ASUS 1215N
$399
This 12.1” netbook has been around for some time, but it remains competitive thanks to an impressive chassis that features a large edge-to-edge keyboard and enjoyable touchpad. The Intel D525 dual-core Atom processor runs at 1.8GHz and is more responsive than you’d think, but the real kicker is the inclusion of Nvidia Ion graphics. That gives this little netbook the chops to handle HD video and even some older 3D games.
HP g6t
$400
When we reviewed the HP g6, we gave it eight out of ten stars. Much of our praise was given to the laptop’s excellent build quality and comfortable keyboard. Despite an introductory price of just $399, this is an attractive and solid 15.6-inch laptop. Performance from the basic Intel dual-core processor isn’t outstanding, but it’s more than sufficient for many tasks, and Radeon discrete graphics can be added as an option while remaining under the $500 budget.
Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7220
$499
If you’re looking for a 17.3-inch laptop on a budget, your options are limited. The best choice is likely this Toshiba Satellite, which comes equipped with an AMD A-Series Fusion APU. It has two cores clocked at 1.9GHz and, like all Fusion APUs, built-in Radeon graphics. These specifications are rather similar to some 15.6-inch laptops, but because the display is larger, the resolution jumps to 1600 x 900. Obviously, due to its size, this laptop is not what you’d call portable, but it will perform admirably if confined to your home or a desk.
Asus A53E-XE1
$480
Ah, what a difference a few letters can make. Though the name is barely different from the A53U-X1, this 15.6-inch laptop is significantly more powerful, as it has a Core i3-2310M processor instead of an entry-level AMD Fusion APU. The styling is a bit different, as well, resulting in a slightly more up-scale appearance. These upgrades cause the price to jump to $499, but if you’re looking for laptop that’s capable of more than just basic web browsing and document editing, the extra money will be well spent.
Dell Vostro V131
$499
Like the HP ProBook 4530s, this is a business notebook that can also serve admirably as a budget consumer laptop thanks to a $499 price tag. Unlike the HP, however, this Dell has a 13.3-inch display and is light (about 3.5 pounds), making it easy to carry on trips. It even comes equipped with a large battery. The trade-off for this is processing power, as the Vostro V131 comes standard with a 1.1GHz Intel low-voltage processor and just 2GB of RAM. If you travel frequently, however, you’ll find this trade to be worthwhile.
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