This is a value-priced power notebook that's well geared towards multimedia use.

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

The Toshiba Satellite A100 is a solid notebook for the casual home user. It doesn't top the charts with its performance, but it offers just a little more than the core components.

If you don’t mind your laptop attracting more attention than you, the HP DV5-1010TX_01 is a fast but heavy unit that comes with a built-in TV tuner and Blu-ray player for a reasonable price.

A worthy alternative to Toshiba's flagship G40, the Qosmio F40 is a well built and useful entertainment machine.

For the modern user on the move the Fujitsu LifeBook S6520 offers surprisingly good processing power and a brilliant battery life in a lightweight package that is easy to use. The only downside is the high price, for which we’d normally expect a better variety of expansion options.

Toshiba’s Qosmio F50 is ideal for multimedia, but it is also well suited as an all-purpose notebook. If you can live with the glossy display, there is plenty to like about this unit and it has performance to match its looks.

The ASUS M51VA-AS045G is mid-range laptop with a fantastic array of connections and strong processing performance. Unfortunately the screen’s default dimness may prove annoying for novice users and the lack of Gigabit Ethernet at this price point is disappointing.

The Toshiba Satellite A200 is a solid workhorse of a machine with plenty of processing power under its hood. Without question, it's the best A200 we have tested to date.

The MSI MegaBook EX600 is a solid, but far from outstanding unit. It will handle most basic tasks with ease, but will struggle with more demanding applications.

It may not be a powerful performer but it does the basics.