The Toshiba Satellite C55-B5298, an entry level laptop that was launched in 2014 still enjoys decent reviews this day. Mainly because of the price tag: listed at $299, the budget Toshiba regularly drops under $260 during promos. And that’s a good price to pay for a laptop that can connect you to the world.
October 2019 Update:
This laptop has been discontinued. If you’re searching for a similar model, check out the new ASUS R543MA-RB04 at Amazon.
Its tech specs aren’t that great to be honest: it comes with a modest Intel Celeron N2830, which will more than likely leave you hanging if you plan intensive tasks, such as running multiple programs at once or using image manipulation programs. But, for everyday Internet browsing, article reading, music listening, movie watching, using Office and chatting through Skype it’s more than enough, since those aren’t necessarily CPU intensive tasks. The installed 4 GB of RAM is plentiful and, should you ever need more you’ll be delighted to know it’s upgradeable as well.
The Hard Drive has 500 GB of storage space, but an SSD upgrade is advisable for this low-end laptop to make it way faster (from booting up to multitasking). No dedicated video card means running newer games is out of the question. Sadly, it doesn’t have 802.11ac protocol, but instead features the old 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Thus, streaming services may end up feeling a bit laggy if your wireless signal strength is insufficient. It doesn’t come standard with a CD/DVD unit, but should you need it, Toshiba will deliver one for you to install. I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a drawback in today’s wireless, always-on technology environment.
However, considering the Toshiba costs under $300, those are good specs for the money you’re paying. It’s an excellent home laptop for anyone wanting to just casually browse the Internet or research some interesting topic. It’s not a work machine, it’s not a travel companion (since it’s a bit heavy and lacks decent battery capacity) and it’s not a head turner. It’s design, although surprisingly thin, is very generic. Again, considering the price and the countless positive reviews, I’d say the Satellite C55-B5298 is a good option for light users.
Technical Specifications
| CPU | Intel Celeron N2830 |
| RAM | 2 cores, 2.16 GHz, 1MB cache |
| Storage | 4GB DDR3-1333 RAM |
| Display | 15.6″ HD Backlit-LED |
| GPU | Mobile Intel HD Graphics |
| Interface | 2 x USB 2.0 1 x USB 3.0 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x Combo Audio Jack |
| Connectivity | 802.11 b/g/n WLAN Bluetooth 4.0 |
| OS | Windows 8.1 |
| Battery | 4-cell Li-Ion, 32 Whr |
| Weight | 4.8 lbs. |
Conclusion
The pros:
- Very cheap
- Good alternative to a Chromebook
- Thin
- Sufficient RAM
- Good storage space
The cons:
- Entry level CPU
- No dedicated GPU
- Poor battery life
- Generic design
Considering everything I’ve said above, this is a sub $300 laptop. It will perform as such. Treat it well and it will deliver everything that Toshiba promises; overwork it and you will find it to be lacking in some key areas.