Toshiba Satellite C55-B5242X Cheap 15.6″ Laptop with Intel Pentium / 4GB / 500GB
The Toshiba Satellite C55-B5242X is an affordable non-frills laptop with a standard-size 15.6-inch display and satisfactory computing performance for most users.
The Satellite C55-B5242X, also known as C55B5242X, has a budget-class matte black plastic chassis. When you open it up, the most notable things are a 1366-by-768 display, without touch support nor IPS technology for wide viewing angels, and a full-size non-backlit keyboard with numeric pad and trackpad with dedicated click buttons beneath it. Under the hood, the notebook packs the Intel Pentium N3540 processor, 4GB of system memory, and a 500GB hard drive. The N3540 is capable of running the most common programs and pre-installed Windows 10 operating system quite smoothly. You can read a detailed review about it here. 4GB RAM is capacious enough for most multitasking scenarios. The included 500GB HDD at 5,400prm is a standard-type one, but it’s a slow storage device.
Furthermore, Toshiba’s C55-B5242X is outfitted with a DVD burner optical drive, stereo speakers, webcam, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and VGA video output ports, 802.11N Wi-Fi and Ethernet LAN network connections, and a multi-in-one media card reader. This is a well-rounded feature set, with no surprises nor disappointments.
The built-in 45WHr battery has a mediocre capacity, but Toshiba hasn’t provided info on battery life for this model. Considering the notebook uses the power-efficient Bay Trail chip and has a screen size of 15.6″, one can assume the battery life can last up to around 5 hours.
Here are the specs of the Toshiba Satellite C55-B5242X with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.
| Brand | Toshiba |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch This is by far the most popular laptop screen size. It provides a lot of screen real estate, while avoiding bulkiness of the 17.3" laptops. |
| Screen Resolution | 1366x768 pixels HD This is an entry-level screen resolution, oftentimes found on budget laptops. It doesn't deliver picture sharpness and space on the screen like the Full HD or higher resolution laptop displays do. |
| Touchscreen | No This laptop doesn't support touchscreen input. |
| Other Display Specs | TN type Displays based on the old TN technology lack wide viewing angles you can find on IPS screens. The colors may look washed out or inverted at certain viewing angles. |
| Processor (CPU) | Intel Pentium N3540 quad-core 2.16-2.66GHz 2MB cache (User Benchmark CPU score: 21) |
| Graphics (GPU) | Intel HD integrated graphics of low-end CPUs (only for the lightest gaming) |
| System Memory (RAM) Size | 4GB RAM 4GB is a small RAM size for computing in 2023. For smooth operation of a laptop during everyday tasks, at least 8GB is recommended. |
| Data Storage | 500GB HDD This is a very good capacity, but HDD is a slow type of storage. |
| DVD Optical Drive | DVD writer |
| Keyboard & Input | Non-backlit keyboard with dedicated number pad The keyboard has a separate numeric pad on the right side of the keyboard, but it has no keyboard backlight. Touchpad with separate physical click buttons The touchpad features physical left and right click buttons, as opposed to click buttons integrated into the touchpad surface. |
| Speakers & Audio | Stereo speakers As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers. |
| Camera | Front-facing web camera Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception. |
| Wi-Fi Wireless | 802.11N 802.11N is an old Wi-Fi standard, precursor of the 802.11AC and the latest 802.11AX with improved data transfer speeds and connectivity. 802.11N is rarely used in modern laptops. |
| Ethernet Network Port | Yes This laptop has an Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity. |
| Bluetooth | No This laptop has no built-in Bluetooth module. |
| Mobile broadband (4G LTE) | No |
| USB Ports | 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0 A total of three full-size Type A USB ports. |
| Video Output Ports | 1 x HDMI + 1 x VGA HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs. VGA is an old analog type of video connectivity used on older computers, monitors, TVs, and projectors. |
| Media Card Reader | SD card reader The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter. |
| Battery | 4-Cell 45Whr |
| Weight | 4.9 pounds |
| Height | 1.1" |
| Width | 15" |
| Depth | 10.2" |
| Windows Version | Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Home is aimed at the regular home and office computer users. Only select business users need the Professional edition. Windows 10 Home users are eligible for a free upgrade to the latest Windows 11 Home. |
| Warranty | 1-year A typical laptop warranty. |
User Reviews and Q&A
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Question
Richmond –
How do I get this laptop
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C.R. –
Is the RAM expandable at all, can anyone say? I’ve got one, and it works well for what it is, quite well in most respects–yet even a 50% increase (doubling would be fine) of its 4GB RAM would be…tremendous. Anyone know?
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4 out of 5
Rod –
I purchased one of these laptops from a local Micro Center for around $229.00. For a budget laptop, it does everything a no frills user needs to accomplish for productivity.
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