Notebook Hunter

For $549 at Bing Lee the Toshiba Satellite C660/03C is a well specced basic notebook that’s selling for a low price even by current standards. The first generation Intel Core i3 still has plenty to offer, and when you compare it to the Intel Pentiums that normally sell for around this price it’s clear that the C660 represents very good value for money.

The first generation Intel Core i3-380M (2.53GHz) processor can handle any productivity application imaginable along with a few intensive programs like image editors. Don’t expect to do much multi-tasking though, because 2GB of RAM is a bit on the low side. It’s not a crippling limitation, but it’s worth being aware of before potentially buying the C660. Light casual gaming like The Sims 3 on low settings is within reach due to the onboard Intel HD graphics.

A 500GB hard drive is good for the price though, and ensures that storage woes will be kept at bay. Typical of basic notebooks is the 15.6in (1,366x768 resolution) screen; it’s a good feature though that works well with tasks like surfing the web or watching a video. The only downside of the C660 is the 2.8kg weight, which is fairly heavy by basic notebook standards. It’s dense rather than being large though, because 37.9mm thickness, 250mm depth and 380mm width are all within normal tolerances for a 15.6in screen notebook

See the Toshiba Satellite C660/03C in the Notebook Hunter database here.

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