Toshiba Debuts Satellite A665 3D, A665, and M645. Speakers Rock in Sleep Mode

Toshiba’s high-end multimedia notebooks got a face lift today, along with a few new tricks. The laptops, which range in size from 14 to 16 inches, start at $729 and offer features such as the ability to play music through the laptops’ high-end Harman Kardon speakers even when the machines are asleep. But the Satellite A665 3D is the star of the show.

While $1,599 is a lot to spend on a laptop these days for that money you get Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology. Using a bundled USB emitter and 3D glasses, you can play a surprisingly wide body of games in 3D (Batman: Arkham Assylum is just one example). If that sounds familiar, it’s because other companies, such as ASUS, have already implemented the technology. For $1,599, you otherwise get the works, including a Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 640GB hard drive, 12-cell battery, and Blu-ray drive.

Check out the more affordable models in this lineup below, as well as our hands-on video.

While the A665 3D sports a 15.6-inch dispplay, the non-3D version has a 16-inch screen. Rounding out the new multimedia lineup is the M645, the A665′s smaller, 14-inch sibling. These notebooks offer high-end specs, too, starting with your choice of Core i3, i5, and i7 CPUs. (It’s impossible to configure Toshiba’s budget notebooks with these processors.) These laptops also have Nvidia’s Optimus technology for automatic switching between an integrated and discrete graphics cards, as well as optional slot-loading Blu-ray drives and WiMax support.

The biggest design change you’ll notice with the new Satellite line the switch to an island keyboard, something Toshiba has been introducing across its consumer lines. Design perks that you won’t get on Toshiba’s less expensive laptops include backlit keyboards and glowing touch-sensitive multimedia controls above the keyboard. And, much like Toshiba’s sleep-and-charge ports, a new Sleep-and-Music ports lets you play music through the speakers even when the laptop is asleep. Just plug your MP3 player into the mic port.

The Satellite A665 starts at $799 as a 16-inch notebook; the 15.6-inch 3D version costs $1,599. The Satellite M645 starts at $729. They’re all slated to hit stores, including Toshiba’s own retail site, on June 20.