Toshiba R series has always been targeted at the business professional who places a premium on portability, but also requires a built-in optical drive. While its predecessors sport a 12.1-inch display, the latest Portege R700 has increases the panel to 13.3 inches without adding significantly to the bulk or size. Moreover, despite the weight and appearance of an ultrathin, the R700 sports a full-power processor and optical drive under the hood.

Toshiba Portege ultraportable laptops are not only a demonstration of Toshiba superior engineering and craftsmanship, but our ability to innovate to meet the demands of businesses,said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.,Digital Products Division. The Portege R700 delivers the ultimate mobile experience at breakthrough prices that businesses have been waiting for, providing both performanceand battery life within an extremely thin and light, yet durable form factor without compromising key features such as an integrated DVD drive.

While it may not have the latest USB 3.0 port, the Portege R700 has sufficient connectivity options. Besides the expected USB 2.0, we also found an eSATA/USB combo port, VGA as well as an HDMI output. The USB ports are sleep-and-charge enabled, which allows the user to power their USB devices even when the notebook is turned off.