Toshiba Announces Back-to-School Notebooks Starting at $400

Toshiba announced its full lineup of back-to-school notebooks, from the sub-$500 C800 Series to the Best Buy-exclusive P800 Series which features a backlit keyboard, Nvidia graphics, and Harmon Kardon speakers. But which one is right for you? Details of all four Series, plus a gallery, after the break.

For the budget-conscious consumer, the Toshiba Satellite C800 Series notebooks will range in price from $400 to $550. Its black plastic chassis has a textured finish that resists fingerprints, and extends onto the touchpad and mouse buttons. The C800 Series will come in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, and will have processors ranging from Intel Pentium to a Core i3.  The starting model of the C800 will cost $399, and will be available on June 24.

Stepping up one level to the Satellite L800 Series, which has an in-mold pattern and an island-style keyboard. These systems, which will range in price from $500 to $700, will have higher-end features such as USB 3.0 and SRS Premium HD audio. Consumers will also have their choice of five colors: Silver, Blue, Black, Red, or White. During our brief hands-on time, we weren't thrilled with the L-Series' undersized right Shift key and spacebar. While we don't have final specs yet, we know that the L845 will start at $449, the L855 will start at $499, and the L875 will start at $599. All will be available on June 24.

New to Toshiba's lineup is its Satellite S Series, which the company is calling its "smart performance" lineup. While some of the frills will be stripped, these notebooks will feature the greatest performance for the price. The S Series notebooks will have a brushed aluminum lid and deck, and discrete AMD GPUs. The S845 will start at $699, and the S855 and S875 will probably cost $899 and $999, respectively. All will go on sale on June 24.

Finally, Toshiba's Satellite P Series will be a Best Buy exclusive, and feature an etched aluminum skin, an integrated trackpad, and a backlit keyboard. The Harmon/Kardon speakers are chambered, so they should be able to provide a little more resonance than ordinary notebook speakers. The P Series will also be offered in 14, 15, and 17-inch sizes, and will have Nvidia GPUs as an option. Prices will start at $799 for the P845 and P855, and the P875 will cost $849. All will be on sale exclusively at Best Buy stores and on the company's web site on June 24.

Stay tuned for our full reviews of each system.

LAPTOP Reviews Editor