Acer's Aspire 4920G is a good all purpose notebook. It doesn't excel at any one thing, but for users wanting a little gaming, movie watching and general desktop PC activities, crammed into a stylish package, it is a strong contender.

If you can fork out the cash and don’t mind the design, then the Sony Vaio VGN-FW17GU is a well-performing unit that features a Blu-ray burner.

The Sony VAIO VGN-FE45G/W doesn't offer great battery life, but is very comfortable to use and has enough power under the hood to deal with everyday use and more.

It might not be fast, but it sure is affordable. At under $700, this 15.4in notebook is ideal for students, workers, anyone really, who wants a basic machine for perusing the Web and typing up documents, or even for viewing and storing digital photos.

A powerful notebook that will run everything from Office to the latest 3-D games. Aside from flexing of the screen bezel, this is a solid machine that has a lot to offer.

It looks good, has good processing power, and it's well-suited as a notebook for everyday tasks. However, it's not really a great unit for high-definition video endeavours, as it lacks a Full HD screen and a Blu-ray drive.

A powerful system for powerful tasks, the AR38G can handle most things you throw at it and has a High Definition Blu-Ray drive, ensuring it will be useful for years to come.

This notebook isn't powerful, but it has many useful features and good build quality for its price. It's easy to use and well-suited to anyone who wants a portable computer for everyday tasks.

A notebook that any multimedia buff would love.

This mid-sized widescreen has plenty of power and a sizable, speedy hard disk, and it's backed by a three-year warranty.

A decent, but not particularly inspiring machine, the Tecra A6 will suit those who need an affordable business notebook.

If you’re looking for a desktop replacement with processing power, plenty of storage, an excellent screen and great connectivity options then the Dell Studio 17 (1735) is a hard product to beat.