Toshiba details Satellite P50t laptop with 4K display

Whether 4K's time has come or not is up for debate, but there's no doubt the technology is gathering pace. Part of that momentum has been driven by devices unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, including the Satellite P50t, which, along with the Tecra W50, Toshiba claimed was the world's first 4K laptop. The company has now revealed a few more details about its UHD-capable P50t.

The 15.6-inch P50t runs Windows 8.1 and is actually available with just a 1920 x 1080 Full HD screen, but its the version with a 300-Nit, 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD display which is the real showstopper. Toshiba says the screen has four times as many pixels as a Full HD with 282 pixels per inch. It promises, "crystal-clear definition," and, "an astounding level of detail."

Toshiba has worked on the UHD displays with Portrait Technologies, using its ChromaTune software to provide greater levels of color accuracy and control, as well as to gain Technicolor Color Certification, a color certification program that Technicolor and Portrait Technologies have partnered to create. The certification is aimed at providing a means for display manufacturers to assure their customers that their screen is providing an accurate color representation of what was intended.

Ultra HD and 3D support is provided via the P50t's HDMI output, meaning users can connect to and playback 4K content on compatible displays. A Blu-ray TM BD-RE (XL) drive is also available and users content can be easily shared between devices using its integrated Intel Wireless Display technology and four USB 3.0 ports.

The P50t is powered by an Intel 4th generation Core Quad-Core i7 processor and an AMD Radeon R9 M265X graphics card, with 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. Up to 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L RAM is supported, and up to 1 TB of 5400 rpm HDD storage.

Other features include 10-point multitouch support and two Harman Kardon stereo speakers with Slip Stream Technology tuned by DTS Sound audio enhancement. Battery life is reported to be up to 5 hours between charges.

Pricing has not been announced, but the Satellite P50t is expected to be available from the second quarter of 2014.

Toshiba Satellite P50t laptop has a 4K screen

If you don't want to shell out for the 4K screen, you can opt for a 1,920x1,080-pixel HD screen instead. But where would be the fun in that?

The Toshiba Satellite P50t is a 15.6-inch laptop with a pixel per inch rating of 282ppi. In comparison, the top-of-the-range 15.4-inch MacBook Pro has 220ppi.

The higher resolution will make the P50t ideal for photographers, graphic designers, or anyone who really wants to see a cat video in amazing detail.

Inside is an Intel quad-core i7 processor, an AMD Radeon M265X graphics chip, and 2GB of VRAM. You can have up to 1TB of hard drive space too.

The P50t has a Blu-ray drive, and four – count 'em – USB 3.0 ports.

It'll go on sale sometime from April. No price is confirmed as yet.

Toshiba has also been busy refreshing its other ranges of laptops. The S Series is at the higher end, with models coming with the option of a touchscreen. The brushed metal finish also looks rather premium.

The new L Series models have stereo speakers tuned by Skullcandy, for richer, louder sound. They also have the option of a touchscreen, and come in a choice of five colours.

At the budget end, the C Series comes in 15.6- or 17.3-inch sizes. Like all the new models, they'll be available from sometime in the second quarter, so between April and June.