Over the last month, I have had the privilege of taking the Toshiba KIRAbook for an extended test drive. We have been through a lot together like many meetings at Microsoft, a weeklong trip to Taipei for Computex, and a drive to Bellingham for my sister’s college graduation. Day after day, I have grown increasingly attached to this PC. The KIRAbook is a rock solid, fashionable, and high powered laptop that excelled above and beyond meeting my everyday needs.
Let’s do a quick overview of some of the key specs to cover off on why it is high powered. My KIRAbook was running an Intel’s 3rd generation Core i7 processor which makes running multiple apps at once was so fast and snappy. With a Core i7, you get the performance needed for things like video editing or gaming. It had 8GB of memory, and a very impressive 256GB SSD, ensuring that there was plenty of storage for all of my stuff (and if running out of storage is ever a concern or you just want your files with you at all times, SkyDrive always will have your back).
The KIRAbook has a 13.3-inch touchscreen which is my preferred screen size for a laptop. It is large enough to be able to get great work done, and small enough to pack in a bag. In that screen, Toshiba packs 221 pixels per inch, meaning the display resolution is a stunning 2560 x 1440. The screen on the KIRAbook is fabulous and was definitely one of my favorite features of the PC. Text on a webpage or my Word doc was incredibly crisp, and editing pictures using Adobe Photoshop Express was made more real because the colors and resolution were better than ever.
When it comes to keyboards, I am super picky. I want them to feel just right when I type. I like keyboards that make a great sound when you type, have clearly defined buttons, and are backlit. The KIRAbook meets and exceeds all three of my criteria.
Because I feel that the PC that I use is an extension of me, I want it to be as fashionable as possible. The KIRAbook has a sleek and stunning design that is very durable because of the magnesium alloy material. Here are my highlights:
The rounded corners on the bottom of the screen. This just makes the device look so clean and simple because all you see is the beautiful back of the device—no fans or ports—just a sleek simple rectangular back.
The bottom of the device is not something that all people notice, but look how elegant this looks.
The side profile is also beautiful and functional with SD card readers, HDMI, and 3 USB 3.0 ports.
If you are looking for a durable, high powered and very stylish laptop, look no further than the Toshiba KIRAbook. This is one that I will definitely be recommending to my friends and family. Priced starting at $1,799.99, it’s a bit on an investment, but I would say that it is well worth it, especially if you plan to hang on to it for a few years. Plus, it includes a two-year warranty and 24/7-365 access to dedicated U.S.-based service agents trained to help you with everything from troubleshooting to getting to know Windows 8. Check out the Microsoft Store if you want to learn more about the KIRAbook for yourself!