The system's array of ports is a bit skimpy. The Satellite Pro L300D has three USB ports and connections for an external monitor, a microphone and headphones. There is an Express Card slot and a flash card reader that works with SD and Memory Stick modules.

On top of an Ethernet port, the system offers Atheros Wi-Fi 802.11b/g. Like the others, the Satellite Pro L300D lacks Bluetooth connectivity and does without a fingerprint scanner.

It all comes together in a system that was reliable over a month of use, but one that didn't impress on performance. The Satellite Pro scored a 412.4 on Passmark's Performance 6.1 test but lagged on the network performance tests. Its Wi-Fi card had a 100-foot range and was able to move 17.7Mbit/sec. of data. These metrics are all roughly 10% to 20% lower than the best of these notebooks. Its battery life of 2 hours 20 minutes was solidly middle-of-the-pack for these business notebooks.

Along with Windows XP Pro, the system comes with the expected array of software, like Norton 360 (with a 60-day subscription), and a two-month trial version of Microsoft Office. The notebook's Wi-Fi utility is among the best on the market. Rather than simply listing the nearest routers as most do, the program shows them graphically on a display that looks like a radar screen, and it lists the system's IP address among other details.

Toshiba provides a one-year warranty for the Satellite Pro L300D; a three-year warranty costs a reasonable $149. Light and reasonably thin, the Satellite Pro L300D sells for $800, leaving $50 left over to buy a few accessories such as Bluetooth.