| Specs at a glance: Toshiba Satellite U845W-S414 | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 1792x762 at 14.4" (135 ppi) |
| OS | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| CPU | 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U (Turbo up to 3.0GHz) |
| RAM | 6GB 1600MHz DDR3 (non-upgradeable) |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000 (integrated) |
| HDD | 256GB solid-state drive |
| Networking | 100 megabit Ethernet, Single-band 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | 3x USB 3.0, HDMI, card reader, headphones, microphone |
| Size | 14.5" x 10.1" x 0.81" |
| Weight | 4.0 lbs |
| Battery | 54WHr 4-cell Li-ion |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Starting price | $926.50 |
| Price as reviewed | $1499.99 |
| Other perks | Webcam, backlit keyboard, Kensington lock slot, Intel Wireless Display |
One of the issues with today's Ultrabooks (and with PC laptops in general) is differentiation—so many of the parts and features are similar across different models and manufacturers that it's hard to stand out from the pack. Ivy Bridge processor? Integrated graphics? 1366x768 screen? Everybody's got those. What else you got?
With its Satellite U845W, Toshiba is doing something that is at least different, if nothing else: this laptop takes the same insides used in other Ultrabooks and adds an ultra-wide 1792x768 display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, taking aim directly at movie buffs and multitaskers who need or want lots of horizontal elbow room for their windows. Is this super-wide screen enough to give the U845W an edge over other Ultrabooks, or does it push the laptop too far into niche territory?
The screen
The 21:9 1792x768 screen is marketed as being ideal for two things: watching movies in their native aspect ratio, and placing two windows next to each other. The screen's diagonal size is 14.4", but the extreme aspect ratio actually makes the U845W nearer the height of an 11" notebook while still retaining the width of a 14" or 15" model.
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via Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com
