Electronics & Computers Deals here!
Michelle Thatcher,
Senior Associate Editor
March 27, 2007
If you've got $4,000 to spend on a laptop, you can get a Dell XPS M1710 with the latest high-end graphics card, a high-definition disc drive, and flashing case lights. But what if (like most laptop buyers) you've only got $1,000 to spend?
The good news is you've got choices. Manufacturers have heard the demands for a decent sub-$1,000 laptop, and they've responded in force. Gateway offers the $699 Gateway NX270S with a Celeron processor that provides decent performance for basic word processing and Web surfing. The Lenovo 3000 line dances around the $1,000 mark and includes the Core 2 Duo-based C200 and N100 models. HP brings its shiny, entertainment-oriented laptops to the masses with the base configurations of the Pavilion dv2000t and the dv6000t. And Toshiba's all business with the $999 Tecra A8.
None of these laptops is going to be a number-crunching, game-winning powerhouse. But if you're looking to buy a laptop for a student or just want a second machine for surfing the Web from the couch, any one of these low-cost portables will meet your needs.
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| Product name | ||
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| Price | Check Prices | Check Prices |
| CNET editors' rating |
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| Average user rating | ||
| Review date | January 03, 2007 | November 29, 2006 |
| The Bottom Line | The Lenovo 3000 C200 forgoes flashy extras and instead delivers solid Core 2 Duo performance at an impressively low price. | This Core 2 Duo version of the Lenovo 3000 N100 combines decent performance with the features and connections a small-business user will need, all at a competitive price. |
| Similar Products | Compare more products | Compare more products |
| Features | ||
| Networking | Network adapter - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11a - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11g - Fast Ethernet | Network adapter - Ethernet - Bluetooth - IEEE 802.11a - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11g - Fast Ethernet |
| Graphics Controller | Intel GMA 950 | Intel GMA 950 |
| Optical Storage | DVD-Writer - Integrated | DVD-Writer - Integrated |
| RAM | 1 GB (installed) / 4 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM - 667 MHz - PC2-5300 ( 2 x 512 MB ) | 1 GB (installed) / 2 GB (max) - DDR2 SDRAM - 667 MHz - PC2-5300 ( 2 x 512 MB ) |
| Cache Memory | 2 MB - L2 cache | 2 MB - L2 cache |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 / 1.66 GHz ( Dual-Core ) | Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 / 1.66 GHz ( Dual-Core ) |
| Hard Drive | 80 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm | 80 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm |
| Display | 15 in TFT active matrix 1024 x 768 ( XGA ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors) | 14.1 in TFT active matrix 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors) |
| Battery | Lithium ion | Lithium ion |
| CNET Labs: Battery drain test / Video playback | 161 | 146 |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 13.3 in x 10.9 in x 1.5 in | 13.3 in x 10.1 in x 1.5 in |
| Weight | 6.2 lbs | 5.5 lbs |
| OS Provided | Microsoft Windows XP Professional | Microsoft Windows XP Professional |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
| Buying choices | ||
