A product review on a laptop may seem a strange thing to do – as they largely depend on which exact model you get, what is installed and what version of this and that you have on it. It is true, and that is why product reviews on laptops are something we only do if we stumble across something different or inspiring.

The first time I turned on the Toshiba Qosmio I can say I was genuinely flabbergasted. From the bassy thump of the Windows Media Centre start up music to the shockingly bright and crisp white of the screen.

Being a laptop user myself it was the sound volume and quality that really took me back, to continue the test we launched Windows Media Centre. After a few minutes of the simple Media Centre setup we began watching all the demonstration videos – the Qosmio engine is immediately noticeable, bringing out an extra vibrancy in colours that has previously only been available from top of the range CRT monitors.
Our version came equipped with a TV-Tuner, allowing Media Centre to offer a number of channels whether through a standard aerial cable or a set top box of freeview receiver. Working along side the internet-powered TV guide the whole set up is very attractive, however I’m not 100% sure it’s suited to a portable application.
The receiver for the remote control is an external USB powered accessory, about the size of a large desktop mouse. Switching in and out of Media Centre is slow and awkward as the Qosmio engine switches on and off, and personally, I prefer hi-res, smaller screened laptops over large screen ones.

My recommendation varies drastically depending on what you are looking for in a laptop – the Qosmio is very well suited and very proficient as a home PC. If you need a laptop because you need a PC you can take with you on long business trips, once or twice a month then the Qosmio is worth considering. However if you are looking for something that you use at the office everyday and at home in the evenings then this may be just a bit too fat and fragmented for your needs.