Toshiba today has become the first laptop manufacturer to sell a laptop with a 4,000 pixel display. The 15.6-inch screen on Toshiba’s new Satellite P55t notebook sports a touchscreen display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. That’s higher than the MacBook’s 2880 x 1800 pixels, or any other laptop currently available — despite a few others being announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
Toshiba says the Satellite P55t is also the world’s first laptop to be color certified by Technicolor, the company that pioneered the first full-color movies. Each Ultra HD display is individually calibrated by Chroma Tune and is Technicolor Certified during production, according to Toshiba. The ChromaTune feature is aimed to appeal to professional photographers, videographers, and graphic designers, who can use the preinstalled Chroma Tune software to fine-tune color space control and apply profiles to software applications. The notebook also includes a free full version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.
All of those pixels are powered by a 4th gen Intel Core i7 quad core processor, up to 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3L memory, and AMD Radeon R9 M265X graphics with 2GB of video memory. To store and share HD content, the laptop includes a 1TB hard drive with a 3D impact sensor, four USB 3.0 ports, a UHS-II SD card slot, 802.11ac wi-fi, an HDMI port capable of 4K output, and an available built-in Blu-ray Disc re-writable drive.
That’s not too bad for a notebook that’s $500 less than the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Arguably, though, the MacBook Pro’s fast SSD might still deliver better performance than the Toshiba P55t’s 5400 RPM mechanical hard drive.
The Satellite P55t’s design is an improvement on the company’s previous models, with edge-to-edge LCD glass and a frameless LED-backlit keyboard. However, early reviewers (below) point out that the aluminum finish isn’t anything unique or very premium in feel.
On the audio side, the P55t boasts a pair of top-facing Harman Kardon speakers that promise strong stereo quality sound. Toshiba also includes a unique “Sleep & Music” feature that lets you use the speakers even when the laptop is off.
The Satellite P55t 4K Ultra HD is on sale starting today, direct from Toshiba at toshiba.com/us for $1,500. For some hands-on first impressions and photos of the Satellite P55t, check out CNET, PC Magazine, and TechRadar.
