A sleek and light laptop that's undergone a nip and tuck
The Kira 107 is an updated version of Toshiba’s excellent Kira 101 ultra-portable laptop (also known as the Kirabook). The 107 retains the same slender, sturdy and stylish metallic casing as its predecessor, but inside you’ll find one of Intel’s latest processors.
The dual-core Core i7 5500U runs at 2.4GHz and is paired with 8GB of memory, so it's certainly quick enough to be your main computer. That said, it’s only slightly faster than the previous-generation Core i7 processor in the Kira 101. More frustrating is the irritatingly loud processor cooling fan. Fiddling with Windows’ power options helped alleviate this somewhat, but it’s still a pain.
Disappointingly, and despite the new energy-efficient processor, battery life is only on a par with the previous model. It’s still a decent 13 and a half hours, but other laptops can achieve even more. Nevertheless, this is still more than good enough for working on the go and the Kira’s weight (1.3kg) makes it easy to carry.
The colour accuracy and contrast of the 13in screen are excellent, although the colours can fall victim to the screen’s narrow viewing angles and slight grainy sheen. Just like the Kira 101, the display has a sky-high resolution of 2560x1440 pixels (which is one of the main reasons the price is sky high too). This results in sharp text and exceptionally detailed images. There are a few Windows programs that still don’t work properly on compact, high-resolution screens like this (displaying tiny, illegible text), but most popular software is now compatible.
The screen is touch-sensitive, but using it for extended periods of time is a recipe for arm ache. It’s far more comfortable to use the keyboard and touchpad instead. While the touchpad is still not quite on a par with the very best, it’s far more responsive and accurate than that on the Kira 101. We could touch-type on the keyboard quickly and without making errors, but it could still be better. The keys lack a little travel and therefore feel quite shallow, but we got used to them after some practice.
The Kira 107 is a good laptop with a lot going for it, but it adds up to a pretty modest upgrade on its predecessor. It’s still one of the best ultra-portable Windows laptops available, despite its irritating flaws, but we expect it to be overtaken soon by laptops made by Toshiba’s rivals that will also come equipped with Intel’s latest processors.
VERDICT
A good laptop, but barely changed from its predecessor.
SPECIFICATIONS
2.4GHz Intel Core i7 3500U dual-core processor • 8GB memory • 256GB SSD • Intel HD 5500 integrated graphics chip • 13.3in 2560x1440-pixel screen • 802.11ac/a/b/g/n • Windows 8.1 • 1.3kg (1.6kg with charger) • 20x316x207mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty