Toshiba Portégé R830 review
Toshiba's ultraportable Sandy Bridge laptop has finally arrived. Is its low weight worth its high cost? Read our review to find out.

The Toshiba Portégé R830 isn't perfect. Not everyone will like the keyboard and it's not cheap, but it's stylish, well-built, has USB3 and lengthy battery life too. It's one of the best ultraportable laptops we've seen yet. Those who need the longest possible battery life should still opt for the 13in MacBook Air though, despite its ageing processor.
The collect and return warranty is a lengthy three years, but sadly there's no option for onsite service.
Verdict
The Toshiba Portégé R830 isn't perfect. Not everyone will like the keyboard and it's not cheap, but it's stylish, well-built, has USB3 and lengthy battery life too. It's one of the best ultraportable laptops we've seen yet. Those who need the longest possible battery life should still opt for the 13in MacBook Air though, despite its ageing processor.
Processor: Intel Core i5 2520M, 2.5GHz Memory: 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 RAM Graphics: Intel GMA 3000 Hard disk: 500GB hard disk Display: 13.3in 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit screen Features: 0.3 megapixel camera, microphone, stereo speakers Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, HSDPA, Gigabit Ethernet Ports: 1 x USB2, 1x USB3, 1 x combo eSATA/USB2, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 3.5mm headphone and microphone sockets, 1 x port replicator Dimensions: 23x394x268mm (WxDxH) Weight: 1.49kg Warranty: 1 year customer carry-in warranty OS: Windows 7 Business 64-bit BENCHMARK RESULTS Image editing 82 Video encoding 55 Multiple apps 55 Overall 60 Light usage battery life – 8h50m POWER CONSUMPTION Sleep 1W Idle 12W Active 56W
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
M&S suspends online sales as 'cyber incident' continues
News Marks & Spencer (M&S) has informed customers that all online and app sales have been suspended as the high street retailer battles a ‘cyber incident’.
By Ross Kelly Published
-
Westcon-Comstor unveils new managed SOC solution for Cisco partners
News Powered by Cisco XDR, the new offering will enable partners to tap into new revenue streams, the company said
By Daniel Todd Published
-
More than 5 million Americans just had their personal information exposed in the Yale New Haven Health data breach – and lawsuits are already rolling in
News A data breach at Yale New Haven Health has exposed data belonging to millions of people – and lawsuits have already been filed.
By Emma Woollacott Published