The Toshiba Satellite M300 (PSMD4A-023008) is a good value, feature-packed device. If you’re looking for a well-connected notebook that has plenty of storage and will work well on the road, the M300 is worth considering.

With stacks of features and plenty of connectivity, the F8Va is the perfect choice for the home user who wants a mid-sized desktop replacement unit. Its battery life is poor, and we think its design could be better, but it's a solid unit overall.

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.

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.

This is a powerful mid-range all-purpose notebook that is well worth looking at, as long as you can stand carting around a 3kg laptop.

For users wanting a home entertainment centre or a powerful desktop replacement to work with, the dv9800 is a very strong contender.

This is a solidly built unit that's a joy to use and has plenty of grunt for most applications. It also has versatile networking options, including the ability to connect to 5GHz 802.11n routers.

A good notebook, backed up by a one-year, on-site, parts and labour warranty.

The Toshiba Satellite P200 is a solid workhorse of a machine with plenty of processing power under the hood. While it suits as an all-purpose desktop replacement model, hardcore gamers will be left hamstrung by its average GPU.

This unit's build quality is excellent and its size and weight (2.3kg without the power supply) make it an easy unit to carry to and from the office or the classroom. It's well worth considering if you want a shiny and well-performing mid-sized laptop.

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.

The clean-slate design and trialware-free desktop are immediate pleasures that are soon accompanied by solid performance and some surprising media centre-style capabilities.