Welcome to a laptop battery specialist
of the Toshiba Laptop Battery
My family plays musical computers today, as mom receives my wife's Toshiba Chromebook 2—to replace the end-of-life original Microsoft Surface RT. Last week, my beloved took possession of my Google Pixel after I received the newer model, released on March 11.
While writing the above paragraph, my mother phoned to let me know the laptop arrived. "Oh do I like this Toshiba! This can't be a 13-inch screen. It seems so much bigger". The reaction is more than just because of the move from the RTs 11.6-inch panel with like Toshiba PA2442UR Battery, Toshiba PA2441UR Battery, Toshiba Portege 300CT Battery, Toshiba PA2452UR Battery, Toshiba PA2497UR Battery, Toshiba PA2498UR Battery, Toshiba PA2452U Battery, Toshiba LBCTS11 Battery, Toshiba Libretto 20 Battery, Toshiba Libretto 50 Battery, Toshiba Libretto 60 Battery, Toshiba Libretto 70 Battery. Among the Chrome OS category, the Toshiba's screen is exceptionally bright, and crisp, setting it apart from every model other than Google's own.
Chromebook critics complain about the need for nearly always-connected Internet, but the category’s shortcoming is something else: Crappy TN screens that are too dim and which viewing angles suck. Among the Chromebooks I have tested or used, either Pixel or the Toshiba are the only models on my current recommended list. Satisfying IPS displays are one major reason.
Qualification: There are two Toshiba models. I reviewed and recommend the costlier $329.99 Chromebook 2, with 1920 x 1080 resolution. The $249.99 configuration is 1368 x 768 and comes with too little memory for the processor class.
Before moving to Surface RT last year, mom used the Samsung Series 5 550, which I purchased for her in June 2012. While matte—versus the Toshiba's reflective—the 550's display is unusually bright: 300-nits compared to about 339-nits, respectively. Most other Chromebooks, even some with IPS screens, are in the 200-to-250-nit range.
You can find cheaper models than the high-end Chromebook 2, or those with more capable microprocessors, but in my evaluation the screen is any laptop's most important feature, which must be balanced against other benefits. As measured in nits, Toshiba Chromebook 2 is brighter than MacBook Pro with Retina Display, which screen likewise diagonally measures 13.3 inches but sells for nearly $1,000 more.
HD resolution isn't necessarily a benefit, however. For my eyes, text is way too small at 1920 x 1080 resolution. I jacked font-size to “Very Large”, which just looked too strange. So I pumped down to 1536 x 864, holding firm at “Medium”. Wide viewing angles, brightness, and rich colors and contrast matter more, and Chromebook 2 delivers them with gusto.