Toshiba (TOSBF -3.06%) brought its A-game to the Consumer Electronics Expo in January, showcasing its first-ever 4K Ultra HD laptop to tech enthusiasts. Last week, Toshiba provided more details about its most powerful laptop to date, the 4K Satellite P50t, announcing that it will reach stores in April.
What is the 4K Satellite P50t?
Apple (AAPL 1.98%), which offers the MacBook Air and Pro laptops, has long been the leader among laptop providers. Toshiba's 4K Satellite P50t, however, is designed to be a MacBook killer, as the company created the laptop with hopes that it will take a bite out of Apple's profits.
NBC News pointed out that the 4K Satellite P50t offers the following features:
- A 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 resolution touchscreen (282 pixels per inch).
- A Blu-ray optical drive.
- An AMD Radeon M265X graphic chip.
- Intel Core-i7 quad-core processor.
- Four USB 3.0 ports.
What do all these features mean for tech consumers? Toshiba's 4K Satellite P50t is comparable to the MacBook Pro, Apple's top-of-the-line laptop, and Toshiba now faces the challenge of convincing consumers that this laptop is a better choice than models offered by Apple.
Is the 4K Satellite P50t unique?
With the P50t, Toshiba is targeting more than just everyday consumers -- it's trying to show 3D designers, engineers, and professional photographers that the laptop can do it all. In fact, the laptop's Ultra HD 4K resolution display could help Toshiba differentiate its laptop from Apple's.
"As a leader in Ultra HD, we are leveraging our 4K TV expertise to deliver a display capable of four times the resolution of full HD to provide smoother images with astounding details," Toshiba spokesperson Carl Pinto said about the 4K Satellite P50t. However, several major hurdles remain before Toshiba is able to gain significant ground on its chief rival in the laptop market.
Toshiba has yet to reveal the price for its P50t laptop. Because this laptop includes a high-powered processor and state-of-the-art graphics chip, it could fall outside many consumers' price range. Additionally, Apple could unveil a new line of MacBook Air and Pro laptops this year. According to several industry experts, Apple is expected to retire its 13-inch MacBook Pro and launch its first line of touchscreen MacBook Pro and Air models soon.
MacBook is a well-established brand for Apple. As a result, new and improved MacBook laptops could prove to be top choices for consumers who expect nothing but the best from Apple, which may hurt Toshiba's chances of boosting laptop sales.
The bottom line
Taking a wait-and-see approach with Toshiba may be the best bet for investors, at least for now. The 4K Satellite P50t may eventually challenge the MacBook Air and Pro laptops, but more information about the laptop's price must be released before realistic sales projections can be formulated.
If the 4K Satellite P50t is cheaper than the MacBook laptops, Toshiba could improve its chances of challenging Apple. A steep price, however, combined with updated MacBook Air and Pro laptops on the way, could limit Toshiba's growth in the laptop market.
