Toshiba Satellite Radius : Review

TOSHIBA SATELLITE RADIUS: big hybrid for big plans

                       

       Toshiba's new Radius hybrid looks familiar, but also adds a new twist to a popular design idea unlike the other laptops.It is a  15.6-inch laptop and  has a fold-back-style hinge that allows you to bend the screen back to  360 degrees which converts it to tablet mode. It's very similar to the fold-back hinge originally seen in the Lenovo Yoga  and later adopted by Dell, HP, and  many others.

The difference from other laptops of this form factor or this type have a lesser inch screen size compared to this which has a bigger 15.6-inch screen. The basic idea is still the same: fold the hinge back -- Toshiba calls it a flip-and-fold design -- and use the system as a thick, heavy tablet, or prop up the screen for easy viewing without the keyboard getting in the way.

The Toshiba has a  larger body, with the Radius  is that you're more likely to set it up in as a big-screen kiosk, using the upside-down keyboard base as a kickstand  than as a 15-inch tablet. Like the Yoga and its peers, the keyboard still sticks out from the back panel of the system in tablet mode, although both the keyboard and touchpad are deactivated automatically.

A hybrid with horsepower

Of course, being a "prosumer" device (I'm so sorry), Toshiba packed the Radius with some powerful innards to make good on that promise. Powering the pixels behind a 1920 x 1080 multi-touch display is either an Intel Core i5 processor (Haswell) to start. Though, a Core i7 model will be available at launch.

The frameless keyboard makes tablet mode only slightly less awkward

Playing supporting roles are 8GB of memory and up to 1TB worth of storage – no need for an SSD in a hybrid this large, save for speed's sake. Better yet, the laptop comes sporting 802.11ac Wi-Fi along with Intel WiDi for wireless broadcasting content to other screens.
Another big plus for a hybrid this large is that there is no dearth for hard connections, with three USB 3.0 ports – one with Toshiba's Sleep & Charge function – and an HDMI-out port with 4K support. Finally, an HD webcam with dual-array microphones rounds out the package.

There's plenty of ports here, for a hybrid

 Too Early verdict

When the Toshiba Satellite Radius hits stores  early this July, it will start at $925.99. That might sound like a lot of hole in the pocket, but considering that most similarly powered convertible hybrids cost more at smaller form factors, this doesn't sound like a bad deal.
Of course, that's assuming you're into the whole "hybrid" thing. This unique category has come a long way since Windows 8 graced us with its presence, with the Surface Pro 3 looking to be a shining example.
At the very least, the Satellite Radius is unique in that will be one of the few laptop-tablet hybrids on the market at 15.6 inches. Not to mention that the device has the hardware to back it up. Stay tuned for my full review to see whether this hybrid is more than just high-power.



Because this is a bigger, heavier system, there are a few design tweaks. A thin rubber bumper outlines the keyboard tray, keeping your keyboard keys from clacking against the table in kiosk mode, and a small magnetic connection helps hold the lid against the back of the body in tablet mode.
The Radius will have current-gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, and up to a 1TB HDD. It will be available in early July at Best Buy and Toshiba's online store, starting at $925.

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