If you don't need to run the latest games and you aren't after a notebook to be the heart of your home entertainment setup, then the Toshiba Satellite L300/L02 is a decent choice. It won't excite you with its specs, impress you with its size or wow you with its design, but it performs well enough at basic tasks and it's hard to go wrong at this price — especially once you take into account Toshiba's cash-back offer.

If its battery life was better, and if it had more ports, we'd give this notebook a higher rating. However, we do like its screen, and the power-off USB charging feature is very handy.

Despite its somewhat dull appearance, the Compaq Presario V3832TU (FE061PA) is bursting with verve and functionality. With the exception of hardcore gamers, it should satisfy all types of users.

A well-performing unit that succeeds in both style and substance, the HP dv6800 is a good device for most environments. Its relatively low battery life and lack of Gigabit Ethernet, and the fact that Blu-ray movies overscan at 1080p are the only negatives and these are minor points.

For getting online on the go, the integrated 3G capability of this laptop is ideal. It's also a comfortable unit to use, but it does lack some modern conveniences.

Although the Satellite A200 is a fairly good unit, its competitors often provide faster network connectivity at similar prices. For a healthy mix of cheap pricing, good size and plenty of hard drive space, the A200 is a solid choice.

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.

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

It's not perfect, but its portable size and relatively powerful specifications make this notebook stand out. It's well-suited to anyone who wants a compact device that doesn't sacrifice features.

This notebook is ideal for business users who want a big screen, good connectivity options and above all, a solidly built unit for the road. There's not much wrong with it at all.

Although the notebook itself is good, it doesn't offer as much as its competitors in terms of features or value.