Toshiba Qosmio
When it comes to multimedia notebook computers, the Toshiba Qosmio is a cut above the rest. From the advanced, oversized LCD display to the high performance graphics card, this laptop is built for viewing graphics rich applications and movies.

Easily the best thing about the Toshiba Qosmio is the incredible graphics and display capability. The 17 inch widescreen by itself is nice, and while by itself that sort of display is growing more common, it’s Toshiba’s incarnation of it that sets it apart. Special technology in the display called “Ultimate TruBrite” make for a much brighter picture, as the name implies, and also increase the viewing angle so that one doesn’t have to be looking straight on to be able to see the screen well.

Plus, the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 graphics card is a highly advanced graphics processing unit, capable of handling even the most complicated 3d graphics available in applications and games today. Add to that the integrated TV tuner, so the user can watch television on the laptop, which will also work as a digital video recorder (DVR) with special software installed. That way, the user can pause, rewind, and record television shows directly onto the hard drive.

The QosmioPlayer is another piece of software that sets the Qosmio apart from the competition. This software works independently of the operating system, so the user can watch television without having to boot up the computer. Instead, it instantly comes on when the user selects this function, rather than having to wait minutes for the operating system to start.

While there are other laptops out there that cater to multimedia applications, most are primarily concerned with the display and tend to neglect the sound, which is arguably as important as the visual aspect. The Qosmio handles sound with ease, with high quality Harman/Kardon speakers that are driven by a 1bit digital amplifier. This works with the operating system as well as with the QosmioPlayer.

And with an Intel Core Duo processor at 1.83 gigahertz, the Qosmio is no slouch in the processing department either. It has a level 2 cache, for quicker access to memory, and comes standard with a gigabyte of RAM. Extras include Bluetooth connectivity, a double layer DVD player and burner, and an Intel wireless 802.11 a/b/g wireless network adapter. So, aside from the multimedia capabilities, this model has pretty much the standard bells and whistles that can be found on most laptops in this day and age.