Top Budget Laptops
By Nick Mokey
December 4th, 2007
Let’s face it, not all laptops live the cushy lives you see depicted in commercials. Board rooms, airplanes and living room couches may be the domains of Mr. Corporate, but out in the real world, laptops don’t have it quite so easy. They get knocked around. They get spilled on. They get stolen. And all of these are reasons not to invest in the latest and greatest model – and instead go with a budget laptop.
You won’t see these machines plastered over billboards or featured in full-magazine ads like their flagship cousins, but they’ll get the same job done for a whole lot less. And, should something catastrophic happen, they’ll save you the emotional damage of seeing the best notebook money can buy reduced to nothing.
While you will inevitably have to make a number of performance sacrifices to buy on a budget, one component not to skimp on too much is the notebooks’ processor, which should definitely be dual core. Besides offering improved multi-tasking performance, a dual-core CPU will also run more efficiently than a single-core, extending battery life. Both Intel and AMD offer a broad range of dual-core mobile CPUs in wide use by manufacturers, so finding a machine with one shouldn’t be a problem.
When it comes to RAM, 1GB should be the minimum considered. Upgrading to 2GB would be a wise purchase if you plan on running Windows Vista, as would upgrading to a non-integrated graphics board, such as something from the AMD Radeon or Nvidia GeForce families.
If all these tips have your head spinning, here are a few ideal budget laptops that should fit the bill on both performance and price.
$480 USD Acer Aspire 4720-4825
Acer’s ultra-high-end Ferrari-branded laptops may garner the most publicity, but the company also has a respected line of more affordable Aspire notebooks. The Aspire 4720-4825 isn’t too flashy or fast, even for a budget notebook, but it has all the essentials: a 1.46GHz Intel Dual-Core processor, 1GB of memory, and a generous-sized 160GB hard drive. Better still, the 14.1-inch widescreen keeps weight to 5.4 pounds, which most folks should find quite portable. If fashion is no concern to you and gaming isn’t in your future, this Aspire is one of the most affordable conventional laptops out there. www.circuitcity.com
$599 USD Dell Vostro 1400
You might not look to a company’s small business line when you’re on a tight budget, but Dell’s Vostro 1400 is the rare business notebook that delivers well-rounded specs without breaking the bank. Compared to other budget notebooks, the Vostro stands out for its hardware, which includes a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a healthy 2MB cache, as well 2GB of memory, and most importantly, a 128MB Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics card. It’s not built to be a gaming machine by any means, but it should certainly be possible to sneak a few deathmatches in between working on spreadsheets. And with a compact 14.1-inch screen and weight of 5.4 pounds, it won’t be bound to your desk, either. www.dell.com
$769 USD Sony Vaio VGN-NR140
Buying cheap doesn’t necessarily have to mean settling for a slab of dull gray plastic, as Sony has proven with its budget NR series notebooks. Although it may not be to everyone’s liking, Sony used a unique fabric-like texture on this notebook, setting it apart from the pack of budget contenders. It also comes in an array of earthy colors including granite, silk and wenge. While a fashionable look and a respected nameplate distinguish the Vaio on the outside, a 1.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 160GB hard drive set it apart on the inside, although only 1GB of memory and an integrated Intel GMA X3100 graphics tarnish the specs just a bit. A weight of 6.2 pounds isn’t unusual for notebooks with 15.4-inch screens like this Vaio, but still might not be desirable for lugging around. www.newegg.com
$799 USD Gateway C-140S
If the idea of owning a convertible notebook-tablet PC appeals to you, whether for practicality or just cool factor, Gateway’s C-140S is one of the cheapest ways to get there. The 14-inch screen on this laptop not only swings up and down, it pivots left and right, allowing users to flip it completely over and use it as a tablet PC. There are sacrifices for the extra flexibility though, most notably the weight of over 6 pounds, which is nothing to brag about given the screen size. Other specs, such as the 1.46 GHz Intel Dual Core processor, and 1GB of RAM are roughly standard for this price range, with an 80GB hard drive falling on the small side. www.gateway.com
$770 USD HP tx1000z
Although the tx1000z would ordinarily fall into the higher-priced mobility category, HP’s limited-time 30 percent discount on laptops over $999 USD drives this mobility laptop down into budget territory. Compared to nearly any other laptop in this price range, the tx1000z scores major points on weight and size: it’s only 4.23 pounds and a miniscule 12 inches long, making its footprint just a little bigger than a standard sheet of paper. It’s also convertible, just like the Gateway, and HP includes a remote that pops out the ExpressCard slot to make the notebook a potential media machine (although with a 12.1-inch screen, you won’t be putting on much of a show). Inside, the tx1000z uses AMD’s 1.9GHz Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor, and even the base model gets an Nvidia GeForce GO 6150 graphics processor. Use coupon code NB3075 by Dec. 8 to snag this machine for far below what it usually costs. www.hp.com