Search icon

Tech

02nd Jul 2014

Review: Toshiba CB30-102

We recently got our hands on the Toshiba CB30, the first Chromebook to be released from the Japanese company. So here’s a look at how we got on...

Oisin Collins

We recently got our hands on the Toshiba CB30, the first Chromebook to be released from the Japanese company. So here’s a look at how we got on…

Specs

  • Google Chrome OS
  • Intel® Celeron® 2955U processor
  • Toshiba TruBrite® HD High Brightness display with 16:9 aspect ratio and LED backlighting
  • 16 GB
  • Brushed shiny silver finish
  • 2 GB (onboard)
  • DDR3L RAM (1600 MHz)
  • Intel® HD Graphics
  • Maximum life: up to 8h30min
  • Weight: 1.5 kg
  • W x D x H: 328.6 x 227.0 x 20.0 mm

We live in a world that’s constantly on the move and with the advent of social media over the past couple of years it’s more important than ever to be one click away from the internet.

The days of sitting behind a desktop computer both at home and in work are long gone (for most of us, at least) and these days a laptop is the easiest way to get work done on the go. While most smartphones and tablet computers can do the work of a PC, they can often be a right pain to write on – especially if you have a fair bit of work to do.

So that’s where Chromebooks come in handy. Generally, Chromebooks are lightweight, cheap enough and optimised for online use, and the Toshiba CB30 fits into all those categories perfectly.

As we said above, the Toshiba CB30 is very light and you’ll hardly even notice carrying it around in a backpack. Some of that is thanks to the fact that the CB30’s shell is made out of a nicely brushed plastic, instead of aluminium.

CB30_front

The keyboard feels great and your fingers certainly won’t feel strained after a couple of hours writing (trust us) and visually, you couldn’t ask for a better-looking Chromebook.

The LCD screen comes with a resolution of 1366 x 768 and while it’s perfectly fine for watching movies and general web surfing, it can get a bit reflective if the sun is shining right behind you; something that’s a problem with most glossy screens.

The big selling point with a Chromebook is that it’s your one stop shop for internet surfing and it couldn’t be easier on the Toshiba CB30. For instance, instead of a cap locks button you get a Google search key, so with the push of just one button you’ll be well on your way to finding that cat .GIF you love so much.

241

If you have a gmail account, frequent Google Hangouts, or just have a love for all things Google related (YouTube, Google Docs, Google Calendar etc.) then the Toshiba CB30 will suit you down to the ground. We found it extremely easy to use once we were signed in and surfing the web was made even easier by the dedicated webpage buttons on the top of the keyboard.

laptopreviewjpg

Unfortunately, we came across one or two minor problems with the Toshiba CB30. One of the more unforgivable problems being the fact that the speakers are located on the underside of the machine (see image above). This is fine if you’re using it on a hard flat surface, but once you start reclining on the sofa with the CB30 on your legs you’ll find the sound becomes muffled. Obviously, using earphones will combat this minor problem, but it was something we just didn’t think was thought through.

We also found the track pad to be a bit over sensitive, but with a bit of practice you’ll find it to be easy enough to use. The multi-finger shortcuts are also worth learning and they’ll soon become second nature.

So, overall, what did we make of the Toshiba CB30? Well, it’s the perfect piece of kit for anyone working in an online environment (and that’s coming from experience) and thanks to a fairly low price tag (€329 over on Littlewoods.ie) it’s a great bit of kit for students and anyone looking for something that’s web-focused and very comfortable to use while writing long essays.

stars-8

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc