Overview
Although it's easy to dismiss 3D as a gimmick that might disappear in a couple of years, there's no denying its current popularity. As a result, we've seen plenty of 3D-compatible laptops in recent times, such as Sony's ridiculously enormous VAIO F-Series and the HP Envy 17 3D.
Some 3D laptops were heavier than a baby elephant, while some of the earlier models made us so nauseous that we almost threw up and passed out.
One of the best reasons to buy an Nvidia 3D Vision laptop is the huge variety of supported games. All of the AAA titles such as Battlefield, Portal and Fifa now come 3D-ready, and we have to admit that the extra dimension really does immerse you in the game. There's nothing like squinting down the barrel of a shotgun as a screaming Nazi hurtles out of the screen at you.
Toshiba's Qosmio X770-107 is clearly intended for 3D gaming, with its red-and-black rough-edge design. Thankfully it's a lot more subtle than the likes of Alienware's laptops, with their glowing headlights and angular spacecraft bodies, and it's also a bit lighter than most gaming laptops.
However, the bulky 3.7kg body is still best left on a desk at home. Only Captain America would use this as an everyday travel companion.
The Toshiba Qosmio X770-107's chassis is reasonably solid, although the palm rests and edges do flex under pressure.
The keyboard is thankfully a lot firmer, with its keys separated out in the popular isolation-style design. You're less likely to bash the wrong key during frantic action games, and it's also a great board to touch-type on.
We especially liked the subtle red backlighting, for those late-night gaming sessions.
Above the keyboard is a row of media shortcut keys. These can be used to adjust the volume, play and pause your media, and of course turn the 3D graphics on and off.
Specifications
Setting up the 3D is a simple two-minute task using Nvidia's software. We were watching 3D movies on the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 in no time, and simultaneously taking abuse from co-workers over the dorky glasses.
Those glasses are a major repellent, and if you wear spectacles to correct your vision, the two definitely don't sit together comfortably. The biggest problem is the extra pressure around the bridge of the nose. We felt a migraine coming on after just a few minutes, and had to switch to contact lenses to continue.
Still, if your eyes aren't knackered like ours, you'll find the experience a lot more entertaining.
The 3D graphics are a good excuse to play classics such as Battlefield 2 all over again, and we were particularly impressed by driving games, where the 3D made it easier to judge corners and distances.
The Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 will also keep your sprogs quiet, thanks to the plethora of 3D cartoons and movies.
We've found that 3D-compatible screens are often rather dim, but this laptop's 17.3-inch display is a refreshing exception. Not only is it comfortably bright, it's also pleasingly vibrant. The full HD 1080p resolution means you can enjoy HD movies and the latest games with crystal-clear visuals.
We're often derogatory about laptop speakers, but the harman/kardon efforts built into the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 are impressively powerful. The bass is especially strong, and our dubstep samples made the entire chassis vibrate.
Of course, music buffs are going to need a dedicated external pair to hear every note as it was intended, but for the purposes of films and games, you can't go wrong.
If you have a meaty collection of games and movies, you can carry a huge number around on the 1TB hard drive. The Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 might be a bulky machine, but at least you won't have to lug an external hard drive around too.
If you're carrying the laptop around during use, Toshiba's built-in HDD protection shuts the drive down so it doesn't get damaged. You also get a built-in Blu-ray drive, while an HDMI port lets you hook up a widescreen TV at home.
Performance
Of course, you can have all the 3D whiz-gimmickry you like, but if the laptop's specs are rubbish, any game you play is going to be a juddering mess. Thankfully, the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 packs in some powerful components.
The brain of the operation is an Intel Core i7 2630QM processor, running at 2GHz. This quad-core beauty is one of Intel's latest Sandy Bridge efforts, and the scores we churned out of Cinebench were mightily impressive.
Toshiba's Qosmio X770-107 is as powerful as some top-end gaming machines, including Alienware's M14X and M18X. Backed up by a generous 8GB of memory, you'll have no trouble running any modern game, or the very best editing software.
You can run your games with the highest possible graphics settings too, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M graphics card. We didn't notice any frame rate issues, even when playing intensive titles such as Crysis 2. Few other laptops have produced such a confident graphical performance in recent times.
Despite the impressive performance, this laptop is whisper-quiet. Even during the most intensive gun battles, we heard almost no whirring and creaking from the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107's innards. The chassis also stays relatively cool, apart from the vents on the left side, which gush hot air.
Unfortunately, the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107's battery dies faster than a lemming in Dover. We didn't even get an hour into a movie before it gave up. This is a poor effort even for a powerful laptop like this – especially when you consider that the Alienware M18X clung on for a little over an hour. You'll need to pack the charger if you lug this beast outside.
Cinebench 10: 17063
3D Mark 06: 15114
Battery Eater: 44 mins
Verdict
Whether 3D is here to stay or a mere flash in the pan, there's no ignoring its popularity. Toshiba's Qosmio X770-107 is another laptop that caters to the considerable 3D public demand, but does so with style and a considerable amount of grunt.
We liked
The 17.3-inch screen is a great way to take in a movie, either in 2D or 3D, thanks to its sharp 1080p resolution and impressive vibrancy. It's also a surprisingly bright panel, which is rare for a 3D laptop.
We have to admit, the Nvidia 3D Vision tech works well with certain games, especially driving simulators and trusty FPS games. However, even if you aren't too bothered about the 3D effects, there's still plenty for gamers to enjoy here.
You can play any modern title thanks to the Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processor, backed up by 8GB of memory, and the dedicated Nvidia GeForce graphics card means those frantic gun battles look amazing. You can also enjoy HD movies via the built-in Blu-ray drive.
We disliked
Not everyone will enjoy the black-and-red design, but it's less garish than some other gaming laptops. However, like its rivals, you can't lug the Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 around on a regular basis. The bulky 3.7kg chassis is difficult to fit in a bag and a pain to drag around on public transport, while the battery life sucks.
Final verdict
If you're looking for a gaming laptop and are sold by the 3D gimmick, the Qosmio offers everything you could possibly need.
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