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For those in the market for a thin and light notebook model that features the well-liked Intel Core 2 Duo processor, has a gigantic hard disk and long lasting battery life, as well as an adequately sized keyboard and a decently viewable screen, all packed in a lightweight machine, the Toshiba Satellite U305-S2812 is perhaps the way to go.

At $1149, the Satellite U305-S2812 boasts of an impressive hardware profile for its price. Featuring a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, generous 2GB of RAM, plenty of storage capacity with its 250GB hard disk, a 13.3? widescreen display, a dual layer DVD writer and wireless draft-N connectivity. The only shortcoming, perhaps, is the lack of dedicated graphics card since U305-S2812 comes equipped with Intel GMA X3100. However, the X3100 is Intel’s most impressive integrated graphics solution so far and truly gives ATI and nVidia a run for their money in the integrated graphic chips market.

Within an exterior of solid plastic build, Toshiba has managed to launch U305-S2812 with unique design and usability elements that appeal to a wide range of audiences from small business executives to students. The lid is Onyx Blue Metallic that almost looks black unless you get the light reflected from the right angle. Latchless designs are getting popular and this particular model also relies on its hinge mechanism for opening and closing the lid.

The U305-S2812 comes with an average to above-average keyboard and touchpad. The almost full-size compact keyboard is good enough for typing with its well-spaced keys. Many would love the fact that the keyboard for this 13.3? model has separate keys for page up and down functions, as well an almost double size Ctrl key sitting at the bottom-left corner for shortcut lovers.

Unfortunately, the keyboard does suffer from a bit of flex, and the experience with the distance with the fingerprint reader and the mouse buttons below the touchpad is not very pleasant. The touchpad itself is responsive but it has recessed edges that make it feel smaller than what it really is.

Toshiba Satellite U305-S2812 also earns some points for including dedicated media control buttons housed just above the keyboard and a separate button to launch your favorite browser. However it misses the now getting popular LED backlights on these dedicated buttons.