Although the Toshiba Satellite Pro P300 (PSPCDA-00L00D) is a fast system with Toshiba's noteworthy Sleep and Charge USB ports and plenty of hard drive space, the unattractive design and lack of features when compared to similarly priced units mean that you're better off looking elsewhere.

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.

For the business user with demanding performance and connectivity requirements, this Fujitsu is ideal. It has plenty of modern and legacy ports and it was quite fast in our application tests. It could use some more niceties, such as an illuminated keyboard, but it's still a top-notch unit.

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.

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 Compaq 6730s (FV305PA) is the Dunlop of business notebooks. Like the famous shoe, it's plain, workmanlike and reliable, yet also incredibly dull. If you're on the lookout for a basic business laptop with some gaming capabilities, it will get the job done.

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 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.

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.

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 NEC Versa P9210-2500DR offers great performance and excellent connectivity at a reasonable price. If you can stand the large size, heavy weight and occasional typing difficulties, then this device should make you very happy.