does not skimp. A generous five USB 2.0 ports (one of which is Plug-and-Charge-compatible), mini-FireWire, an ExpressCard/54 and a Type II PC Card slot are available. A 5-in-1 memory card reader handles SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD-PictureCard formats. We were a little surprised to see a biometric fingerprint scanner sitting between the touchpad buttons as this is not a business machine. Though it offers slightly stronger security than easy-to-crack passwords, without the TPM security chip this feature is more suited for easy login than actual data protection. A 2-megapixel Webcam sits above the display for times when you need to do a little video conferencing or a quick snap shot.
However, we found the network connectivity a little lacking. Given that the usual suspects were present, with 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet and modem ready and waiting. 802.11n compatibility, which is offered on quite a few Santa Rosa systems, does not make an appearance here. With an increasing number of homes hopping onto the 802.11n bandwagon, such an omission in a high-end system seems more than a little remiss.
As expected for a 17-inch desktop replacement, the keyboard is full-sized and comfortable to use for extended typing. A touchpad located below allows for cursor control and provides reasonable tactile feedback. However, we found that a numeric keypad--like the one found on the HP Pavilion dv9500, is conspicuously missing. Granted, this is an entertainment machine and the space is used by the volume and multifunction dial. However, even couch potatoes have occasionally been known to do some serious data entry.
Performance And Battery Life of the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
When it comes to performance, the Qosmio G40 is certainly no slouch. Our S$5,299 (US$3,486.84) review unit held a Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 400GB of storage space and rans on the Windows Vista Home Premium Edition platform. As MobileMark has yet to be Vista-certified, we could not do comparisons with previous reviews. Instead, we could run commonly used applications like Office and Photoshop with no issues. Fortunately, we could still test its gaming performance with 3DMark06. Its powerful Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT rang up a score of 2,945, second only to the Acer Aspire 5920G in our Top 5 charts.
As expected of desktop replacements, battery life is not one of its stellar qualities. We ran The Incredibles DVD at half-screen brightness and with the volume turned up. Since we did not wish to be arrested for noise pollution, we plugged in a set of earphones to save our neighbors' sanity. The Qosmio G40 shut down after just under 2 hours, barely enough for most full-length movies. So it's best to keep the G40 plugged in.
After-Sales Service And Support for the Toshiba Qosmio G40 Laptop
Toshiba offers a one-year international carry-in warranty for this machine, with options to upgrade the coverage period at the point of purchase. For greater convenience, you can register the warranty online instead of mailing it in. Prompt assistance is available through a toll-free number for over-the-phone support and troubleshooting. An online support database called IRIS (Instant Response Information Service) features a search engine for solutions to commonly encountered problems. If the issue still cannot be resolved, the unit will have to be brought down to a Toshiba service center for repair. A list of service centers can be obtained from Toshiba's Web site, which also hosts updated drivers and utilities.
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