More Resources
Home > Product Reviews > Laptops

Product Reviews:
Laptops




7.1 out of 10


8/29/2008

Fujitsu LifeBook A6210 (2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400)

Price: $1,349.00 - $1,349.00
Specs: Intel (2.26 GHz), 3 GB DDR II SDRAM

The Bottom Line
Though it's slightly bulky for a midsize laptop, the feature-packed Fujitsu LifeBook A6210 does double duty as both a computer and a portable Blu-ray player.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





0 out of 10


8/21/2008

Dell Inspiron 1721

Price: $649.00 - $649.00
Specs: AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core (1.6 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 7.7 lbs, 17.0 TFT active matrix, Vista Home Premium

The Bottom Line
The budget-friendly, desktop-replacement Dell Inspiron 1720 series offers a range of component upgrades and color choices for typical home users.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





6.6 out of 10


8/21/2008

Fujitsu LifeBook T1010

Price: $1,278.79 - $1,399.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM, Mobile Intel GM45 Express

The Bottom Line
With the LifeBook T1010, Fujitsu adds tablet functionality to an otherwise typical 13.3-inch laptop. It's a good choice for students and executives who prefer to take handwritten notes on the run.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





7.5 out of 10


8/13/2008

HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr

Price: $1,499.99 - $1,499.99

The Bottom Line
We recommend the eye-catching, media-friendly HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr desktop replacement for students who want a laptop that doubles as an entertainment center. Gateway, however, has a slightly cheaper 17-inch model that's better suited to gamers.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





8.6 out of 10


8/13/2008

Gateway P-7811FX

Price: $1,249.99 - $1,249.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 9.3 lbs, 17 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition

The Bottom Line
We don't know how Gateway makes money selling these things, but the combination of high-end components and low price makes the 17-inch Gateway P-7811FX the best mobile gaming deal going right now.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





7.8 out of 10


8/12/2008

Dell Latitude E6400

Price: $1,279.00 - $1,279.00
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 2.0 GB DDR2 SDRAM, Microsoft Windows Vista Business Edition

The Bottom Line
A total revamp of Dell's ubiquitous business laptop line, the Latitude E6400 offers Intel's latest Centrino 2 mobile platform and introduces a brushed-metal design that works at home or office, but the real highlight here is the long battery life.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





8.0 out of 10


8/3/2008

Dell Studio S1535-125B

Price: $979.99 - $979.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.1 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 6 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition

The Bottom Line
The Dell Studio S1535-125B impresses us with its leading performance in the sub-$1,000 category, thanks in large part to a speedy Intel CPU and generous memory allotment. Striking a fine balance between Dell's XPS and Inspiron lines, we recommend this well-rounded 15-inch laptop for students and home users alike.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





6.1 out of 10


8/2/2008

HP Pavilion dv5-1002nr

Price: $649.99 - $649.99
Specs: AMD Turion X2 mobile processor (2 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 5.7 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

The Bottom Line
The HP Pavilion dv5-1002nr's good looks, useful feature set, and current discount price may allow you to overlook its middling performance, but its dreadful battery life might be the deal breaker.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





6.2 out of 10


7/30/2008

Acer Aspire One (XP Home, White)

Price: $399.99 - $399.99
Specs: Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 2.2 lbs, 8.9 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

The Bottom Line
The Acer Aspire One is easily the best of the current under-$400 Netbooks, but its meager allotment of memory and tiny battery limit its appeal.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





6.2 out of 10


7/30/2008

Acer Aspire One (Linpus Linux Lite, White)

Price: $325.00 - $379.00
Specs: Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM, 2.2 lbs, 8.9 in TFT active matrix, Linux Linpus Lite

The Bottom Line
The Acer Aspire One is easily the best of the current under-$400 Netbooks, but its meager allotment of memory and tiny battery limit its appeal.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





5.6 out of 10


7/25/2008

HP Pavilion dv5-1004nr

Price: $799.99 - $799.99
Specs: AMD Turion X2 Ultra mobile technology (2.1 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 5.7 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition

The Bottom Line
At its current discounted price, we'd be willing to overlook the HP Pavilion dv5-1004nr's below-average performance if the battery life wasn't so bad.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





7.2 out of 10


7/21/2008

Toshiba Satellite A305-S6858

Price: $799.99 - $799.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 6 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

The Bottom Line
The Toshiba Satellite A305-S6858 is a very good mainstream machine, but we prefer one of its competitors.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





6.0 out of 10


7/21/2008

Toshiba Satellite L305-S5875

Price: $679.99 - $679.99
Specs: Intel Pentium Dual Core (1.86 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 5.7 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

The Bottom Line
There is nothing inherently wrong with the entry-level Toshiba Satellite L305, but both Dell and Sony have 15-inch budget laptops that offer more for less.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





5.5 out of 10


7/21/2008

Toshiba Satellite U405D-S2852

Price: $899.99 - $899.99
Specs: AMD Turion X2 mobile processor (2 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 4.4 lbs, 13.3 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate

The Bottom Line
Toshiba's thin-and-light Satellite U405 is a sleek and affordable alternative to the 13-inch MacBook, but this 13-inch laptop trails the pack in both performance and battery life.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





0 out of 10


7/16/2008

Dell Inspiron 1521

Price: $499.00 - $499.00
Specs: AMD Sempron, 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 15.4, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Edition

The Bottom Line
With a bevy of component options and color choices--plus a low starting price--the Dell Inspiron 1520 series looks poised to be a favorite among home users.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





5.9 out of 10


7/16/2008

HP Pavilion dv2945se

Price: $799.99 - $799.99
Specs: AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology (2 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 5.3 lbs, 14.1 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition

The Bottom Line
The 14-inch HP Pavilion dv2700t Special Edition looks like a much more expensive laptop, but you can also find a more powerful 14-inch laptop with better battery life for less money.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.





5.3 out of 10


7/15/2008

Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815

Price: $699.99 - $699.99
Specs: AMD Athlon 64 X2 (1.9 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 6.8 lbs, 17 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

The Bottom Line
Unless you need a 17.1-inch display, there are better entry-level laptops than the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815.

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.