HP G62t Despite being a member of HP’s budget-minded G60 family of laptops, the G62T slightly resembles the high-end Envy line in terms of appearance with a stylish matte finish. It has basically everything you could want for the money – you get an Intel Core i3 or i5 processor, DVD burner, 320GB 7200RPM hard drive, 3GB of DDR3 RAM and a 15.6-inch 1366x768 LED display. Some specs upgradeable, including the integrated Intel HD graphics which you can replace with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 discrete GPU. In addition to the aforementioned features, the G62t also has full-size keyboard, VGA and optional HDMI, Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, three USB 2.0 ports, an optional media card reader, a 6-cell battery that runs for about 4 hours, as well as the usual headphone and mic jacks. With a starting price of around $450, the HP G62t offers a surprisingly complete package. Additional views:
Toshiba Satellite T235 Toshiba’s Satellite T235 is currently one of the best value-priced laptops on the market with its lightweight and stylish chassis (available in 3 colors), long battery life, snappy performance, and comfortable touchpad/keyboard. This 13-inch laptop comes in AMD- and Intel-powered configurations, so you’ll have to choose between longer endurance with Intel’s CULV-based Pentium chips or better graphics through AMD’s Neo CPU + ATI GPU combination, though both offer enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks and multimedia needs. Other specs include 4 gigs of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, HD capable display with 1366x768 resolution, Wi-Fi 802.11n and Ethernet, built-in webcam, HDMI-out port, a 6-in-1 memory card reader, and an eSATA/USB combo port for a total of three USB connections with Toshiba’s Sleep-and-Charge technology, which allows you to charge your phone or MP3 player when the notebook is suspended. For its price, you could get a more powerful Core i3 system but if you care about portability this is a great alternative. Additional views:
Acer Aspire AS5742-7120 The Acer Aspire AS5742 closely follows the script for putting together a low-end mainstream laptop. It comes fitted with Intel’s latest Core i3 370M processor, integrated Intel graphics, 4GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive. It also features a 15.6-inch widescreen HD display with 1366x768 resolution and HDMI connectivity, making this Aspire a solid contender in the mainstream market and a perfect choice for daily computing. The laptop features a basic black plastic chassis with a crosshatch-textured design on the keyboard deck and lid, while the keyboard itself is roomy enough despite featuring a dedicated number pad to the right. Other features include a multi-gesture trackpad, built-in 1.3-megapixel HD webcam, and a DVD burner, while on the connectivity front you get, Wi-Fi 802.11n and gigabit Ethernet, 5-in-1 card reader, three USB 2.0 ports and VGA-out – plus the aforementioned HDMI. Additional views:
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14 Lenovo’s small-business notebook delivers power and style at an affordable price. Despite its entry-level status, it offers the same top-quality keyboard and screen we’ve come to expect from its siblings. Price range: $500 - $860 Asus K72DR-X1 Powered by a triple-core AMD processor and ATI Radeon graphics, the Asus K72DR delivers great value with a 17-inch display and 1600x900 resolution, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, and sleek design. Price range: $725
