Toshiba Satellite 2560 XDVD

The notebook market has begun to divide into two distinct categories. On the one hand there are the super-slim, lightweight ultra-portables, often with no floppy or CD-ROM drive; on the other there are the altogether more bulky desktop replacement notebooks. The former are aimed at users who need a truly mobile computer, the latter at those who require the power and features of a desktop in a notebook chassis.

Toshiba's Satellite 2560 XDVD falls firmly into the desktop replacement category, as it packs power and features equal to a desktop computer and it certainly isn't the most portable notebook we've seen. Weighing in at 3.16kg with the lithium-ion battery fitted, carrying this computer around with you would build up your muscles.

But all that weight isn't wasted, as the specification of the 2560 is no lightweight. It's powered by a 466Mhz Celeron processor, which wouldn't shame a low-end desktop computer. It has 64Mb of RAM and a 6.4Gb hard drive which, while not generous, is sufficient for most users. This line-up helped it to turn in a Sysmark score of 77.

Graphics are provided by a 2.5Mb Trident graphics chipset. This amount of video memory isn't much by today's standards, but it's ample for most business tasks.

The most notable feature this notebook has copied from the desktop realm is a quad-speed DVDRom drive, which comes with all the software you need to watch movies. On most other portable computers we've seen, the DVD drive is little more than a gimmick that pushes up the price. A TFT display is not the ideal medium to watch movies, and often the lack of power in a notebook means playback is jerky with lots of lost frames.

This is where the Toshiba stands out from the crowd. Its 14.1in screen may still not be the best display on which to view a film, but if you're on a plane or in a hotel, it will do.

When we put it to the test, playback was flawless, even in full-screen mode. When we moved the cursor around the screen there was no deterioration in quality, and sound from the built-in speakers wasn't too bad either, although we did find that we couldn't push up the volume very high using the external controls.

If you aren't happy with the quality of movies on the notebook screen, then there's the option to hook it up to your TV. This feature means that as well as a fully featured PC, you get a DVD player, which is worth remembering when you look at the price tag.

Alongside the volume controls there are also buttons to control audio CDs, although not DVDs, as well as a quick access internet button that takes you directly online. The selector buttons also have an unusual layout that we've never seen before. There are four - one each for left and right clicking, plus two extra buttons that are set up to allow you to scroll up and down. If you prefer, you can reprogram the scrolling buttons to perform other functions instead.

The keyboard is pleasant enough to use, although there's no way to create much of a typing slope. The cursor is controlled by the familiar Toshiba trackpoint, a textured green nipple located in the centre of the keyboard. Some people find these devices difficult to get along with, but this really is a matter of personal preference.

The software bundle is generous: as well as a software DVD player you get a copy of Lotus Smartsuite Millennium, Quicken 99 Basic, Norton AntiVirus, plus a couple of other titles and some utilities. You have everything you need to get started straight out of the box - another thing to consider when you look at the cost of the 2560.

Contact Toshiba 01932 828828