Toshiba
Qosmio F750
Toshiba’s
all-conquering Qosmio range was the first to bring us glasses-free 3D, and we
were so impressed with the X770 back in issue 156 that we awarded it five
stars. The Qosmio F750 continues the tradition, albeit with a couple of
drawbacks. The substandard keyboard and paltry battery life might put some off,
but anyone looking for a movie powerhouse won’t fail to be impressed.
The
bright red outer design is eye-catching and complemented by the glossy
all-black look under the lid. White LEDs around the touchpad, power button and
hotkeys also add a bit of visual flair. Unsurprisingly though, it’s neither
light nor svelte. Measuring in at 386 x 265 x 39mm with a weight of 3.2kg the
Qosmio is more of a desk-based PC replacement than a portable gaming machine.
Once
you fire up the laptop though, the lack of portability gets lost in a storm of
power provided by the Intel Core i7-2630QM CPU and Nvidia GeForce GT540M
dedicated graphics chip.
Interacting
with the Qosmio is made all the better by the fantastic screen Toshiba has
incorporated. Capable of full 1080p high- definition visuals, the screen is
bright, crisp and coated with the reflective Super-TFT coating that adds a
degree of richness to the colours in pictures and movies.
The
standout feature is, of course, the glasses-free 3D effect. By using the webcam
to track your eyes, you can move your heads freely while retaining the 3D image
unlike, for example, Nintendo’s 3DS game system which requires you to keep your
head in one position for the 3D effect. While 3D will appeal to some, others
might not be converted yet - and to be fair, the effect isn’t as impressive
when compared with the standard Active Shutter 3D system. But considering the
price of the glasses, and the prospect of losing them, we’re more than happy
with this alternative.
Active Shutter 3DActive Shutter is a stereoscopic 3D technology that relies on a pair of glasses that wirelessly synchronise with the twin display. Each lens of the glasses opens and closes faster than the eye can see and syncs with the two images on the screen to create the illusion of depth.
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The keyboard
is a pretty standard affair, despite the nice lighting,
so you may prefer to
get a separate USB keyboard for heavy use
|
While
the screen and sheer power is fantastic, some of the usability suffers. The
keyboard is a standard, flat affair and although the keys are nicely sized,
there’s some definite flex around the centre and we doubt it could cut it as a
serious gaming keyboard. Things are better when it comes to the touchpad; it’s
responsive and has a non-glossy surface that is comfortable to use. The only
drawback is it’s a little on the small side. For serious gaming, you’re going
to want to invest in a USB mouse.
Where
the Qosmio really falls down is on battery life. Given the specifications we
didn’t expect much in terms of longevity but the Qosmio F750 gave out after
only 74 minutes. It’s a problem, but not a deal-breaker. The F750 isn’t trying
to be an ultraportable and to buy it thinking so is a mistake. In fact, its big
brother the Qosmio X770-107 couldn’t even manage an hour and gave out after 44
minutes.
We
can’t help but like the Qosmio a lot and its decisive pros and cons list should
make it an easy decision. If you want hardcore visuals and processing power,
we’d recommend it - although we’d advise you to also invest in a decent USB
mouse and keyboard. If you’re less fussed about power over battery, and don’t
like 3D, then save your £1,300 for a different machine.
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