Toshiba Satellites descend in five different updates
Toshiba Satellite L515
(Credit: Toshiba)The Satellite L series, Toshiba's student-targeted budget line of laptops, comes in three flavors, all with 16x9 TruBrite LED-backlit displays and a large variety of configurations (AMD Turion, Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo processors, optional ATI Radeon 3100 graphics, hard drives starting at 250 GB, RAM from 1 to 4 GB).
The Satellite L500/505 (starting at $549.99) - comes with a 15.1-inch screen
The Satellite L510/515 (starting at $649.99) - has a 13.4-inch screen, but a thinner chassis
The Satellite L550/555 (starting at $649.99) - 16.4-inch screen
Other features include:
- 720p screen resolution
- Fusion finish with Breeze pattern in a graphite color (for those who can comprehend stylespeak)
- PC Health monitor and power-saving Eco utitlites
- Numeric keypads for 15.6-inch models and larger
- Recyclable packaging and mercury-free LED displays
OK, now for the other four lines. The Satellite M, U, A and P series all got updates too. Deep breath, and...
While the L series is the pure budget line, consider the M, U, A and P lines to be the more stylish Satellites. The Satellite U500/505 (starting at $849.99) and M500/505 (starting at $699.99) headline the lighter, more mobile Satellite class of '09, while the Satellite A500/505 (starting at $749.99) and P500/505 (starting at $799.99) add harmon/kardon speakers, LED-backlit media touch-keys, slot-loading DVD drives, and edge-to-edge glass displays in 16 and 18.4 inches.
It can all get a little numbing, especially when each line can be customized to order. We've got our eyes on the A and P line as the prettiest of the Q3 Satellite bumper crop, at least in terms of design. More when we get our hands on them ourselves.
All are currently available in the U.S.
Scott Stein, a New York Jets fan and CNET senior associate editor, has written about tech, entertainment, video games, and viral culture for outlets including Laptop, Wired, Maxim, Esquire Online, Asylum, and Men's Journal. He also appears on the Digital City podcast. In his spare time, you might see him performing improv in New York City (when he's not being a dad). 
