Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 10.1-inch Netbook Review

Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 series of netbooks are perfect for on-the-go fun and convenience. Thin and light at less than 3 pounds and under an inch thick, this netbook fits easily in most carry bags. Yet its comfort-driven design gives you plenty of room to type and browse. And it also delivers extended battery life up to nine hours to power your busy day—surfing the Web, enjoying a casual game or two, chatting with friends and family, or enjoying music and photos.

This netbook uses a nice and bright 10.1-inch widescreen LED-backlit display panel with a 1024 x 600 native resolution to provide rich colors, but the bezel (area surrounding the display) extends far into the actual glass, making the screen feel smaller than its actual size of 10.1 inches. The built-in Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA950 is good enough for casual gaming and simple graphics work.

It offers plenty of convenient features like USB Sleep-and-Charge ports that power your gadgets even when the PC is off, a Hard Drive Impact Sensor to help safeguard your data from sudden movement or drops, and international limited warranty coverage so you won’t have to worry when taking it on the road.

The 250GB hard drive comes with hard drive impact sensor to protect your data. How does this work? When the netbook senses the computer is in motion, it will temporarily shut off the hard drive to protect against damage/data loss if the computer is accidentally dropped. At times the hard drive impact sensor may be too sensitive especially if you are using your netbook on an uneven surface; however, this feature can be adjusted or disabled if it becomes aggravating to the user.

Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 Key Features

Ultra compact system is only 1″ thick when closed, and weighs less than 3 pounds
10.1″ LED Backlit widescreen display features a 1024 x 600 native resolution
Full-sized keys and touchpad will allow you to use this netbook without sacrificing comfort and ergonomics
Integrated Bluetooth allows you to use the netbook with compatible wireless accessories
6-cell Lithium-Ion battery for up to 9 hours of runtime per charge
Camera and Microphone integrated into the bezel for easy video chats and teleconferencing
Memory card reader supports Secure Digital, SDHC, and MMC formats
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals-from digital cameras to MP3 players
Windows 7 Starter Edition provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
Eco-conscious laptop is certified EPEAT Gold, the highest rating for laptops by the environmental standards group

Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 Specification

Operating System : Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (32-bit)
Processor : Intel Atom Processor N280, 1.66Ghz
Display : 10.1-inch Widescreen LED Backlit LCD (Native Resolution:1024 x 600)
Graphics : Intel GMA 950
Memory : 1GB DDR2 800 MHz (easily self upgrade RAM to 2GB)
Storage : 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Wireless Data Network : WLAN: 802.11b/g & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Input/Output : 1 x VGA connector, 3 x USB 2.0 ports (1x with Sleep and Charge), 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x audio jacks(Headphone & Mic-in)
Camera : 0.3 megapixels
Audio : Integrated Mono Speakers
Flash Media Slot : Secure Digital, SDHC, MMC
Optical Drive : No Optical Drive (optional external optical drive can be connected via one of the USB ports)
Battery : 6-Cell Lithium-Ion (5800mAh) – Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life
Dimensions : 10.4 x 1-1.3 x 7.6 inches
Weight : 2.9 pounds

Upgrading Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 Memory from 1GB to 2GB

Take note of the following;

The netbook comes with only 1 slot and it is populated by a 1GB memory module
That means you have to remove the 1GB RAM module to insert the new 2GB RAM module
Make sure you purchase the right memory module – a 200 pin DDR2 SODIMM notebook memory module (667MHz or 800MHz)
Installing the memory is a snap. You just need a tiny Philips screwdriver to remove one screw from back cover. Once unscrewed slide the door towards the screw and lift up gently. Pop out the old, pop in the new, replace the cover and boot it back up (Follow the steps outlined in easily self upgrade RAM)

Color Options

The Toshiba Mini NB205-N330 netbook is avalable in 4 colors

Sable Brown – Toshiba Mini NB205-N330BN
Royal Blue – Toshiba Mini NB205-N330BL
Posh Pink – Toshiba Mini NB205-N330PK
Frost White -Toshiba Mini NB205-N330WH

Software Included with Toshiba Mini NB205-N330

The following software comes with the Toshiba Mini NB205-N330;

TOSHIBA ConfigFree
TOSHIBA PC Health Monitor
Hard disc (HDD) recovery
WildTangent® Orb™ Games Console
Norton Internet Security 2010 (30 day trial)
Microsoft® Works Version 9.0
Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 Edition (60-day trial)

User Reviews

This netbook offers similar performance to Toshiba Mini NB205-N325 and most netbooks, but that shouldn’t be a surprise because all Intel Atom based netbooks have nearly identical performance in terms of actual real world use. However, the Toshiba Mini NB205-330 has a very professional feel to it and best of all this netbook performs as well as it looks. Toshiba’s flawless reputation in producing durable and reliable notebook computers adds confidence to this purchase.

Pros

Impressive long battery life – 9 hours
Sleep-and-charge USB port allows for charging of mobile devices when the netbook is turned off or in sleep mode
Hard drive impact sensor to protect your data in case of sudden movement or fall
Large keyboard
Large touchpad

Cons

Large bezel around the screen is a little distracting
Keyboard flex
Unimpressive Mono speaker

Where to Buy Toshiba Mini NB205-N330

We found Amazon.com to have the best prices on all netbook computers including the Toshiba Mini NB205-N330. Click on the links below to visit the product website for additional information and special offers. You can also compare prices from the numerous retailers by clicking on the More Prices link.

Toshiba Mini NB205-N330BN 10.1-Inch Sable Brown Netbook(Windows 7 Starter)

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List Price: $419.99
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Toshiba Mini NB205-N330BL 10.1-Inch Royal Blue Netbook(Windows 7 Starter)

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List Price: $419.99
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Toshiba Mini NB205-N330PK 10.1-Inch Posh Pink Netbook(Windows 7 Starter)

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List Price: $419.99
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Toshiba Mini NB205-N330WH 10.1-Inch Frost White Netbook(Windows 7 Starter)

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List Price: $419.99
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Optional Upgrades

Crucial CT25664AC667 2GB 667MHz 200-pin SODIMM DDR2 Memory Module

Website: Click to Visit Product Website
Customer Reviews: Read Customer Reviews
List Price: $31.99
Amazon Price: $22.95 Buy From Amazon
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Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Starter to Home Premium]

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List Price: $79.95
Amazon Price: $65.48 Buy From Amazon
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Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 [Disc Version]

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List Price: $149.99
Amazon Price: $141.00 Buy From Amazon
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