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| |  | Best Laptops | Home » » Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 TruBrite 18.4-Inch Laptop (Black/Red) | | | | | | | Description: | | Get the extreme performance you crave - without the extreme price. Our Qosmio X505 laptop delivers powerhouse mobile performance with blazing - fast graphics, the latest in multi-core processor technologies and a high-def sound system - all wrapped up in a sophisticated Fusion Finish design. Enjoy faster and smarter performance with a powerful combination of breakthrough processor technologies, including the newest Intel Core i7 or Core i5 processors, plus the graphics horsepower of the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M GPU. Up to 8 GB of ultrafast DDR3 memory gives you more bandwidth to do, create and enjoy, while massive single or dual high-speed hard drives hold tons of entertainment. Savor luxurious sound with built-in harman/kardon speakers and Dolby Home Theater audio technology. Enjoy the latest movies with a Blu-ray Disc player on select models. Or simply plow through your day on a brilliant, HD 18.4-Inch diagonal display. The Qosmio X505 laptop has the power, performance and portability to do anything you can imagine - at a price you can afford. | | | Features: | |
• 1.73 GHz Intel Core i7-740QM processor
• 6 GB DDR3 1066MHz memory
• 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive, Blu-ray Disc® ROM and DVD SuperMulti drive with Labelflash® supporting 12 formats, 64 GB SSD
• 18.4-inch HD TruBrite display, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M with 1 GB GDDR5 discrete graphics memory
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 3.75 hours of battery life
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 11.6 inches | | Product Width:
| 17.4 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.63 inches | | Product Weight:
| 9.3 pounds | | Package Length:
| 22.2 inches | | Package Width:
| 13.7 inches | | Package Height:
| 4.6 inches | | Package Weight:
| 15.75 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 41 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 41 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 41 found the following review helpful:
 Stunning, Powerful - Best Laptop I've Owned by Far!Sep 13, 2010
By Kaio
Cosmetically, the Qosmio looks like a technological piece of art; under the hood, it gets even better. Every time I lay my hands on it, I'm thrilled I made this purchase.
I originally got the TOSHIBA QOSMIO X505-Q850 and am posting that review here as well since the 890 is essentially the same laptop and I thought this review would be helpful to people....
I'd been hoping to put off buying a new laptop but the screen on my old HP was failing and I just can't justify sinking money into obsolete tech. I convinced myself I was willing to live with the funky lines running through my screen in favor of being frugal, but with each malfunctioning pixel, it was clear I had to buy a replacement soon.
If you're like me, a new laptop isn't something to be taken lightly. It's a decision I'll have to live with a good many years, so selecting the right model is important since I'll be using it on a daily basis. Well, I'd like to say I did exhaustive research comparison shopping every new laptop, but that simply wasn't the case. I had two basic criteria that eliminated 99% of the laptops on the market: I wanted the largest screen possible and a lighted keyboard.
Enter Qosmio...
(Insert angelic harps here)
Thankfully, Amazon makes it easy to search laptops by attribute like screen size, and the first laptop that came up on my search was the Qosmio x505-Q850 -- the pictures were more reminiscent of an elegant sports car than laptop -- it was love at first sight. The screen was a whopping 18.4 inches, which is huge for a laptop, and much to my surprise, it even had a lighted keyboard!!!
(Angelic choir join the harps and crescendo for dramatic effect...)
Could finding my perfect laptop be this easy? "Calm down," I tell myself, "looks aren't everything." The price isn't cheap, yet it's nearly half the cost of Alienware, it's nearest rival in specs and looks. Excitedly reading the product info, I was thrilled to see the Qosmio's feature set is just as brilliant on the inside as it is on the outside. With the latest quad core processor, a blazing fast solid state drive for the OS, a 2nd SATA drive, 6gb of memory, the latest NVIDIA graphics card, Bluetooth, HDMI output and Blu-Ray drive, this Qosmio is a powerhouse indeed.
Delving deeper, I learned this new Qosmio had just been released and was in limited supply. Even buying direct from Toshiba was a 2 month wait. Amazon had a few in stock but quickly sold out. With more pixels disappearing on my old HP, I kept a keen lookout hoping someone would get the Qosmio in stock soon. I was hoping to buy at Amazon and get triple points on their credit card (every 2500 points gets me a $25 gift card and triple points on a laptop would be near 6000!!) but alas, a different retailer got in a small quantity, and much as I hated to do it, I cheated on Amazon and made my purchase elsewhere.
When my Qosmio arrived, it was a euphoric experience. The box is red and black with a huge red Q on it and the same detailed design that's on the laptop itself. As I peeled back the box tab to open it, the inside flap had little red letters that said "Enjoy your laptop." My heart fluttered, "I will," I thought to myself, "Don't you worry."
Angelic harps reach their apex as I open the Qosmio box. And there it was -- emerging through light beams -- with its high gloss black finish glistening, and points of light sparkling off red metallic accents. I challenge anyone to find a more stunning looking laptop.
Okay, so literary embellishments aside, this really is a great laptop. And Windows 7 is pretty awesome too. Boot up time is lightening fast; 45 seconds tops from the moment I hit the power button and I can click on anything and get going instantly. And this new processor is a total beast too. Photoshop CS4 opens near instantly. A 100gb backup took barely over an hour. And rendering video editing is blazing fast too. I'm not a gamer, so I have nothing to report there, but judging by everything else, it ought to be equally fast in that department.
"Gaming Laptop" is just a euphemism for Fast!
If you see a computer that's touted for "gamers" don't assume that's all it's good for. "Gaming computer" just means fast, and who doesn't want a fast computer?? I've seen several reviews that did speed tests pitting this new Qosmio against its rivals and it outperformed them with ease. Granted, it was the only one with this new processor and as others follow suit, the speed comparisons will level off.
Blu-Ray Rom vs Burner
ROM basically means this drive plays Blu-Ray disks but doesn't burn them. (It does, of course, burn DVD+-RW and CDs.) At first, I was disappointed Qosmio didn't have a Blu-Ray burner. But then I realized I'd rather archive all my video to MPEG4 or WMV and watch it directly off Media Share. I already use Media Share to listen to all my music, so why not do the same with video too? It's way more convenient to access MP3 files digitally than it is to load a CD into a player, just like it's easier to do backups with external hard drives as opposed to disks. Digital files are just faster and more convenient, so a Blu-Ray burner may already be meaningless for my purposes.
HDMI Output
One of my favorite features of the Qosmio is the ease with which it can be connected to my 50" plasma! Just run an HDMI cable from your computer to your plasma and it's good to go! Audio is automatically cut from the laptop and plays out the TV instead. And the picture is full 1080p HD! Play any video clip, surf the web or watch a Blu-Ray movie all on your plasma!! Very cool!! Oh, and in case you're wondering, the Qosmio uses a standard HDMI cable, not the mini size seen on camcorders. And Qosmio automatically detects the HDMI signal and turns on an off the external display automatically. You can have both screens active at the same time, or choose between the two. Combined with my Philips Wireless HDMI transmitter and it all couldn't be easier to use.
Lighted Keyboard
I've read some forums where people were upset the keyboard doesn't stay lit all the time and turns off after so many seconds. NOT TRUE -- the keyboard CAN be set to stay on all the time. On your Qosmio, just go to: >Start >Toshiba >Utilities >HWSetup >Illumination >then under "Keyboard Backlight," click the radio button "FN" then check the box "On." After you reboot, you'll be able to turn the keyboard on and off by using the "FN" + "Z" keys. Personally, I have my keyboard set to stay on all the time, and naturally, it turns off automatically when the computer is shut down. It's also worth mentioning that the keyboard itself is very smooth and QUIET! I don't know about you, but clackety-clack keyboards drive me nuts! No reason why they can't all be virtually silent like this Qosmio's. I have to strain just to hear a sound -- perfect!
No Crapware
I hate it when I buy a new computer and it's loaded with garbage programs that basically amount to advertisers littering all over my new hard drive. Thankfully, Qosmio comes with very little corporate garbage under the hood -- a Microsoft Office trial, Quickbooks, Toshiba Online Backup -- oh, and that crappy Norton I got rid of on my first bootup. Aside from that, it's pretty much a clean install with only the necessities, and I'm thankful for that. I'll install my own programs, thank you very much! Incidentally, Toshiba did a good job of including some helpful utilities and a decent DVD/CD burning program, so kudos there.
Harman / Kardon Speakers
No, these aren't going to fill a room or blow anyone's hair back, but compared to other laptops I've encountered, these speakers are great! If I'm out on the go, they're just fine and plenty powerful. But when I'm home, I do plug in a set of Altec Lansings for a fuller, dynamic sound. But truth be told, I don't listen to music off my laptop. But I do have it connected to my DirecTV receiver and listen to music on my home theater system via Media Share. There's nothing like it!
Eco-Mode
I applaud Toshiba for including this feature but it's nothing I'll ever use. Basically, you can setup this feature so that at a push of a button, your the Qosmio will conserve energy and you can feel good about reducing your carbon footprint. That's all well and good but I didn't spend 2 grand for a sluggish computer. I paid for speed and I want speed, I'll deal with my carbon footprint elsewhere. I take the bus most places, so I have most people beat right there. I'll burn my laptop as fast as I please; thanks much.
Face Recognition Login
Yes, you heard me -- this Qosmio has a built in web cam that's good for video calls via Skype, but it also does one better -- the built in web cam also enables the use of face recognition software in lieu of a password for login! Cool!
Fingerprints
The high gloss finish of this Qosmio is stunning but it also picks up fingerprints with ease. Personally, I don't mind. I wouldn't want to sacrifice the Qosmio's lux look and don't mind wiping it down to keep it shiny and clean. Besides, we've all seen the reports that say people's keyboards have more germs on them than a public toilet, so it's a good thing to wipe your laptop down frequently no matter what.
Solid State Drive
I credit Qosmio for wanting to be on the cutting edge but the solid state drive on this thing is way too small -- only 64gb. It does have a 2nd 320gb SATA which beats most competitors since it spins at 7200rpm. But the SSD is still small for my taste. To make matters worse, the partitions only give 47gb of usable space. The rest is allocated to a Recovery partition and a hidden partition that contains a backup image that can restore your computer to its out of box state. This could be helpful if you're on the go and something happens but I did make my DVD backup disks as well just for good measure. I don't mind how the partitions are laid out, I just need a bigger SSD and plan to upgrade as soon as the price drops from the stratosphere to something reasonable. But having said that, the speed of this drive is amazing so I'll gladly make do in the meantime. I installed my most taxing programs on the SSD and moved all my documents to the secondary SATA. Thankfully, Toshiba included an easy utility that helps migrate the user files to the secondary drive so as to help conserve space on the SSD.
Windows 7 64bit - NOT 32bit
The description says 32bit but this is actually 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium. I upgraded with ease to Ultimate and it did take less than 10 min just as advertised.
Helpful Hint #1:
check my other reviews for the perfect laptop cooler: NZXT ACC-NT-CRYO LX Aluminum Notebook Cooler 120MM Adjustable Fans (Black) It's the perfect fit for this Qosmio!
Helpful Hint #2:
check my other reviews for a great 25' HDMI cable: GTMax Premium High Speed Gold Plated HDMI Cable
Helpful Hint #3:
check my reviews for a great remote control for your new Qosmio - watch blu-ray movies and surf the web on your plasma TV: Gyration GYR4101CKUS Air Music Remote with Compact Keyboard
***NEW*** Helpful Hint #4:
The best backlit HTPC keyboard currently available! Once you get used to Qosmio's backlit keys, you hate to do without since Qos is the ultimate HTPC in both ease and function. So when I don't have my paws on the Qos, here's the wireless HTPC keyboard I like: Eclipse Wireless Litetouch Keyboard
Bottom Line:
There are far too many features to go through them all, but suffice to say, this Qosmio x505-Q850 is truly on the cutting edge. I give it my highest recommendation and am totally satisfied with it in every way. If you want a fast laptop that's on the cutting edge and looks great too, this Qosmio is your WINNER!!!
32 of 34 found the following review helpful:
Rocking Laptop for a great price!!!!!!Aug 01, 2010
By T. Anderson
This review was originally posted in my blog. You can read it there by googling "Mine is bigger than yours- Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 Laptop Review". I have uploaded the images to this review and included "see uploaded images" for reading it here.
I recently had to buy a new laptop. I'd love to buy a MacBook Pro, but can't come to terms with the amount of cash you have to lay down.
I needed something fast since mine completely died, so I decided to try to get something prebuilt. I ended up finding this power house on Amazon. I did a comparison of price for the same options on Dell and IBM and the cost was nearly twice the price.
I used to be an HP fan. I could always count on getting good stuff cheap from them, but after two computers completely died on me in the past year I have left HP behind. Both had hard drives go bad and cost me a ton of time getting back on track. Below is the short list of what I had to install and configure.
Microsoft Office 2010
Microsoft Project 2010
Microsoft Visio 2010
Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 Developer
Visual studio 2010
Expression Studio
Sparx EA
MDG Sparx EA add-ons - Zachman Framework, TOGAF, DoDAF-MODAF, and SysML.
VirtualBox
VMware Player
Windows Virtual PC
Paint.net
iTunes / sync phone
Data wise I am usually pretty good at backing up, so I didn't lose much there. This new laptop is a monster. I had no idea it would be so big. It will not be traveling to the islands with me. Like I said above I purchased it pre-built so I could get it faster, and actually just ordered it off Amazon. Below are some of the specs and picture of the laptop compared to my old one.
See uploaded images
The Intel Core i7-740QM processor rocks.
See uploaded images
I also needed a new bag since this behemoth would only fit in one of my back packs.
The laptop has a solid state drive as the primary. It is smoking fast. I installed Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate Edition in 23 minutes. A two hour chore on most systems. One thing to note is that Toshiba uses 10GB of the primary to create restore disks. After you create them you can claim the space. Below is the hard drive configuration out of the box.
See uploaded images
The power cord is also crazy large.
See uploaded images
Some of my favorite features are:
-- The speakers kick butt.
-- Has a Blu-ray player
-- Runs quiet and cool
-- I can run 2 Virtual PCs at the same time
-- The keyboard lights up. At first I thought that was corny, but now I love it. My wife comes into my office late at night to read and hates having the over head light on so she uses a reading lamp and I use a desk lamp. I am not the best typer, especially on a new keyboard, so the lighting up keyboard rocks.
-- The big clear screen. It is great for design diagrams and coding.
The only downside is that this behemoth won't be going on vacation with me. It will be fine for occasional business travel, but we lug so much other equipment on vacation, another 15 pounds won't cut it.
All in all if you want a power house for a great price this is a great option.
47 of 52 found the following review helpful:
Best Laptop I have ever ownedJul 10, 2010
By Bill
I currently am a Systems Administrator for a fairly large corporation, I have been a Network Administrator, an IT Manager and IT Project Manager. I have dealt with hundreds of Desktop and Laptop products ranging in brands from HP to Dell to Lenovo(IBM) and from Intel to AMD. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with this product.
The processor literally screams it's so fast, the screen is incredibly, I watched a blu-ray on it already and was quite impressed. It is large, and it is quite heavy, but I knew that going into the purchase. The reason I chose such a large and heavy system is because I did need something portable, but I also needed something that would serve in the desktop capacity as well. It has thoroughly met my expectations and exceeded them.
My only honest complaint is that it is a fingerprint magnet...if that's my only complaint what am I complaining about again....?????
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 Really good but a fatal flaw...Oct 31, 2010
By Juan A. Lucio
"juannyc"
I think everyone has made excellent points about this computer that is why I purchased it. What I liked best was the following:
- Excellent Sound! Those two speakers are amazing and produce a really rich sound - surprisingly good.
- Media Controls - I liked them (and you can turn off the beep easily BTW)
- Backlit keyboard
- The machine starts up FAST! Well under a minute. Just flies...
- Not too much bloatware.
- File Migration utility (to remove user files from SSD to HDD)
A few things that were not great, but not deal breakers:
- It is Heavy!
- The power supply is HUGE and heavy
- The screen does have a yellowish cast as some noted, but that can be adjusted somewhat by using the `Display Color Calibration' tool in Windows 7. Note that it has a Rich Color TFT, true 1080p HD
- Fingerprint magnet
- Having the OS on the SSD there was only about 30 Gbs left for use, but worth it in my opinion!
Now the bad news and deal breaker, for me: There is a production defect that I could not live with!
** There is a shadow that runs the entire length of the screen towards the bottom**
I did not notice it at first - I thought it was a shading effect on the taskbar (being new to Windows 7), but when watching a video full screen, that is when I noticed it. Found out (using search engines) that it is a production issue caused by the bottom lamp. Thus I am returning it (and this is why I buy from Amazon.com folks!)
Toshiba makes great machines, I am surprised they let this pass.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
A test of Toshiba's service with incredible results!Aug 04, 2010
By T. Crowell
"Independent Thinker"
I got my Toshiba X505-Q880 in April and love it (as per my previous review). My wife used it and fell in love too, so we bought the newest iteration, the X505-Q890! The processor is a minor upgrade, but the rest of the computer is the same.
For the 5 hours it ran, it was her dream machine. Then, with a flash, the LCD's lights went out. Either the cables came loose, the lights for the display went out or the power board for the lights went bad, but the result was the same: No video. The Toshiba help desk was thorough and worked with me and her, providing appropriate interaction for each of us based on our individual technical knowledge.
As the computer was so new, the technician decided a whole new computer was in order. He transferred us to a sales representative who got us a return label via email for an overnight return, with an overnight return shipment. Mind you, I originally selected UPS ground, so the FedEx overnight service was a welcome upgrade.
While I was disappointed that we got a computer with a bad LCD, it gave us an opportunity to see Toshiba's service first hand. If you have your model number, serial number, and provide detail of the symptoms of your problem, Toshiba will take very good care of you.
And yes, when it's running, the X505-X890 is every bit of a powerhouse gaming/graphics computer you would ever want, overpowering machines from Alienware and iBUYPOWER that are twice the price. Again, if you could have factory installed upgrades to the processor and Solid-State hard drive, it would be nice, but you simply can't get a better deal at this price.
See all 41 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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