The Toshiba Tecra A9-S9021V aims to deliver durability and performance to mainstream corporate notebook users who prefer the larger screen and keyboard a 15.4-inch system delivers. It is largely successful in its mission, though the execution is uninspired. For $1,699 you get a high-resolution display, a large hard drive, and discrete graphics, but this system’s overall performance and design make it second-rate compared to the best business machines from Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
Design
With the Tecra A9, Toshiba took an old-school approach to addressing the corporate notebook market: Make it as bland as possible so as not to offend anyone. While the gray and black plastic chassis would be appropriate for a sub-$1,000 machine, at the Tecra A9’s price, we’d like to see richer materials. The machine is the typical size for a 15.4-inch notebook, but a little more effort could have gone into shaving some bulk. In fact, at 14.4 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches and 6.4 pounds, the Tecra A9 is nearly identical in size and weight to the new Sony FW Series—which has a screen that’s an inch larger.
The full-size keyboard feels comfortable enough in use, with good key travel and appropriate audible feedback. It’s also spill-resistant to help protect the machine from errant liquids. As with other corporate notebooks, you’ll find both a touchpad and a pointing stick. Unfortunately, the pad is right out of the bargain bin, with a plastic feel and a surface area that’s way too small (and square) given the screen’s dimensions. The touchpad’s mouse buttons are on the tiny side, too, even though there’s plenty of room for larger buttons. And while we appreciate the volume wheel jutting from the front edge of the system, a dedicated mute button would be a step in the right direction.
Display and Multimedia
The 15.4-inch screen of the Tecra A9 is a highlight. High-res purists will appreciate the panel’s 1680 x 1050-pixel resolution, which delivers crisp text and fits at least a couple of open windows on the screen. Of course, most default text in applications and lists (like Windows’ All Programs roster) is tiny. Fortunately, Toshiba has thought of this and included its Zooming Utility to adjust icon sizes and zoom application windows in Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, and Internet Explorer automatically.
As is appropriate for a business notebook, the panel has a glare-reducing satin finish that effectively cuts glare and reflections, though (predictably) we saw some dulling of colors in DVD playback and games. Scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl also showed motion blur and loss of detail in shadow areas. The built-in stereo speakers deliver enough volume for making a presentation around a conference table but offer tinny sound lacking in bass.
Features
The Tecra A9 platform has all the ports expected of a corporate notebook, including four USB ports, VGA, FireWire, Ethernet, modem, and even a serial port. Missing is an HDMI port, which is becoming a common way to connect to external displays. There’s a PC Card slot and a 5-in-1 memory card reader, but no webcam. The bottom dock connection accepts the Toshiba Express Port Replicator, and a VGA- or DVI-equipped Dynadock solution can connect via USB.
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