Toshiba Mini NB255-N245 10.1-Inch Netbook

If you’ve done any shopping around to take a look at any of the newest netbooks that have hit the market over the last six months or so, you may have been enticed by some of the under-$300 models offered by ASUS, Acer, and others. Those models are certainly tempting for anyone looking for something of quality at a low price, especially when you consider that none of the companies with sterling reputations for technological achievement could possibly hope to match that price with a netbook of their own.

Or could they ?

Meet the Toshiba NB255! Yes, the company renowned for its fine craftsmanship and dependable technology has a new entry in the netbook market that is taking the industry by storm. In this review of the Toshiba netbook, we will take a look at some of its many features, examine its performance against standard metrics, and attempt to determine why this netbook is rapidly becoming one of the most talked about mini computers to hit the market in quite some time.

Tiny but powerful

The Toshiba NB255 comes in at under three pounds, and is loaded with features that will make any netbook user sit up and take notice. Let’s start with the keyboard. One of the biggest complaints most netbook users have is in the difficulty they experience adjusting to the smaller keyboards used in most netbooks. Well, the folks at Toshiba solved this issue by developing a full sized keyboard that still fits a netbook! In addition, the touchpad is even larger than usual. It’s obvious that the unit’s makers had the consumer in mind when they designed these features.

The unit’s other features are even more impressive. The processor is new Inte Atom N455 (1.66 GHz), and the battery is designed to last for an entire workday. Perhaps most impressive of all for those who use their netbook as a recharge station for their phones and mp3 players is the fact that, unlike many laptops and other netbooks, the Toshiba NB255 will still charge your accessories when the netbook is powered down! Many laptops refuse to charge any accessories once the unit goes into sleep mode, so this is a big deal for every tech enthusiast.

A new standard for 10-inch netbooks

The display is everything you would expect from a 10.1 inch netbook. The resolution is still the same standard 1024 by 600 with which so many netbook users are familiar, but the colors on the screen are somehow brighter than usual. The other features, though standard, are all Toshiba designed – so you know they will last. The 160 GB hard drive and one or 2GB of ram (you can choose to expand from the one GB if you wish)

Best of all, the unit comes with the famous Toshiba technology interconnectivity, using Wireless N connections to allow you to seamlessly control all of the media on your netbook, game consoles, and other elements of your entertainment system. With its full complement of software and three USB ports for easy use of accessories, the Toshiba NB255 is definitely worth a second look.

Toshiba Mini NB255 Specifications

Operating System	Windows 7 Starter (32-bit)
Processor	Intel Atom N455 (1.66GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB)
Chipset	Mobile Intel NM10 Express
Memory	1GB DDR2 RAM (Max 2GB)
Storage	160GB HDD (5400 rpm)
Display	10.1 inch WSVGA TruBrite LED-backlit (glossy screen)
Display Resolution	1024 x 600
Graphics	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 (integrated graphics) with up to 250MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
Audio	Standard stereo speakers Headphone jack (stereo) Microphone jack (mono)
Webcam	Webcam and microphone built into LCD bezel
Ethernet LAN	10/100 Fast Ethernet
Wireless LAN	Wireless-N (802.11b/g/n)
Bluetooth	No
Optical Drive	Sold separate: Toshiba USB Portable DVD SuperMulti Drive
Memory Card Reader	MultiMedia Card (MMC) Secure Digital (SD) Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
Ports	VGA for connecting to an external monitor 3 USB 2.0 (2 USB + 1 Left side port with USB Sleep and Charge) RJ45 LAN port Microphone input port Headphone output port
Keyboard and Touchpad	Full-size keyboard and Multi-touch touchpad
Security	Security lock slot
Dimensions (W x D x H)	10.55″ x 8.3″ x 1.27″
Weight	2.8 lbs. (1.27 kg)
Power/Battery	30W AC Adapter 6-cell 48Wh Lithium-Ion Battery, up to 8.3 hours
Included Software	Toshiba Media Controller Offers simplified media sharing Toshiba Bulletin Board Easy-to-use organizational and productivity app that lets you build your own personalized space on your desktop Toshiba ReelTime Helps you cut down the time it takes to search for files
Warranty and Support	1-Year parts and labor 1-Year battery
Color	Black

Toshiba Mini NB255 Images

Disclaimer Notice: All photography is owned or licensed by Toshiba.

Toshiba Mini NB255 Customer Reviews

Toshiba Mini NB255 is now available on Amazon.

Date first available: June 20, 2010
Retail Price: $299.99
Amazon Price: