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CNET Reviews - Most Recent Laptops

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815
Unless you need a 17.1-inch display, there are better entry-level laptops than the Toshiba Satellite L355D-S7815.
2 MSI Wind U100-002LA (white, Windows XP)
The MSI Wind U100 makes a positive first impression with its polished design and roomy (for a Netbook) display and keyboard, but it's missing a handful of features--bigger battery, solid-state hard drive, and WWAN--that would turn it from a very good to a great on-the-go mini-laptop.
3 MSI Wind U100-035LA (black, Windows XP)
The MSI Wind U100 makes a positive first impression with its polished design and roomy (for a Netbook) display and keyboard, but it's missing a handful of features--bigger battery, solid-state hard drive, and WWAN--that would turn it from a very good to a great on-the-go mini-laptop.
4 Sony Vaio NR430E/L
The entry-level Sony Vaio NR430 strikes all the right notes--decent performance, pleasing design, great keyboard and display--to form an excellent 15-inch laptop for students (and home users in general) on tight budgets.
5 Toshiba Satellite A305D-S6848
The midsize Toshiba Satellite A305D-S6848 offers a high-end design and decent feature set, but you can get better performance for the same (or less) money.
6 Dell Inspiron 1525
The Dell Inspiron 1525-121B is the textbook example of a midsize, mainstream laptop. Switching to slower CPU knocks a little off the performance, but also takes $80 off the price and adds battery life, compared with Dell's more mainstream configurations.
7 HP Pavilion dv2915nr
The HP Pavilion dv2915nr is an attractive and affordable 14.1-inch laptop that will serve your needs through four years of study. The disappointing battery life gives us pause, however, on this otherwise well-rounded laptop.
8 Gateway T-6836
A standout among budget midsize laptops, the 14.1-inch Gateway T-6836 marries strong performance and battery life with a compact, well-designed case.
9 HP Pavilion dv6915nr
The well-designed HP Pavilion dv6915nr incorporates most of the features you'll need for school, but other 15.4-inch laptops offer better performance for the same price.
10 Dell Inspiron 1525
Adding some features missing from its 14-inch cousin, the Dell Inspiron 1525 is the textbook example of a midsize, mainstream laptop--a basic workhorse with few surprises. It may be a bit large for daily campus travel, but it should last you the full four years.
11 Dell Inspiron 1420
The basic 14-inch Inspiron 1420 is a reasonable choice for budget buyers who want something a little smaller than the standard 15-inch chassis, but this laptop has missed out on recent updates other Inspiron models have received.
12 Asus Eee PC 901 (white, Windows XP)
The long-awaited Asus Eee PC 901 is the best version of this inexpensive Netbook yet, but it's facing increased competition from the likes of HP, Dell, and MSI.
13 Dell Studio 15
Dell's first release from its new Studio line, the Studio 15, sits between the Inspiron and XPS lines and offers a good mix of features for the price, but we'd be tempted to save up a few extra dollars for a thinner, lighter XPS.
14 Asus M70SA-X2
You can find Blu-ray-equipped desktop replacements for less, but no other media laptop currently offers as many features for the price as the Asus M70.
15 Gateway T-6828
The 14.1-inch Gateway T-6828 offers the same performance and features as similar models from Dell and Toshiba, at a lower price. However, we recommend you try the T-6828's keyboard before making a buying decision.
16 Toshiba Satellite P305-S8825
Toshiba's new 17-inch Satellite P305 is a well-made, inexpensive desktop replacement, but much more powerful laptops are available for just a little more money.
17 Gateway M-1626
If you can look past the terrible battery life, the low-cost Gateway M-1626 is a decent midsize pick for a student laptop or for use as a secondary computer.
18 Averatec Voya 6494
As perhaps the most affordable ruggedized laptop, the Averatec Voya 6494 is a tempting choice, even if you don't work in the field under harsh conditions.
19 Acer Aspire 8920-6048
With Blu-ray and a true 1080p display, the 18-inch Acer Aspire 8920 is a movie fan's dream, but we'd go for the cheaper of Acers' two preconfigured models.
20 Acer Aspire 8920-6671
With Blu-ray and a true 1080p display, the 18-inch Acer Aspire 8920 is a movie fan's dream, but we'd go for the cheaper of Acers' two preconfigured models.
21 Gateway P-6860FX
The Gateway P-6860FX offers GeForce 8800 gaming muscle and plenty of memory in a midprice laptop, making it a great choice for gamers who fall just short of hard-core.
22 HP Pavilion dv9700t
The HP Pavilion dv9700t doesn't have enough graphics power to satisfy gaming enthusiasts, but it is a great choice for home users who don't want to spend a fortune on a Blu-ray equipped entertainment notebook.
23 Toshiba Satellite M305-S4826
Toshiba's new Satellites, including the 14-inch M305, offer a reasonable mix of performance and price, but are weighed down by excessive out-of-the-box advertising links.
24 Asus Eee PC 900 (white, Windows XP)
The 9-inch Asus Eee PC 900 adds a bigger screen and a larger capacity solid-state hard drive than its 7-inch precursor, but the new price has passed the point of an impulse purchase.
25 Toshiba Satellite A305D-S6835
Toshiba rolls out its new Satellite look to the basic 15-inch AMD-powered Satellite A305D, but others offer more for the same $999.