Toshiba Satellite Pro U400

The Satellite Pro U400 it is 13.3" notebook gives business users or standard consumers another notebook option if they really like the size and features of the Satellite U405, but don't want the "Look at Me!" glossy finish.

Toshiba U400 had the following specifications:

• Windows XP Professional (SP2)
• Intel T8100 Penryn (2.1GHz) Processor
• 13.3" WXGA 1280x800 TruBrite Display (Glossy)
• Intel X3100 Integrated Graphics
• Intel Pro 3945ABG (802.11a/b/g) and Bluetooth V2.1 +EDR
• 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB)
• 160GB 5400rpm Toshiba Hard Drive
• DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Stereo speakers
• Fingerprint reader
• Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 12.4" x 9.02" x 1.08" /1.38" with feet
• Weight: 4.61lbs with six-cell battery
• 75W (19V x 3.95A) 100-240V AC Adapter
• 6-cell (4800mAh) Lithium Ion battery
• 1-Year Standard Limited Warranty
• Price as configured: $1,049.99

The U400's stylish design features a 2-tone color scheme of matte silver on black. Many of the traditionally-square notebook features have been softened with round edges. The overall style is carried onto the keyboard and touchpad areas with both reflecting the shape of the notebook itself. Once the factory stickers are removed from the palmrest areas, the notebook's design blends into a cohesive whole.

The 13.3" WXGA screen found on the Toshiba Satellite Pro U400 rates average, and came with no problems or defects. The screen was dead/stuck pixel free during our review period, and was sealed well enough to prevent any major backlight leakage. The screen backlight was powerful enough to allow comfortable viewing in an office setting with as low as 40-50% backlight brightness level. The backlight levels were even throughout the screen, without any backlight bleed showing through, even on the lower edge of the taskbar.

he keyboard found on the Satellite Pro U400 was very good for a notebook of this size. The keyboard stayed in place while typing, even under heavy pressure. Very little sagging was present during our testing, although the left side did have a smidgen more movement than the right side.

The touchpad rated average with accurate finger tracking use, but lacked many customization features. Although the touchpad was a Synaptics model, the menus did not allow for any adjustment for sensitivity, scrolling, or additional functions. The lack of scrolling was my biggest complaint, since no notebook on the market right now lacks that ability. The touchpad buttons were smooth and easy to trigger, with a shallow and soft click when pressed.

Speaker performance on the little Satellite Pro U400 is rather weak, with really dinky speakers located in front of the screen hinges. They work well for mild music listening or system notifications, but lack all low and midrange audio. The better alternative choice is using a nice pair of headphones and the headphone jack.

Port selection was about average for a notebook of this size, although it would have been nice to see S-Video or HDMI. Toshiba teased us with a blank HDMI port location, possibly hinting at a future model that offers it, perhaps with dedicated graphics as well.

• ExpressCard slot (ExpressCard/34 and Express Card/54)
• 10/100 Ethernet
• 56k Modem
• 5-in-1 media card reader
• VGA out
• Microphone input port
• Headphone output port
• IEEE-1394 (FireWire)
• Three USB 2.0 ports

Left: VGA, CPU Exhaust, 2 USB, Firewire, ExpressCard/54, Headphone/Mic








Right: Optical Drive, 1 USB, Modem, LAN, Kensington Lock Slot








Front: 5-1 Media Reader, Volume Control Knob, Wireless On/Off






Thermal performance was above average, with the notebook running cool and quiet the majority of the time. During normal activity the only part of the system you could hear was the hard drive. When the notebook got hot enough to turn on the fan, noise was minimal, and around whisper levels.

The Toshiba Satellite U400 gives business users a solid feature list and moderate performance.