Toshiba Tecra R10-112

Mike Jennings

Plenty of business features and reasonable power, but the Tecra is let down by poor design

Mike Jennings tests Toshiba's latest Tecra business laptop

The race to secure the corporate dollar is reflected in the number and quality of business notebooks that have appeared over the past several months: the A-Listed Sony VAIO VGN-SR19XN has been joined by the Lenovo ThinkPad T500 and, more recently, the Dell Latitude E6400.

Toshiba's latest, the Tecra R10-112, has a list of credentials that immediately places it in this esteemed company: Windows Vista Business, Toshiba's EasyGuard security software, draft-n wireless and a generous three-year warranty. There are also dozens of proprietary utilities - including password management, data backup and shock protection tools - that should, in theory, make the Tecra both easier to use and more secure.

However, we found that some services were more miss than hit: the hard disk's vibration protection is undoubtedly a good idea, but we found it constantly intrusive until we lowered the sensitivity. The face recognition software failed to recognise our features, too, despite several attempts. Other inclusions, such as the fingerprint reader and spill-resistant keyboard, work well even if they're par for the course in business notebooks. Draft-n wireless is included as well as Bluetooth 2.1, and a TPM chip is a welcome inclusion. Sadly, though, there's no embedded 3G.

A reasonably capable laptop lurks underneath the numerous security features. The Intel Core 2 Duo P9300 processor runs at 2.26GHz and scored a respectable 1.07 in our 2D benchmarks; that's slightly slower than its main rivals, which scored between 1.13 and 1.19, but powerful enough to handle a host of work-related applications. The inclusion of Intel's 5100WLAN chip and GMA 4500HD graphics also mean that the Tecra R10 adheres to Intel's Centrino 2 platform. A 160GB hard disk and 2GB of RAM is decent, although not outstanding - those running memory intensive applications may prefer the 3GB VAIO.

While the specification is as capable as any of the business laptops we've seen recently, the chassis is more of a mixed bag. The 14in panel has a reasonable resolution of 1,280 x 800 and is coated with a non-reflective film that works well; in our bright office, we could use the Tecra without any hint of annoying glare or intrusive reflections. It may be a small touch, but it's an undoubted boon for a laptop that will often be used beneath fluorescent lights.

It's a well-equipped notebook, too. The right-hand side crams in a DVD writer, wireless switch, Ethernet and USB port as well as both Smart Card and ExpressCard/54 slots. A card reader is secreted in the front of the chassis, and a VGA output, physical volume control and another USB port adorn the left. There's also a combined eSATA and USB port which adds further versatility, and a port replicator slot, although the replicators themselves start at £68 exc VAT.

The Tecra is reasonably sturdy, too. It can't quite match up to the style and quality offered by the VAIO or the Lenovo's sheer toughness, but the screen doesn't flex much under pressure and the wrist-rest didn't falter under duress, either. This is especially impressive given the mere 1.86kg bulk of the Toshiba, with only the VAIO managing to manage anywhere near the same weight - the Lenovo and Dell Latitude both soared over 2kg and will prove far more noticeable in a briefcase.

Despite the decent design and impressive weight, some of the fundamentals are lacking. The keyboard doesn't suffer from any oddly placed or shrunken keys, but it does have an annoying lightness of touch and a squashy, non-committal response. It's no match for the Scrabble-style layout of the VAIO, or the more traditional quality seen on the majority of Lenovo's ThinkPad range.

The trackpad is just as disappointing. It lacks useful features, such as horizontal or vertical scrollbars, and it isn't as smooth and responsive as the VAIO's pad - and, unlike Lenovo's business laptops, there's no trackpoint included should you wish to use that instead. The pair of buttons, which have a fingerprint reader sandwiched in between, are set slightly too far apart to be comfortable, even if the clicking action is reasonably good.

Battery life is another basic area where the Tecra R10 falls behind. In our light use test the Toshiba lasted almost four and a half hours, already lagging behind the six hour of the VAIO and five and a half of the Lenovo in its energy saving mode. The heavy use score of 1hr 24m isn't particularly notable, either - if you require long sessions away from the mains a second 4,000mAh battery costs £110 exc VAT.

If it wasn't for these ergonomic issues, the Tecra R10 could have been a contender. The lightweight design and solid specification are backed up with a host of business-friendly features - the TPM chip, draft-n wireless, encryption tools, three-year warranty and proprietary software. But when held up against the other leading lights of the business world it has a few too many flaws to wholeheartedly recommend.

Intel Core 2 Duo P9300 2.26GHz, 2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM, 160GB hard disk, Intel GMA 4500HD graphics, DVD+/-RW DL DVD writer, 14in 1,280 x 800 TFT, 2 x USB, VGA out, Gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, SD card reader, ExpressCard/54 slot, port replicator slot, 802.11a/b/g + draft-n WLAN, Bluetooth 2.1, 0.3mp webcam, Windows Vista Business, 3yr international warranty, 337 x 252 x 28mm (WDH), 1.86kg

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