Toshiba Extends Satellite Pro Notebooks To SMBs

Toshiba is expanding its Satellite Pro S300 series of notebooks with four new models while making them more attractive to small business owners by dropping the entry price point to $529.

The four new notebooks -- EZ1511, EZ1512, EZ1513 and EZ1514 -- all fall under the Satellite Pro S300 series but aren't a refresh of the line Toshiba put on the market last October. Instead, the latest additions to the notebook line are aimed at meeting the needs of SMB customers while expanding Toshiba's existing line of laptop computing devices.

The introductory price point of $529 is a little misleading because it only applies to the EZ1511 version of the notebook with the Satellite Pro S300's basic hardware specs. Included in the machine is an Intel Pentium T3400 Processor, 1 GB DDR2 SD RAM memory, 120 GB hard drive and Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M. The EZ1511 has a 15.4-inch TruBrite WXGA display and comes standard with an Atheros 802.11 b/g wireless LAN. Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic is preloaded on the EZ1511.

For the entry price of $529, those are the basic specs of the expanded S300 line of notebooks. Toshiba is also offering a two-year limited warranty for each of the new laptops.

The Satellite Pro S300-EZ1512 is almost exactly the same machine spec for spec. But instead of getting a Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M, the EZ1512 comes with a Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD. And instead of Windows Vista Home Basic, this version of the notebook comes preloaded with Windows Vista Business. The minimal hardware upgrade and different version of Windows kick the price of the Satellite Pro S300-EZ1512 up to $579.

The Satellite Pro S300-EZ1513 is, again, similar to the EZ1512 with just a few changes to the hardware specifications. The EZ1513 is preloaded with Windows Vista Business but gets an upgrade to its processor and Wi-Fi capabilities. Instead of the Intel Pentium T3400 Processor, the EZ1513 comes equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor and an Intel Wi-Fi Link 5100AGN wireless card. The cost jumps from $579 to $649 for the Toshiba Satellite Pro S300-EZ1513.

For another $50 the Toshiba Satellite Pro S300-EZ1514 comes with another processor upgrade to the Intel Core 2 Duo T6570. Additionally, the SD RAM jumps from 1 GB -- standard on the EZ1511, EZ1512 and EZ1513 -- to 2 GB DDR SDRAM. A built-in Webcam also is standard and brings the price up to $699.

The Toshiba Satellite Pro S300 is available now.