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Toshiba's latest mid-range laptop gets off to a good start with a keen sense of style and a slim, light chassis, but the L50 misses the mark in a few key areas. Its Core i5 processor is competent but bettered by rivals, the screen isn't particularly good, and battery life is entirely average.
We liked
This is one of the slickest looking affordable laptops we've tested for some time. The cheap plastic and dull designs of rivals are banished by the Toshiba's red patterned materials, and the L50 is slimmer and lighter than the competition.
The Core i5 processor has enough power to handle general home computing and light work tasks, and there's lots of memory and hard disk space to go round.
We disliked
That Core i5 processor might have the power for general computing, but both of the Toshiba's closest rivals have more under the hood – and Toshiba's own S50D uses AMD hardware that has a more capable graphics core, too.
Battery life is mediocre at three hours, and there's nothing special when it comes to the keyboard and trackpad: the former is hampered by a lack of travel, and the latter has awkward buttons.
The screen is beaten by rivals for resolution, and it suffers from a severe lack of quality. The contrast ratio is too low, and the entire screen is far too cool.
Final verdict
This Toshiba machine initially impressed with good looks and a light, slim construction, but it falls behind the competition in key areas. Its Core i5 chip isn't as fast in applications or in games as competitors, and its ergonomics and battery life aren't great either. Toshiba's AMD-powered S50D has a similarly poor screen, but its better power levels and cheaper price (£480; about $799, AU$860) mean it's a superior option to Toshiba's Intel-equipped L50.
