Customer Ratings & Reviews

This laptop is great for the price (700 when I got it)! I'll do this as item by item breakdown type review. I rarely do reviews, so bare with me, sorry :) There are bios updates needed out of the box, so take care of that and all other updates before writing this baby off, it's a great pc. Screen - In reading reviews on-line, this seems to be the big down side for those review sites. I think it's great, clear as can be, it IS 1080 so it better be! The complaints are about it being dark. I actually find myself turning the brightness down. Maybe Toshiba changed the levels on newer releases? The touch is sensitivity is great. It does get very finger print covered, as does anything else with a touchscreen. I keep micro fiber wipes on me for that. It's 15.6 - I personally find this to the perfect size for both usability and portability, since this is also the most common size, I'm guess that's a common idea. Battery life - I use this about an hour to two a day and charge it every couple days. This is mostly bookkeeping in Excel, web-surfing and Netflixing. I haven't dropped below 40% before charging either. One thing to note, I did have to have it plugged it to turn it on the first time, probably a safety setting to ensure the battery doesn't fry in shipping. It's full charge was reached within half hour or so, during which I was updating. There a light on the front that changes color when the battery is done charging. Processor & ram - Intel I5 dual core. I can't think of the specs off hand (laptop's not near me to check, but I'm sure they're on this page anyway). 8gb 1600 ddr3 ram. Runs smoothly with no hick-ups. I'm not a gamer so I haven't pushed it too hard. I do edit video and master music, but haven't put the needed apps on this yet. Plays Blu-ray (with an external player) just fine, while messing with system settings to get the sound right and updating Kasperky at the same time. There is some lag in opening programs/apps, but from what I understand this is a Win 8 thing. Ports - 2 Usb 2.0/2 usb 3.0, all with "charge & sleep" which allows to charge something while the PC is essentially off. HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, headphone, mic, power (I know, shocking right!), My desktop doesn't have usb 3.0 'cause I built it just when they were becoming mainstream, so this is my first time using them (I've had a 3.0 portable hard drive for a while), WOW, so much faster! Even my 2.0 thumb drive runs much faster in the 3.0 ports. Time to upgrade my desktop. Note - no optical drive can read or right faster than usb 2.0 can transmit data as purely psychical limitation, so you don't need to care about the speed of external usb cd/dvd/br as long as it;'s 2.0 at least. Keyboard/touchpad - full size, backlit with 10 key number pad. F-keys double as Toshiba's special keys too, brightness, volume, etc. No finger slippage whatsoever. Only issue I have here is that the back-light comes on when you type and goes off a few seconds after you stop. There's no clear on/off for it that I've found yet. Touchpad works great. There is no seperation of marking of any kind for the click buttons, but you'll get used to that quick enough. I personally hate touch pads, always have I got a bluetooth mouse. The mouse turns off the touch pad by default, this can be changed in settings though. Interesting note - it's a touchscreen, I rarely use the touchpad or the mouse at all. However, oddly, Photoshop CS6 doesn't work well with a touchscreen at all, same with some other progs I imagine. Sound - ok, there's no such thing as a laptop with "great sound". I master music, and play. you just can't get great sound from the platform without using external speakers. That being said, for a laptop, this has decent sound, Harman/Kardon (sp?) speakers, with DTS audio and Toshibas own sound enhancements make this easily enoyable, I watched an entire episode of Dollhouse on Blu-ray without noticing the sound, that's good since I nit-pik. I did notice heavy bass made the speakers pop a bit, I turned the bass down (yes, there's an EQ!) and that went away. My Sure E215s sounded awesome with it (bass back up for that), haven't used full externals yet. Storage - 750 hard drive, plenty for most people. this is where the whole system bottlenecks a tad though, it's only a 5400 RPM drive. An issue, yes, but nearly every laptop out now has the same speed drive in it, so it's kind of a moot point. (I'm upgrading to an SSD/second HD set-up myself). It has the standard fare DVD-r/CD-r drive. No blu-ray, though as I mentioned above, you can use an external just fine (you will have to pay for the software unless you have it already). I haven't had time to use said Blu Ray long enough to see the impact on battery life. Overall build/feel - This feels solid, well made. It feel's little heavy to me, but nothing problematic in any way. All the seems where pieces meet are even. The placement of the ports (usb, hdmi, power, etc) are good. When closed, I still get confused and open it backwards. the hinged side is the rounded edge, while the flat side is the opening edge... opposite of many others. The only break on the bottom panel is to access the RAM (you'd have to fully open the case to change the hard drive or the optical). The fan exhaust is on the right side toward the back and covers about half that side. This laptop just doesn't seem to get noticeably hot, though the exhaust can be felt if your hand's in front of it. Windows 8.1 - I tried all of the trial version of Win 8 on my desktop, hated them all! I know I'm not alone in that. SO I came into this with negative vibes already. WELL! I was surprised! I love Windows 8.1... on a touch screen. I had an opportunity (curse maybe) to use the same system on a non-touch screen (friend got a virus she asked me to remove) of the same Windows version. After an hour of using her NON-Touch version I wanted to scream! Windows 8 was intended to be used on a touchscreen, and is awesome on one! That said, it is still a big learning curve. I've had this a month now, and I'm still learning my way around. And, I build desktops for fun, so I know what I'm doing. If you hate the "metro screen" (new start menu), there's an app for that! Classic Shell, you can make the home button act like the start button on Win 7 or even XP, you can start in the desktop (after signing in), and it's free. Note, in reading reviews,apparently this model originally came out before 8.1 and the update broke the touch screen somehow. Mine had 8.1 out of the box and no problems with the touchscreen at all. that .1 is a HUGE HUGE improvement over 8, my Grandpa just got an HP with 8 on it, so many stupid problems that 8.1 fixed. The update takes several hours if you need it. It's in the Windows app store for free. On the positive side of the loooonnnngggg d/l, it remembers where it is if you have to stop it, so you're not starting over. Bundled software - ok, without the thing in front of me, I'm winging this a bit, maybe a lot. I didn't remove too much, some games and redundant utilities that every manufacturer throws on. It wasn't super loaded with a bunch of useless apps/progs as I recall (note that we all think different things are useless). It has PowerDVD pre-installed, as well as Office 360 and Netflix. I honestly liked the news and media apps it came with. Toshibas music player sucked, as did the Win 8 one. The fact that Win 8 has Media Player, AND another media app is strange anyway. I use Media Player - which I despised till now. There's a nifty "MAPS" tile. It's actually a full street level map of the entire world (if you zoom in), with the ability to search for addresses. Useless for most of us (no directions or anything, just a map), but still pretty cool to have, and impressive, for NOT being Google anyway. Comes with Norton, Best Buy gave me the option of a year of Kaspersky free.. I took it, Norton sucks, imo. OVERALL - this is an excellent mid-range laptop for the price. you can get cheaper, sure, without a touch screen... and if you get Win 8.1, you're gonna want that touchscreen! Also, this is a Best Buy exclusive model, and I haven't been able to find a comparable one anywhere else. I should have titled this "War & Peace Of A Laptop Review, part 2". Sorry for the long review, hope it helps.

Overall, this computer is top notch. It has so much for the price. It had more memory and storage than any other laptop that was relatively close in price. It was the cheapest of all that I was looking at, but I reiterate, it had more to offer. Also at this price, it has a touch screen which, in my opinion, is perfectly sensitive. Also, being 15", it has the side numeric keypad, and all the buttons are big and very well lit. Also, while it is a 15", it feels a lot bigger without the extra weight. What I also noticed immediately was that it was quick to turn on and load like a tablet. I didn't have to wait forever for the computer to turn on and go through a long set up. In addition, it has the power to be a business laptop. I really can't get over the functionality and the price. What I also like about this laptop is that it still has a disc drive. As much of a techie I think I am, I still enjoy the pleasures of burning discs and having a hard copy of information. Everything is moving toward online posting of videos and pictures to share through social media, but I like to have the option of burning a disc/movie/music so that I can play it out in the backyard media system. Sound is great. Battery life is great. I've browsed the internet while creating spreadsheets and writing reports for the whole battery life, and the computer stayed at a moderate temperature. It never got hot, which I take that as it was solidly built in the inside. The only thing that is on the downside are the graphics. Pictures and videos aren't as crisp as I'd like, but I don't really watch a lot of videos or movies on it, so it really doesn't matter. So, bottom line - if you are an normal person with normal needs from a computer, you can't find anything better for the money.

The P55t-A5202 delivered everything expected for it. The feature set is very good, and even though it was overloaded with pre-installed bloatware, the performance is so fast that it didn't matter. The full size keypad is a big advantage. I had read that glare on the screen is an issue, and those reviews are accurate. The computer isn't really usable if there is a bright light reflecting off the screen. The biggest problem I've had is adjusting to Windows 8, which really feels like a beta product. Some of the Win 8 features, like the keypad controls that allow you to quickly switch from one window to another, are constantly getting triggered when I don't want them to. Need to retrain my reflexes...

Though I was hesitant about venturing away from my beloved Sony VAIO's, I was attracted to the price of this laptop over Sony's offerings, having both a touchscreen & mouse/keyboard, substantial battery life, and quality speakers. I have been satisfied with it thus far (a few weeks of significant use) and recommended it to others. The only downsides are as listed above.

I purchased this laptop to replace a Dell. I was not even considering the Toshiba brand until I started using the comparison features on bestbuy.com. I have been extremely pleased with this laptop. I was very skeptical about Windows 8, but it's been a breeze to learn. This laptop is very well equipped for the price. It's very fast, and the touch screen display is superb. Additionally I'm glad I chose the Harman Kardon speakers. (Not all of the Toshiba laptops have this setup) The sound is very good, and far superior to my former Dell product.

This was a Christmas gift for my teenaged son. It was a replacement for an older Toshiba laptop he's had since Jr. High. He loves the new touch screen. This is his 1st laptop with the touch screen option. The laptop has been great. The screen is very clear, great for watching movies and playing games. He says the built-in speakers are better than his older Toshiba. It is very light weight & super thin. This is the 5th Toshiba laptop our family has had over many, many years, and as usual, we are very pleased, with this Toshiba laptop.

I was a little wary about purchasing a new laptop. I had my previous laptop for close to ten years and absolutely loved it - and it still works magnificently! However my son needed a laptop for his school work, and I decided it was time to take the plunge. I compared several laptops across several different retailers, and decided on this one. The number one reason I went with this one was the knowledgeable and very, very patient representative at my local Best Buy. I told him what I used my laptop for - documents, creating power points and slide presentations, internet, and Adobe Photoshop - he guided me in the right direction. I actually ended up purchasing the floor model. The touchscreen takes a little getting used to, I can get frustrated with the lag time of the "mouse" - I think it has something to do with it really wanting to be touchscreen! As with all "new" operating systems, this one has a learning curve. I like the backlit keyboard and the more traditional number bank - two things that were not on my previous laptop. The battery life is pretty good; I seem to get anywhere between 4 and 5 hours. I don't travel with it, but it is definitely lighter than my previous laptop (of course it has a slightly smaller screen.) I also like that it has an optical drive - I know most people say I don't need that, but I do.

I was nervous about switching to Windows 8, but after only about a day of playing with it, I found this computer to be just as easy to use as Windows 7! Although I do not see much use in the new apps for Windows 8 & the touch pad takes a while to get use to, I do like the crisp new look of everything. I have always had good luck with Toshiba computers and this one surely does not disappoint. Runs fast & smoothly, has great sound through the Harman Kardon speakers, the keyboard is layout makes typing easy, & it's so thin compared to my old Toshiba! This laptop layout almost reminds me of a Macbook & I really like that. I definitely like the touchscreen feature as Windows 8 is made for this feature & can be a pain to use with a mouse sometimes. The extra 10-keys are a must for me as I am constantly typing numbers & they work great. The only minor flaw I see with this laptop is that the metal body gets extremely cold sometimes & your wrists freeze while typing for a short time. But that's easy enough to deal with. Other than that I love this computer!!

I love this computer! I got it as an open item/display item, so I love it even more since I got it for roughly 200 dollars under the original price! It has plenty of storage, a great processer, and Excellent battery life. There pretty much isn't much I don't like about it. I am partial to Toshibas and the laptop I owned previously was a Toshiba as well. Although, I was looking into an Asus. The only two things I don't like about this particular laptop (but not enough to not purchase it again or recommend it) are: first off it sometimes is slow when reloading a webpage when I hit the back or forward button. Not horribly slow but slow enough to pester me. However, I do have a lot open at once so I am sure that is part of it. And the other thing that I do not care for is randomly the computer will make this weird ding noise the resolution will enhance super large...like everything on the screen is jumbo sized, then suddenly (within seconds) it will ding again and go back to normal size/resolution. Overall I LOVE this computer....fast, big screen, touch screen, nice keyboard with the extra numbers to the side....decent Harman/kardon speakers....just overall a really great computer!

The Toshiba Satellite P55t-A5202 Intel i5 is a great office companion. Lighter than most high powered office laptops. It actually runs faster than my desktop AMD A10 with twice the RAM. All programs and applications installed on the laptop with ease. The touch screen is amazing. Searches on the internet is now a breeze using the touch feature. Huge benefit over the old outdated mouse. I love this system.

Computer is perfect for my work. Comfortable keyboard. Good speed. has number pad. Nice size screen with good quality picture.

This laptop has a nice finished look when you first open it up. The screen quality is really nice when watching movies yet it does have a pretty dim screen in dark scenes. The laptop performance is great with no lagging or overheating. Its an easy laptop to carry around, its slim and light. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a laptop with all the nice features with only a few drawbacks that do not ruin the overall experience.

We got this laptop for our daughter, who is very tech savvy (as compared to her parents). She loved it and had only a few questions on getting it set up and personalized. One of her computer nerd friends helped her out a little. This is a lot of computer and far surpasses what we've purchased before in a laptop. Toshiba is our favorite based on several different laptops we've purchased previously. Most everything is very straightforward and user friendly. Our daughter is thrilled. She was especially excited about the speakers, but also the touchscreen technology - it is similar to her iPhone in ease of use.

After I learned how to navigate the touch screen it has been the best purchase of a desktop or laptop that I have made. The battery appears to last, the pictures are clear, and I love the speed!

I like this laptop it is very fast.The touchscreen is great and works very nice.I got a good price on it with a 100.00 dollar coupon off.I paid 669.00 for this laptop.I am still learning windows 8 and it is not as user friendly as windows 7.

Needed to replace a 6 year old office laptop which had Windows XP. Looked at various options and, for the price, this laptop had everything required and then some. After working for years in Windows XP, now having to learn Windows 8. Compared to the old laptop, this computer is really fast and handles everything we need for it to do for our business. All in all, great laptop at a reasonable price.

What's great about it: light weight for it's size, but I like the larger screen. Really like the backlight for the keyboard. What's not so great-: nothing I really like this laptop. Windows 8 has been a learning experience and this is my first time for touch screen and windows 8 it can be quite frustrating getting to where you want to go. But perhaps I will install Windows 8.1 in the future. Yes I would recommend this laptoip to a friend.

Dauther is going into 7th grade and needed a new computer. After researching many different brands and wether we wanted touch screen or not , we chose this one. It was easy to use and and the touch screen is very simple especially for kids that are more hands on. She loves the apps it comes with, The only thing we don't like is windows 8. Not so user friendly and very different from what we are uses to . It will take some practice getting used to it. But other than that I would definatly reccomend this computer to anyone.

Only down side to this computer is the glare that is on the screen sometimes, and being a touch screen, I was hoping to have found a Invisible Shield protector for it, but they do not make one yet. Love how fast it runs and how long the battery lasts. I do wish that there was a way to configure the touch pad to scroll screens using the right side of it, but maybe I just haven't found it yet.

I love this laptop! I was a bit skeptical about using a touch screen, but it has made my life so much easier! The display is excellent quality. It can handle all of the programs that I run during work without bogging down, which is amazing in itself. The only thing I've noticed is that the battery life is short. Of course, batteries never last long around me anyway. Excellent buy! :)