A Complete Toshiba Satellite C55-C5240 Review

In terms of performance, the Toshiba Satellite C55-C is one of the most impressive laptops you can buy for around $200. With a 15-inch screen and a lot of RAM &''' HDD space, it’s a powerful machine. Even though it lacks glitz and flair, the Toshiba C55-C does its duty faster than any of its rivals. It is probably the best option if you’re searching for a quick laptop that doesn’t cost more than $500. Below is the comprehensive Toshiba Satellite C55-C5240 review:

The Layout

I’m afraid I’ll shatter the Toshiba C55-C. I know it’s illogical—I know it’s presumably not that inexpensive a laptop after all. Nonetheless, it’s a genuine concern. It appears like a great laptop when closed, with its sleek black exterior and faux-brushed steel lid bearing little Toshiba insignia. None of my previous laptops have been as awful as this one.

It is, nevertheless, one of the most lightweight. It’s like attempting to open a packet of potato snacks in a silent classroom with the C55-C. In order to lift the lid, you must lift it from any edge of the screen, making the whole screen bend and creak uncomfortably. Close the lid, and the screen flexes before the connectors start moving like you do when you grip a corner. There is a good chance that you could flex this monitor into the form of the Gateway Arch in Saint Louis with minimum effort, but I would not encourage it. Your warranty may be void if you do this.

Although Toshiba compromised, here is where they did so. This cheap, fragile plastic encases the normal 15-inch 1366x768 screen. Except for that, this laptop is exceptional—at least for the price range, it’s offered. Both the keyboard and the mouse keys are hard and grating. The springy thud of the right mouse button immediately irritated me, and this is coming from somebody who utilizes Cherry MX Blue keys, which have notoriously noisy and clacky buttons. The clicking of these mouse keys is comparable to the bending spring noise of an old IBM Series M.

If you like the Apple-inspired design, the C55-C has a keyboard that’s practically flush with the chassis, but the switches aren’t up to par. The keys actually are a little mushy and uncomfortable to write on for extended periods. Still, I didn’t have any difficulty typing per se, reaching my typical words per minute/error statistics. I’d rather have full-sized, squishy keys than little, clacky ones.

The Specs

The Toshiba C55-C really excels when it comes to performance. It has all of the following and more:

• The 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5-5300U processor
• Intel Mobile High definition Graphics and a 15-inch TruBrite display
• 8 GB of DDR3 RAM (Can be upgraded to 16GB)
• A hard drive with a capacity of 1 TB
• The DVD-SuperMulti Optical Drive.
• 802.11bgn Wireless Fidelity
• RJ-45 Ethernet Connector
• A single USB 3.0
• Ports for two USB 2.0 devices
• Bluetooth
• 7-hour battery life on average
• Microsoft's Windows 8.1 operating system (Can be upgraded to Windows 10).
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As you can see, there is a lot to enjoy about this sleek and stylish laptop. Although it weighs a pound more than most of its contemporary counterparts, this is a well-made machine that will last for years. As a result, the laptop is a little heavier than other current laptops because of its built-in optical drive.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this computer’s performance. It starts up promptly, operates without hiccups, and provides an excellent streaming video experience. Finally, I’m certain this laptop is a winner because of its ample RAM and hard disc storage capacity.

The Bloat

At least it doesn’t have a tone of trash software on it. As a matter of fact, my old friend McAfee is arguably the terrible thing on this device. However, despite my displeasure with McAfee’s antivirus software, you’re welcome to use it. This laptop features a slew of Toshiba-branded utilities that you’ll never use, like the Toshiba Software Installer, Toshiba Sound Enhancement, Toshiba Screen Manager, Toshiba Security Functionality, and the list is endless. The greatest culprit here is Toshiba itself. They could be beneficial if you’re just learning how to use a computer, but there are many more (better) apps out there that can do the same tasks in much less space. However, the C55-C’s bloatware is quite good for a cheap laptop—there isn’t a lot of unnecessary crap here, and it all seems safe.

Conclusion

At this price point, it’s the greatest laptop you can purchase. If you’re on a tight budget, this laptop is a must-have. In light of some of these test results, the C55-C is a no-brainer of a deal, and if you had the technical knowledge to switch to an SSD, it’d be even superior. While the Dell Inspiron &''' HP Touch are indeed close runners-up, the C55-C looks and feels a lot more expensive than the other two laptops on our list.