Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708

Processor: 2.53GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Memory: 4GB DDR3
Storage: 320GB hard drive; 128GB SSD
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW 
Screen: 17 inches
Graphics: Two nVidia GeForce 9800M GTS GPUs (1GB)
Weight: 9 pounds
Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate

The X305-Q708 is the newest member of Toshiba’s Qosmio line of notebooks, and it takes direct aim at the gaming crowd. Featuring an SLI graphics engine, a solid-state drive (SSD), and a high-end CPU, this slick-looking system is clearly built for speed, but you’ll need some deep pockets to meet its $4,199.99 price tag. The X305’s fiery-red “Fusion Rogue” finish achieves its goal; right out of the box, the 9-pound system looks fast without appearing garish. Under the lid, a subtler candy-apple-red bezel frames both the 17-inch screen and the piano-black keyboard deck.  

The display has a maximum resolution of 1,440x900, which is surprising, given that this system is designed for 3D gaming. We expected a high-res screen such as the one found on Gateway’s gaming rig, the P-7811FX. Even so, the screen is bright, delivers good image quality, and has a wide viewing angle. A 1.3-megapixel Webcam mounted on the upper bezel makes for easy Skype video sessions, but it produces grainy photos.  

The full-size keyboard offers comfortable typing and plenty of wrist room, and there’s a dedicated number pad on the right. The touch pad’s textured finish provides smooth cursor control, and the two large, silver mouse buttons are responsive and easy to reach. Above the keyboard are touch-sensitive multimedia controls and the X305’s power switch, along with a pair of Harman Kardon speakers, which—combined with a second pair of speakers embedded in the wrist rest and a subwoofer mounted on the bottom of the chassis, provide top-notch audio output with a nice dose of bass response. In keeping with the color theme, red LEDs and red backlit media controls light up the upper portion of the keyboard deck.  

As for connections, the X305 has a nice assortment of multimedia ports, including HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs and a traditional VGA connector. Three USB Sleep-and-Charge ports and a FireWire port are scattered around the sides and rear of the system, along with an external SATA (eSATA)/USB combo port, a 5-in-1 card reader, an ExpressCard slot, and headphone, microphone, and S/PDIF audio jacks with a dedicated volume control. As with Toshiba’s G55-Q802 model, this system does not offer a Blu-ray drive option. Instead, it comes with a DVD burner with Labelflash etching capabilities. The 128GB SSD comes preloaded with Windows Vista Ultimate and several utilities, including Toshiba’s DVD Player, Disc Creator, and ConfigFree software, and there’s a secondary 320GB drive for storage.  

Using a powerful combination of top-shelf components, including an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 CPU (2.53GHz) and 4GB of DDR3 memory, the X305 set a new precedent for performance on our productivity benchmarks. Its score of 5,902 on FutureMark’s PCMark Vantage test is the highest we’ve seen to date, as is its PCMark05 score of 7,889. The X305 handled our iTunes and Windows Media encoding tests with aplomb, quickly completing the tests in 3 minutes and 28 seconds and 3 minutes and 46 seconds, respectively. A score of 11,182 on our Cinebench 10 test also took top honors, nearly doubling that of the previous leader, the Lenovo ThinkPad W700.  

Powered by dual Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS graphics controllers running in Scalable Link Interface (SLI) mode, the X305 also showed it has the necessary chops to run today’s intensive 3D-gaming titles with ease, although it didn’t break any records. Although its 3DMark06 score of 12,707 was quite impressive, it couldn’t overtake the Maingear eX-L, which scored an amazing 15,364 on that test thanks to its CrossFireX graphics. The X305 made short work of our DirectX 9 (DX9) Company of Heroes tests, scoring 185.5 frames per second (fps) while running at 1,024 x 768, and 104.3fps at its native resolution. Similarly, with all the eye candy set to maximum levels, it produced a speedy score of 106fps on our F.E.A.R. test. The X305 also set a new record for battery life, but not in a good way: It lasted only 30 minutes and 20 seconds on our DVD battery-rundown test, which is the shortest time we’ve seen. As a result, be prepared to lug the massive 1.75x7.75x3.75 (HWD) power brick around with you wherever you go. 

If you’re looking for a gaming notebook that backs up its hot looks with blazing performance, put the Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708 on your short list. However, be prepared to shell out more than four grand for this speedster, and don’t even think about wandering too far from a power outlet.  
Price (at time of review): $4,199.99

author : John R. Delaney