Best Value Portable Computers (Laptops, Net Books, and MacBooks) for Students – A Comparative Review

On a requirement basis the market for personal computers can be broadly categorized as:

1. Business Machines– this market is corned overwhelmingly by Windows machines. Until recently, majority of these were desktop or tower computers but the current trend is toward laptops, as its premium have reduced significantly.
2. Home Machines – Windows rules this roost for the bulk of home machines run Microsoft software with notebooks and/or netbooks replacing older desktops.
3. Student Machines – The jury is still out on this category as a growing number of students are reaching for Apple MacBook (Laptops) and/or iMacs (Integrated Desktop – Monitor is the computer) as their computer of choice.

For a student seeking a personal computer, lack of portability limits the desktops or iMacs leaving the laptops as the better choice. For folks looking for good quality and low prices a previously owned computer can help you save money. Our best value review of laptops and net books last year has been periodically updated as new models appeared. As this review is focused on students, Apple MacBooks are included.

For best value comparative spreadsheet listed below, a best value Windows 7 Net Book, a best value Windows 7 Laptop, and a couple of Apple’s offerings were chosen. Below is our spreadsheet:

Feature/Product	ASUS Eee PC 1005PE-PU17	Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037	MacBook MC516LL	MacBook Air MC233LL
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Price	$371.99	$599.99	$949.98	$1429.99
Processor	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz N450 Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	2.13 GHz Intel® Core™ i3 330M (2.13GHz, 3MB Smart Cache, Graphics Max Frequency - 667 MHz)	2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed. 1066MHx FSB	1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed. 1066MHx FSB
Memory	1GB DDR2 RAM, 1 x SODIMM Slot, 2GB Max.	4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM	2GB (two 1GB SO-DIMMs)	2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM onboard.
Hard Disk (HD)	250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)	500 GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA	250GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive; optional 320GB or 500GB 5400-rpm drive	120GB 4200-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive or 128GB solid-state drive
Drives	None	8x DVD Super Multi Drive with Label Flash	8x slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)	None
Ports and Slots	1 x VGA Port (D-sub 15-pin for external monitor), 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x Audio Jack (Head Phone / Mic-in), Card Reader: MMC/ SD(SDHC)	(3) USB 2.0 compliant 4-pin ports, 15-pin VGA video connector, Network connector (RJ45), AC adapter connector, Headphone jack, 4-pin IEEE 1394 port	MagSafe power port, Gigabit Ethernet port, Mini DisplayPort, Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps), Audio in/out, Kensington lock slot	MagSafe power port, USB Ethernet Adapter, One USB 2.0 port, Analog audio and headphone out.
Other Feature Summary	10.1" WSVGA 1024x600 LCD Display, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. Windows 7 Starter Operating System (32 Bit), 14 Hours of Battery Life, 500GB ASUS web storage. Weight – 2.80 lbs. Size - 10.31x 7.01 x 1.02-1.44 inches	15.6” 720p native HD, 1366x768, 16:9; wireless - 802.11b/g/n; Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator (1696MB max shared memory allocation); 4-hour 6-cell 4400 maH Lithium Ion Primary Battery. 1.3 MB Web Cam; Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Weight – 6 lbs. Size – 15.1x1.55x10.2 inches	13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen; AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM; 7-hour 60-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery; Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard and iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD); Weight – 4.7 lbs. Built-in Bluetooth, Size – 1.08x13x9.12 inches	13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen; AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM; 5-hour 40-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery; built-in bluetooth, camera, display port, Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard and iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD); Weight – 3.0 lbs. Size 0.16-0.76x12.8x8.94 inches

The primary differences between Windows and Mac’s can be summarized as:

Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard runs only on proprietary Apple hardware. Apple controls the whole ecosystem unlike Windows where one can purchase or build the machine using components and software from Microsoft or other third-party software vendors.

Virus Protection: One of Apple’s marketing claims is that Macs are 100% free of PC viruses. While true, this claim does muddy the water. Viruses designed for PCs cannot run on the Mac OS X just as any application designed for Windows won’t work on other operating systems. The more pertinent messages the marketing claim fails to mention are:

• The operating system is based on UNIX designed with security in mind from the ground up, and
• Due to the outsized market share that Windows enjoy; there are more people writing viruses for Windows than for Macs.

OS Features: Having gone through numerous iterations the operating systems are very solid and functional for both Windows and Macs and the feature set is very comparable. Minimalist setup and slick interface however places the Leopard’s Time Machine as a clear winner over Microsoft Backup.

Software Options: Many but not all of the popular Windows products are available for the Mac and conversely Apple has a number of exclusive software packages that work better than third party products. One dilemma facing students is in choosing between Apple’s productivity suite called iWork and Microsoft Office for the Mac. Although iWork is significantly cheaper and runs better, because of the monopoly enjoyed by Microsoft Office, iWork users will eventually have to deal with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc) documents. While it is true that iWork supports these document types, it is not even remotely as convenient as working with those documents in Microsoft Office.

Peripherals: Although the basic hardware that Apple ships is proprietary, most of the generic Windows peripherals (USB devices such as Mouse, Keyboard, Printers, Hard Drives, etc and other devices such as LCD Monitor, and SD Cards) will work with the MacBook as Apple’s base machine is preinstalled with hundreds of drivers for peripherals. Even so, Apple branded peripherals is popular and regarded to function better by many users. Be cognizant of not only just the higher costs but also of the fact of buying into a proprietary solution. Examples include

• AirPort Express - a Wireless router (similar as Linksys) plus wireless printing plus wireless music streaming,
• AirPort Extreme - a Wireless router plus wireless printing plus share a hard drive plus more connections,
• Time Capsule – An automatic Wireless Backup solution, and
• Magic Mouse – A wireless multi-touch mouse with gestures based functionality first introduced in iTouch & iPhone.

Summary:

It is indeed gratifying that a student on a tight budget can put together a fully functional setup for around $350 – the ASUS Eee PC with Windows 7 pre-installed along with Open Source Software is sufficient for most student needs. The Toshiba L505 Laptop along with Microsoft Office and/or other software will increase that cost by several hundred dollars but with that is the convenience of a more powerful machine and ease of use. The MacBooks are even easier to use and comes with an intangible cool factor. The minimum cost pushes the $1K mark and begging the question whether the extra cost is justified for the circumstance. We recently went with the Toshiba Satellite L505-GS50 - familiarity with Windows, the fact that it comes preinstalled with the latest Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and the pricing made it our choice. So far, we are really happy with our purchase. Caveats include:

1. Speakers - we usually have the machine connected to an external monitor and with that setup, the voice from the speakers is really low even when setting at the highest volume,
2. Preinstalled software - Office and some other software trial versions are included but it is best to get rid of them if you do not plan to spent money to upgrade to the latest versions, and
3. Windows 7 Media - Install DVD is not shipped with the product. The only motivation we can think of is a little cost savings for the manufacturer. Both the product ID and the license string are not easily accessible. We ended up using a shareware program to retrieve this information from the system for future use. For the install DVD, we downloaded it from one of the public shares. Overall, this is a hassle that they should address!
4. Compared to our experience with Dell Vostro Laptops, the battery of this Toshiba was well below par - had to replace it in about 18 months and the new ones are expensive.

Related Posts:

1. Best Values in Netbooks & Notebooks - A Comparative Review.
2. Best Value Portable Computers for Students (Laptops, Netbooks, and MacBooks) - A Comparative Review (this post).
3. Tablet PCs - A Comparative Review.

Last Updated: 01/2012.

Solid State Netbook Computers – Best Values & Review

This is a follow-up update on the review performed late last year on the best laptops and netbooks. Solid state netbook computers were not part of that evaluation as at that time they were priced slightly higher. Currently, their price range match well with their hard-disk equivalents.

Having less movable parts makes solid state netbooks travel-friendly over standard netbooks employing a hard-drive. They also score higher in portability in home environments where a laptop can be found perched just about anywhere and is a draw for students too.

Acer and Asus are the primary manufacturers of Netbook computers with solid state storage option. HP has an offering in this category. Below is a comparison of the flagship solid state products from these manufacturers.

Best Value Solid State Netbooks:

Feature/Product	Acer Aspire One AOA110-1995	Asus Eee PC 901	HP Mini 1115NR	Dell Vostro A90
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Best Price	$296.99 (white only)	$279.99 (pearl white only)	$299.99	$379
Processor	Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz
Memory	1 GB DDR2 SDRAM , 2 GB Max	1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 2 GB Max.	1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 2 GB Max.	1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 2 GB Max.
Solid State Storage in place of a hard drive	8 GB NAND Drive, 8 GB SD card included for use in dedicated memory card slot (SD & MMC).	12 GB SD memory in dedicated memory card slot (SD & MMC)	16 GB solid-state flash memory (NAND) storage	16 GB solid-state flash memory (NAND) storage
Additional Storage Option(s)	Multi-format expansion slot - Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card.	20 GB Asus online storage.	Memory Card Slot (SD & MMC)	Memory Card Slot (SD & MMC)
Battery	3-cell – rated for up to 2.5 hours	6-cell – rated for up to 6 hours	3-cell – rated for up to 2.5 hours	4-cell – rated for up to 5 hours
Weight	2.5 pounds	2.43 pounds	2.23 pounds	2.36 pounds
Dimension	9.8 (W) x 6.7 (D) x 1.14 (H)	8.86 (W) x 6.90 (D) x 0.89 - 1.54 (H)	10.3 (W) x 6.56 (D) x 0.99 (H)	9.13 (W) x 6.77 (D) x 1.15 (H)
Other Feature Summary	3 USB 2.0 ports; 1 VGA, 1 Microphone, 1 headphone, AC Adapter.	3 USB 2.0 ports; 1 VGA, 1 Microphone, 1 headphone, AC Adapter.	2 USB 2.0 ports; 1 Microphone, 1 headphone, AC Adapter.	3 USB 2.0 ports; 1 Microphone, 1 headphone, AC Adapter, optional bluetooth, security cable.

The common features applicable to all of the models described are:

• Windows XP Home pre-installed
• WI-FI Wireless Card.
• Graphics Media Accelerator Chipset.
• Wireless 802.11b/g card.
• 10Base-T/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
• Webcam.
• 8.9” Display.
• 1-year warranty.

The table below compares the Intel Atom 270 processor used in all the three solid state Netbooks in this review with the Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Mobile Processor T3200 which is a popular processor used in many laptops:

Processor	Type	L1 Cache	L2 Cache	Clock Speed	System Bus	Others
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Mobile Processor T3200	Dual Core	64 KB	1MB	1.6 GHz	533 MHz	Dual Core true parallel processing enabled. Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology and Intel Speedstep Power Management Technology Built In.
Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Single Core	32KB instruction & 24KB data cache.	512 KB L2 Cache	1.6 GHz	533 MHz	Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep Technology, Low Thermal Design Power, Power Optimized Front Side Bus.

Summary:

These Solid State Netbooks are priced on the average around $200 lower than the best value priced Laptops/Notebooks. The processors in these devices are less powerful with limited upgrade possibilities. Pricing, size, and weight all being lower makes Solid State Netbooks a good choice for students, frugal families, folks with an external LCD monitor/keyboard/mouse environment in place, and frequent travelers willing to forgo a little performance. The intended mobility of the machine should be assessed ahead of a purchase as these companies also offer a hard drive version of these products with larger storage but can be flimsier in the event of a hard fall. They are priced almost similar for the comparable features as discussed in our review.

Asus Eee PC 1000 as a higher end option. The major differences compared to the Asus Eee PC 901 are the following:

1. Linux preinstalled in place of Windows XP home edition,
2. More Storage – 40 GB solid state in place of 12 GB.
3. 10.2” LCD screen in place of 8.9” LCD screen.
4. 6-cell battery rated for 8 hours in place of 6-cell battery rated for up to 6 hours

The above features make it a strong offering at roughly $100 premium over Asus Eee PC 901.

CTL IL1 7-inch Laptop is an alternative in the lower price range (~$200). The unproven Via C7-M 1 GHz Processor, relatively unknown manufacturer, and the 7” screen makes it a hard choice to recommend.


Overall, our pick for the best value among solid state netbooks is the Asus Eee PC 901. The new HP Mini 1115NR is a competitive model but their Flash drives are known to fail quickly. The Acer Aspire One is not as feature-rich as the ASUS. The Dell Vostro A90 is new and as such is unproven. Also, the price compared to the feature-set make it a notch below the competition in terms of overall value. Intel’s Atom chip performs well with Windows XP, which comes preinstalled. With the ASUS, there is also an option to purchase the Linux version of the product for the same price. The approximate $300 pricing is an outstanding value for the full-fledged features it offers. This choice is well suited especially for those that are already setup with an external LCD monitor/keyboard/mouse. As a laptop alternative, there is a matter of getting used to the smaller screen-size and keyboard. Compared to the performance of laptops/notebooks, the processing power and RAM limitations are the major differences, but on Windows XP, with an upgrade to a 2 GB RAM, the setup would amply suffice for most users.

Last Updated: 6/2009.

Best Values in Netbooks & Notebooks - A Feature/Price Comparison/Review

This is a follow-up update on our review of the best laptops that was done a while back. Criteria for brand selection were the most popular online retailers and those that offered the most variety. One main distinction in the value lines of manufacturers is Notebooks vs Netbooks:

1. Netbooks – Smaller Screen (8.9” to 10”), Specializes in mobility and web – light-weight (less than 3 lbs), with wireless capability, but runs on a less powerful mobile processor, and has limited upgrade options, etc.
2. Notebooks – Screen size above 13” with widescreen, weighs upwards of 6 lbs, uses powerful mobile processor, and has several upgrade options.

We categorized our comparison into two spreadsheets based on the above criteria. Further, to contain the complexity, only one model was chosen from the top manufacturers going by web popularity. The top-branded machines dominate the line while "on the rise" manufacturers have grabbed a niche in the Netbooks line.

Best Value Netbooks:

Feature/Product	ASUS Eee PC 1005PE-PU27	Acer A0532H-2588	Toshiba Mini NB305-N410BL	HP Mini 210-1030NR
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Best Price	$365.99	$275	$346	$279.99
Store	Amazon.com	Amazon.com	Amazon.com	Amazon.com
Processor	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz
Memory	1 GB DDR2 SODIMM memory, 2 GB Max.	1 GB DDR2 Memory	1GB DDR2, 2 GB Max.	1GB DDR2 SDRAM, 2 GB Max.
Hard Disk (HD)	250 GB (5400RPM), 0.5TB web storage.	160 GB (5400RPM)	250 GB (5400RPM)	160 GB (5400RPM)
Other Feature Summary	10.1” display; Windows 7 Starter Edition -Preloaded; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n @ 2.4GHz; Webcam; 6-cell High Density Li-Ion Battery pack up to 14-hours battery life. 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x VGA port, 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x Audio input/output ports, 1 x RJ-45 port, Headphone, Mic-In, and chiclet keyboard. MMC/SD/SDHC flash card slot. Weight – 2.8 lbs. Size - 10.3"x7"x1.4".	10.1” display; Windows 7 Starter Edition -Preloaded; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g; Webcam; 6-cell 8 hours rated battery pack. Weight – 2.76 lbs. Size - 7.3"x10.2"x1".	10.1” display; Windows 7 Starter Edition – Preloaded; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g; 6 cell 11-hour battery pack; Webcam; Weight – 2.6 lbs. Size - 10.47"x7.57"x1.43".	10” display; Windows 7 Starter Edition – Preloaded; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g; 6 cell 9.75-hour battery pack; Webcam; Weight – 2.99 lbs. Size - 10.55"x6.9"x0.9"/1.11".

Best Value Notebooks:

Feature/Product	HP Pavilion DV4-2161NR	ASUS UL30A-X5K	Dell Vostro 1014 Productivity Pack with 3GB memory upgrade	Toshiba L505-GS5037
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Best Price	$619.99	$599.99	$608	$629.99
Processor	Intel® Core i3-330M Processor T3200 (2.13 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)	Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SU7300 (1.3 GHz)	Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6570 (2.1GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)	Intel Core i3-330M Processor (2.13 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)
Memory	4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm); max-8GB	4GB DDR3 RAM, 2 DIMM, max-4GB	3GB Single Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz, 2 DIMM	4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM Memory
Hard Disk (HD)	500 GB (7200RPM)	500 GB (5400RPM)	320 GB (5400RPM)	500GB (5400RPM)
Other Feature Summary	14.1” WXGA Widescreen Display; Intel HD Graphics (up to 1696MB); 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery rated up to 3.5 hours. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit preloaded.	13.3" HD LED display; Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD; 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery up to 12 hours battery life. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition operating system (64-bit) preinstalled.	14.0” widescreen HD Display w/Anti-glare; Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD; 6-cell Lithium Ion; Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (32-bit)	15.6” CCFL Widescreen Display; 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery; Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (64-bit)

The common features applicable to all of the models described are:

• Windows 7 (Netbooks - Starter Edition, Laptops - Home Premium) with pre-installed software (mostly very basic, starter and/or evaluation copies)
• WI-FI Wireless Card.
• Graphics Media Accelerator Chipset.
• Lithium Ion 3, 4, 6 or 9-cell battery.
• Wireless 802.11b/g card.
• 10Base-T/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
• Two or more USB 2.0 ports.
• One or more Audio/Video Jacks.
• Media Card Reader.
• 1-year warranty.

The table below summarizes the core differences in the CPUs:

Machine	Processor	L1 Cache	L2 Cache	Clock Speed	System Bus	Others
HP Pavilion DV4-2161NR & Toshiba L505-GS5037	Intel® Core i3 330M Processor	3MB Intel Smart Cache	NA	2.13 GHz	800/1066 MHz	Hyper-Threading, Virtualization, Speedstep, Thermal Monitor, Fast/Flex Memory Access, Execute Disable Bit.
Asus UL30A-X5K	Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SU7300	3MB Intel Smart Cache	NA	1.3 GHz	800 MHz	Virtualization, Speedstep, Thermal Monitor, Execute Disable Bit.
Dell Vostro 1014	Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T6570	64 KB	2 MB	2.1 GHz	800 MHz	Virtualization, Speedstep, Execute Disable Bit.
Netbooks	Intel Atom 1.66 GHz N450 Processor	32KB instruction & 24KB data cache.	512 KB L2 Cache	1.66 GHz	533 MHz	Hyper-Threading, Speedstep, Thermal Monitor, Execute Disable Bit.

• Hyper-Threading: Thread-level parallelism takes advantage of multi-threaded software.
  
• Virtualization: Hardware assist for virtualization software.
• Speedstep: voltage & frequency adjustments based on load for power conservation without affecting performance.
• Execute Disable Bit: Hardware assist for virus deterrence.
  
• Flex Memory: Support different memory sizes to facilitate upgrades.
  

Summary:

The Netbooks are priced on the average about $200 lower than the best value priced Notebooks. The processor used is not as powerful and upgrade possibilities are limited. The lower pricing, smaller size, and weight makes Netbooks a very good choice for students, frugal families, people who already have an external LCD monitor/keyboard/mouse setup, and frequent travelers who are willing to forgo a little performance.

Overall, our pick for the best value among netbooks is the ASUS Eee PC 1005PE-PU27 at $365. Intel’s Atom chip performs well with Windows 7, which comes preinstalled. The approximate $365 pricing, while higher compared to some of the competitive models, is an outstanding value for the full-fledged features (chiclet keyboard, LED backlit display, 0.5TB external storage) & extended battery life it offers. Compared to the performance of notebooks, the processing power and RAM limitations are the major differences, but on Windows 7, with an upgrade to a 2 GB RAM, the setup would amply suffice for most users.

The major manufacturers have very competitive offerings huddled together in the $550-$650 price range. The Toshiba L505-GS5037 & HP Pavilion DV4-2161NR offerings have the latest Intel Core i3-330M chip. The Dell Vostro 1014 uses the older Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 chip and cut a few other corners (Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit instead of 64-bit, smaller hard-drive, etc.) but still failed to keep the price substantially lower compared to the competition. Hence, we cannot recommend it unless you can get it in the $550 price range. The ASUS used a slightly less powerful chip and succeeded in keeping the price below $600. Further, the extended battery life makes it a good choice. Among the major manufacturers, our choice is the Toshiba L505-GS5037 - as we blogged previously, we are not big fans of HP laptops.

Related Posts:

1. Best Values in Netbooks & Notebooks - A Comparative Review (this post).
2. Best Value Portable Computers for Students (Laptops, Netbooks, and MacBooks) - A Comparative Review.
3. Tablet PCs - A Comparative Review.

Last Updated: 03/11.

Gateway MT6728, Toshiba A215-S5818, Sony VAIO VGN-NR220E/S, Dell Vostro 1400, Compaq Presario C581WM, C700T Laptops Comparison/Review

We did a similar review about a month back but some of those machines are no longer available and so we decided to revisit the post. A few key criteria should be evaluated when shopping for a laptop. Below is a summary of the five branded machines we selected for the comparison:

Product	Best Price	Store	Processor	Memory	Hard Disk (HD)	Other Feature Summary
Compaq Presario C700T	$299.99	OfficeDepot.com	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2330; 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.6GHz processor speed	1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory for multitasking power;	80GB	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Basic
Gateway MT6728	$499.99	BestBuy.com	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2330; 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.6GHz processor speed	2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory for multitasking power;	160GB	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; Label flash support; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.
Compaq Presario C581	$548	Walmart.com	Intel Celeron Processor 530; 533MHz FSB bus speed;1MB L2 Cache	1024MB DDR2 System Memory	120GB (5400RPM) SATA hard drive	15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (shared) – 224MB total available shared graphics memory; Super Multi 8X DVD R/RW drive; S-video out.
Dell Vostro 1400	$579.99	Dell.com	Intel® Core2 Duo T5270 1.4GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache	2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 DIMM	160GB	14.1” widescreen; Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100; 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery. S-Video Out.
Sony VAIO VGN-NR220E/S	$699.99	BestBuy.com	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2330; 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.6GHz processor speed	1GB PC2-4200 DDR2 memory for multitasking power, expandable to 2GB	160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.
Toshiba A215-S5818 Onyx Blue	$599.99	BestBuy.com	AMD Turion™ 64 X2 mobile technology TL-60; HyperTransport™ and AMD PowerNow!™ technologies and improved security with Enhanced Virus Protection	2GB DDR2 SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 4GB	160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; ATI RADEON X1200 graphics with 128MB-319MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory; S-video out.

The common features applicable to all of the models described above are:

• Windows Vista or Windows XP Home OS.
• Graphics Media Accelerator Chipset.
• Lithium Ion 6 or 9-cell battery.
• Wireless 802.11b/g card.
• 10Base-T/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
• High-Speed Modem.
• Two or more USB 2.0 ports.

The vital part of any computer is its Central Processing Unit (CPU) and should be considered in detail to effectively compare them. The Intel® Celeron processor is a basic low-end mobile chip and this is employed by Compaq. Pentium® Dual-Core is a higher-end chip that has hardware support for multi-threaded applications and is the one that Gateway and the Sony are shipped with. The AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-58 is the primary competition for Intel’s high-end mobile chips processor that Toshiba is based on. The Dell is fired by the Intel® Core 2 Duo chip, which is one of its high-end processors. The following CPU features affect system performance -

• L1 Cache - faster than system memory and the L2 Cache usually located inside the CPU chip.
• L2 Cache – faster than system memory usually separate from the CPU chip.
• Clock Speed – Faster clock speed executes instructions more quickly. Benefits most applications - Media titles, games, and everyday productivity.
• System Bus – Key component for overall system performance. Improvements in Performance and Responsiveness. Transfers data faster between processor, system memory, and graphics.
• Hyper-threading technology – two software threads at the same time. Uses previously unused resources. Benefits multi-threaded applications and other applications such as virus protection that usually runs parallel with user applications.
• Dual-Core – True parallel processing. Two threads to be processed using single execution core (single-core) – partially parallel. Dual core has two execution cores thereby enabling true parallel processing.
• Virus Deterrent Technology – Added security for PCs. Avoids the classic buffer overflow viruses. Classify areas in memory by where application code can execute and where it cannot. When a malicious worm attempts to insert code in the buffer, the processor disables code execution, preventing damage and worm propagation.
• Power Management – Allows using less power when computing doesn’t need to use power for all resources.

The table below summarizes the core differences in the CPUs used by these laptops:

Machine	Processor	L1 Cache	L2 Cache	Clock Speed	System Bus	Others
Compaq Presario C700T, Gateway MT6728 and Sony VAIO VGN-NR220E/S	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2330	128 KB	1MB	1.6 GHz	533 MHz	Dual Core true parallel processing enabled. Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology and Intel Speedstep Power Management Technology Built In.
Toshiba A215-S5818	AMD Turion™ 64 X2 mobile technology TL-60	256 KB*	1MB*	2.0 GHz	1600MHz*	AMD PowerNow Power Management Technology and AMD Enhanced Virus Protection capabilities.
Dell Vostro 1400	Intel® Core2 Duo T5270	128 KB	2 MB	1.4 GHz	800 MHz	Dual Core true parallel processing enabled. Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology and Intel Speedstep Power Management Technology Built In.
Compaq Presario C581	Intel Celeron Processor 530	128 KB	1 MB	1.73 GHz	533 MHz	Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology.

• The AMD processor uses dedicated L1 and L2 caches per core along with a full-duplex system bus. The Intel processors on the other hand use shared L1 and L2 caches along with a half-duplex front side bus.

Recommendation:

Compaq Presario C700T deal at Office Depot is an outstanding deal for a basic entry level laptop. Gateway MT6728 & Dell Vostro 1400 have better features but are priced higher. Gateway has almost the same features as the Dell, but has a wider screen, lower price, but a slightly less powerful CPU. The Dell fares better against Compaq C581 with more memory and better CPU. It also fares better against the Sony with better CPU and lower price. The Toshiba A215-S5818, on the other hand provides an interesting comparison. It has the AMD chip and that compares very well with Intel’s latest offerings but is pricey.

One other factor to consider is that the Dell comes preinstalled with Windows XP while the others come with Windows Vista. Windows XP sp2 is older but more stable operating system compared to Vista. Also, all the models except the Dell come with a number of trial versions of software installed. Needless to say, most will end up uninstalled.

For a basic family laptop, our recommendation would be the Compaq Presario T2330. The pricing on it is hard to beat. For a more enhanced user experience, the Gateway MT6728 with double the memory, and HD space, and the Premium version of the Windows Vista Operating System is a good value.

Laptops/Notebooks Review (Gateway, Toshiba, Compaq, Sony, and Dell Comparison) - Around $500 budget

A few key criteria should be evaluated when shopping for a laptop. The list below is limited to branded laptops priced under $550 and provides a summary of hardware and software details:

Product	Price	Store	Processor	Memory	Hard Disk (HD)	Other Feature Summary
Gateway ML6720	$399.99	Best Buy	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2310; 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.46GHz processor speed	1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory for multitasking power; expandable up to 2GB	120GB	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; Label flash support; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.
Toshiba A215-S7422 Onyx Blue	$499.99	Best Buy	AMD Turion™ 64 X2 mobile technology TL-58; HyperTransport™ and AMD PowerNow!™ technologies and improved security with Enhanced Virus Protection	1GB DDR2 SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 4GB	160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; ATI RADEON X1200 graphics with 128MB-319MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory; S-video out.
Compaq Presario C581	$548	Walmart.com	Intel Celeron Processor 530; 533MHz FSB bus speed;1MB L2 Cache	1024MB DDR2 System Memory	120GB (5400RPM) SATA hard drive	15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (shared) – 224MB total available shared graphics memory; Super Multi 8X DVD R/RW drive; S-video out.
Sony VAIO VGN-NR120E/S	$549.99	Best Buy	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2310; 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.46GHz processor speed	1GB PC2-4200 DDR2 memory for multitasking power, expandable to 2GB	160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)	DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4" widescreen; Windows Vista Home Premium; Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.
Dell Vostro 1400	$549.99 (price valid when clicking through from marketing email from Dell small business)	Dell	Intel® Core2 Duo T5270 1.4GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache	2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 DIMM	120GB	14.1” widescreen; Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100; 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery. S-Video Out.

The common features applicable to all of the models described above are:

• Windows Vista or Windows XP Home OS.
• 15.4” widescreen display.
• Graphics Media Accelerator Chipset.
• Lithium Ion 6 or 9-cell battery.
• Wireless 802.11b/g card.
• 10Base-T/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector
• High-Speed Modem.
• Two or more USB 2.0 ports.

The vital part of any computer is its Central Processing Unit (CPU) and should be considered in detail to effectively compare them. The Intel® Celeron processor is a basic low-end mobile chip and this is employed by Compaq. Pentium® Dual-Core is a higher-end chip that has hardware support for multi-threaded applications and is the one that Gateway and the Sony are shipped with. The AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-58 is the primary competition for Intel’s high-end mobile chips processor that Toshiba is based on. The Dell is fired by the Intel® Core 2 Duo chip, which is one of its high-end processors. The following CPU features affect system performance -

• L1 Cache - faster than system memory and the L2 Cache usually located inside the CPU chip.
• L2 Cache – faster than system memory usually separate from the CPU chip.
• Clock Speed – Faster clock speed executes instructions more quickly. Benefits most applications - Media titles, games, and everyday productivity.
• System Bus – Key component for overall system performance. Improvements in Performance and Responsiveness. Transfers data faster between processor, system memory, and graphics.
• Hyper-threading technology – two software threads at the same time. Uses previously unused resources. Benefits multi-threaded applications and other applications such as virus protection that usually runs parallel with user applications.
• Dual-Core – True parallel processing. Two threads to be processed using single execution core (single-core) – partially parallel. Dual core has two execution cores thereby enabling true parallel processing.
• Virus Deterrent Technology – Added security for PCs. Avoids the classic buffer overflow viruses. Classify areas in memory by where application code can execute and where it cannot. When a malicious worm attempts to insert code in the buffer, the processor disables code execution, preventing damage and worm propagation.
• Power Management – Allows using less power when computing doesn’t need to use power for all resources.

The table below summarizes the core differences in the CPUs used by these laptops:

Machine	Processor	L1 Cache	L2 Cache	Clock Speed	System Bus	Others
Gateway ML6720 and Sony VAIO VGN-NR120E/S	Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core mobile processor T2310	128 KB	1MB	1.46 GHz	533 MHz	Dual Core true parallel processing enabled. Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology and Intel Speedstep Power Management Technology Built In.
Toshiba A215-S7422 Onyx Blue	AMD Turion™ 64 X2 mobile technology TL-58	256 KB*	1MB*	1.9 GHz	1600MHz*	AMD PowerNow Power Management Technology and AMD Enhanced Virus Protection capabilities.
Dell Vostro 1400	Intel® Core2 Duo T5270	128 KB	2 MB	1.4 GHz	800 MHz	Dual Core true parallel processing enabled. Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology and Intel Speedstep Power Management Technology Built In.
Compaq Presario C581	Intel Celeron Processor 530	128 KB	1 MB	1.73 GHz	533 MHz	Execute Disable Bit Virus Deterrent Technology.

• *The AMD processor uses dedicated L1 and L2 caches per core along with a full-duplex system bus. The Intel processors on the other hand use shared L1 and L2 caches along with a half-duplex front side bus.

Our Choice and Recommendation:

Our choice was the Dell Vostro 1400. It replaces an older Dell Cpi laptop with 256MB memory. The existing setup is with an external keyboard, mouse, and an LCD monitor and placed on a computer desk. The kids use the machine primarily to play their games such as Jumpstart KG, Curious George, KidPix, and games from pbskids.org. They also use it to browse the Internet and send emails. The Dell Cpi was perfect to execute these tasks. However, when we recently tried to hold a video conversation with it using Yahoo Instant Messenger the CPi was unable to handle it even at 100% CPU. That paved the way for the upgrade. The new Dell Vostro looks remarkably similar to the old Dell Cpi.

At the time we bought the new machine, the Gateway deal was not available at the Best Buy site. The pricing on the Gateway makes it a very attractive deal. The primary difference between the Gateway and the Dell are better CPU, 1GB extra memory, and better battery for the Dell. For our purposes, the Gateway would have worked just as well for about $150 less. Hopefully, our kids will appreciate the extra features that come with the Dell.

The Dell fares better against Compaq and the Sony – with more memory and better CPU for about the same price. The Toshiba, on the other hand provides an interesting comparison. It has the AMD chip and that compares very well with Intel’s latest offerings, more HD space, but less memory and can be had for $50 less than the Dell.

One other factor to consider is that the Dell comes preinstalled with Windows XP while the others come with Windows Vista. Windows XP sp2 is older but more stable operating system compared to Vista. Also, all the models except the Dell come with a number of trial versions of software installed. Needless to say, most will end up uninstalled.

For a family laptop, our recommendation would be the Gateway. The combination of the newer Intel chip, pricing, memory, and size of HD is hard to beat.