Once you combine the words thin, light and notebook into a sentence, most people feel that the word "compromise" must be added. The Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V helps nearly eliminate compromise from the sentence. For example, the R500 incorporates a full-size keyboard, decent-sized display and an integrated optical drive into a system that offers almost 7 hours of battery life and a slew of ports, effectively reducing the compromises found on typical slim and light notebooks.

Long battery life and a small form factor usually spell out low performance; here is another area that Toshiba helps to buck the trend and eliminate that nasty word, “compromise.” The combination of the U7700 Intel processor, 2 GB of RAM and the solid state hard drive add up to usable performance, with the system scoring a PassMark Rating of 320. Not blazingly fast, but as fast as most any 6 pound value notebook on the market. Frequent travelers will come to love the Portege; the unit is easy to carry, quite sturdy and well assembled. For those on long flights, the unit’s diminutive size allows it to be used comfortably on the typical airline seat tray, without the worry that the screen will get crushed if the seat in front is suddenly reclined.

For those doing presentations, the VGA port comes in handy, but the unit’s tiny single speaker is not up to snuff, so a projector with integrated speakers may become a presenter’s second best friend. The keyboard offers good feel and response for speed typists and the touch pad offers good, reliable control of the cursor.

While the Toshiba Portege R500-S5007V does an excellent job of minimizing compromises, there is one compromise that cannot be ignored, one that affects the pocketbook, a price tag of $3,000. Especially when one considers that the Portege offers the performance and features of a notebook that is half the price, but double the size. That may limit the unit’s appeal to the travelling executive, who demands the very best in convenience.