Last Updated/Fact Checked on May 4, 2023 by Irslan
Toshiba’s laptops are quite impressive, with good hardware and a premium look, not to mention decent specifications with cutting-edge technology to perform better. But they are still not impressive enough to outperform big AAA-running machines.
The Satellite series, for example, from Toshiba, produces good laptops you can use for light gaming only. They have faster CPUs, high RAM, and integrated Intel graphics.
However, they are less powerful and cheap as well. They are also bulky, thus, not ones you can carry around easily.
On top of that, nowadays, Toshiba doesn’t manufacture laptops because most of its shares were acquired by Shap Corporation in 2021. Late in 2022, it bought the remaining stake of Toshiba, thus renaming it Dynabook Inc.
These, too, are not suitable for gaming purposes. Let us find out why it is not a good brand for laptops.
4 Reasons Why Toshiba Laptops are Not Good for Gaming
Toshiba laptops are good for regular use, like word processing, emails, video and audio conferencing, and movie playback. You can use them for light to moderate photo and video editing and playing mild games. However, you may face issues while playing AAA games on these machines. Below are some reasons why I consider Toshiba laptops not suitable for gaming.
Underpower Processor
Gaming is a resource-consuming activity, and it requires a top-notch high-speed CPU. The latest Toshiba notebooks have low-power CPUs that are insufficient to withstand the workload of high-end gaming or video editing. For a gaming laptop, the clock speed should be at 3.5 GHz, while most Toshiba laptops, like Toshiba Satellite, have old-generation processor chipsets with clock speeds below 3 GHz without supporting the overclocking feature.
Even the new Dynabook series is unsuitable for playing AAA titles. They use a 10th-generation CPU, which is still outdated compared to other gaming laptops. Remember that these laptops are designed to save money, so only opt for these models if you have a tight budget.
Insufficient RAM
Like the CPU, RAM is another crucial element in gaming computers. The higher the RAM, the smoother the performance of your computer. That being said, almost all of these laptops have 8GB RAM, which is an utter disappointment.
For a gaming laptop, at least 16 GB of DDR4 RAM is mandatory for smooth gaming performance. All the Satellite Pro versions of Toshiba, like Pro L50-G-193, Pro L50-G-13Z, and Pro L50-G-138, have only 8 GB of RAM. Some low-end laptops have even 4GB of RAM, and you should not consider them for gaming.
Besides RAM, AAA games require a lot of space, while all the models, as mentioned earlier, have only 256 GB of SSD drive. I would never recommend a laptop having 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage for gaming, no matter how budget-friendly they are, as we have different, better options in the market.
The Dynabook Tecra A-50 has the option of RAM up to 64GB, but due to the lack of a dedicated graphics card, it is placed in the business category, and technically, that is no more a Toshiba product.
Mediocre Graphics
Graphics, in particular, is the most important aspect of a gaming notebook. You would be unable to run games flawlessly if your PC doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card. Toshiba, in this regard, either doesn’t include a dedicated graphics card or if its laptops have GPU, it is only 2GB with old technology like Toshiba Qosmio X500 has Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M, an outdated graphics card.
The Satellite L50-B Y3110 Notebook uses an AMD Radeon R7 M260 graphics card, which is not enough for high-end video gaming or professional video editing. The latest Dynabook Tecra A-50 doesn’t even come with a dedicated GPU and uses Intel Iris XE integrated graphics.
Outdated Technology
The latest computer games require cutting-edge technology for seamless performance and a buttery smooth experience. The notebook’s CPU should be of the latest generation with the dedicated latest graphics card and at least 16GB of DDR4 or DDR5 RAM. Only then will you be able to run AAA game titles on your PC.
However, Toshiba laptops with dedicated GPU have an outdated, almost obsolete graphics card, and the CPUs are only 4th Gen like in the Satellite P50-A Y3110, Intel Core i7 4500U processor is incorporated.
Moreover, it also lacks gaming aesthetics, like most of its so-called gaming laptops don’t even have a backlit keyboard and, in turn, no RGB keyboard. The keyboard response time is also not impressive, so you might need to use an external keyboard.
The old design has conventional patterns, and no innovation like a touchscreen or convertible laptops are there. However, in terms of ports, these laptops are great as they provide all the necessary ports like USB 3.0, USB 3 Type-C, a micro SD card reader (in some models), an HDMI port, and a 3.5 MM headphone jack.
Are Toshiba Laptops Good for Gaming? Conclusion
Toshiba provides budget-friendly laptops for regular use, business, entertainment, and lightweight machines. The specifications are, however, moderate and good enough to operate your daily tasks. On the other hand, the RAM is also not high as required for gaming, and no backlit keyboard makes it an even worse choice.
The recent Dynabook lacks these features as well. If you are looking for a budget gaming laptop, I don’t recommend Toshiba because there are better options in the market within the same price bracket, like Acer Nitro 5, HP Vistus 16, and Dell G15.
