Toshiba NB305 review

While many netbooks blur into an identikit haze, one proving all but indistinguishable from another, Toshiba’s NB200 was one of the few which dared to buck the trend. Now, like every other netbook manufacturer around the world, Toshiba has given its netbook darling a lick of paint, toned down the less attractive bulges around its figure and added Intel’s latest Atom processor for good measure. Behold, the Toshiba NB305.

It’s still unmistakably familiar, Toshiba’s logo boldly emblazoned across the grooved, cream white lid, but the NB305 has emerged both sleeker and sexier than its predecessor. The battery, a once unsightly blemish jutting out from its rear, now softens into a gentle bulge on the underside, a choice which tilts the NB305’s keyboard forward just a tad. The rest of the makeover is more subtle, but no less effective. The once lumpen base softens into a wedge-like design, its chamfered corners and thin front edge cutting a more stylish dash.

The temptation to fiddle just for the sake of it might have been simply too much for some manufacturers, but Toshiba has studiously left the NB200’s keyboard well alone. Those wide, squat keys look odd, but give them a chance and you’ll be glad you did. Keys fall under the finger with refreshing ease, and the spacious layout and good feel are the making of the NB305. Even the wide trackpad and large, individual buttons beneath are significantly better than many of the netbooks on the market.

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