Critics Review New Qosmio Laptop

Toshiba may have been the first out of the gate with a laptop that boasts a next-gen HD DVD drive, but there may be the typical first-gen glitches, too.

According to Stephen H. Wildstrom, technology columnist for BusinessWeek Online, it's a bit of a stretch to even call the new Toshiba Qosmio a "laptop" -- considering it weighs in at over 10 pounds and includes a 17-inch widescreen. Overall, the reviewer found the Qosmio in top-notch shape, but he warns: "Don't buy it for HD DVD."

The Qosmio (MSRP $3,000) is a very attractive choice, he said, as a portable system that has the speed and power for any Windows task. It also can handle the full range of Windows tasks, too, and functions well as a TV monitor (it comes with Windows XP Media Center Edition, a DVR, and a lot of memory). And its video display is noticeably impressive, he said.

But trying to view the movie "Goodfellas" on a new HD DVD disc proved frustrating, and when video was finally established, there were problems with audio and retrieving the disc's menu. Wildstrom said reading the fine print in Qosmio's specs warns that the unit may not work with future HD DVD discs, as well. "Similar caveats apply to Sony's Blu-ray Vaio and Toshiba's $500 standalone HD DVD player," Wildstrom said.

According to another reviewer, Karl W. Hardy of Gannett News Service, Qosmio's 17-inch widescreen is "incredibly sharp and bright," fueled by a pair of lamps and 1900 x 1200 resolution. Hardy said unlike most other laptop screens, the Qosmio can be seen clearly from nearly all angles. Toshiba's new laptop does provide an all-important HDMI port, but alas, not the HDMI cable itself.