Toshiba Satellite U500 laptop review

The U500's looks divided the IT PRO office. There's no arguing that it looks like a consumer laptop – with its rounded corners and dark brown, textured finish it will never be mistaken for a sombre professional ThinkPad. But even as an entertainment machine it hardly challenges the likes of Sony in terms of looks. It does at least keep the weight down – at a shade over 2kg it's a decent shoulder bag companion.

Unfortunately, the U500 is missing some components we'd consider core for professionals. There's no TPM chip, for instance. Nor do you get a fingerprint reader.

And, for those heading out on a work trip, three hours' light use battery life might be fine for the journey, but if you need more battery power once you arrive you'll need to find a socket somewhere. The conspicuous lack of a 3G card is another potential problem.

If you're after a reasonably-priced machine that entertains rather than earns its keep, the U500 is a fine choice, particularly considering the power it offers. However, professionals should look at the Acer TravelMate Timeline TM8371. It costs slightly more than the U500, but arguably looks more professional. And, while the Acer doesn't shine in every respect, it offers spectacular battery life – around six hours more than the U500.

The U500 offers everything you could want in a sub-£700 laptop, but those with work to do should probably look elsewhere.