First, pick a wireless laptop adapter (if you don't already have one):

Setting Up Wireless Laptop Computer's Connection - Step 1
First and foremost, you should determine if your laptop already comes with a wireless connection. Now there are a lot of complicated mumbo jumbo and technical stuffs to do this. However, for those who are not tech savvy, there's a simple way to get the job done. To start, go to an area that has FREE wireless internet access. It could be in a library, coffee shop, some spots in malls, and those are just to name a few. Once you get there, start up your computer. If your laptop already has a wireless connection, it will instantly and automatically connect to the wireless internet router found in the area. As with most laptops with Wi Fi, a notification will show up in the screen. If nothing shows up on the screen, try starting up your web browser - Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, whatever browser that you have. Another way to do it is to look up your laptops exact year and model number on the internet, have a look at the features, and see if it has Wireless Internet or Wi Fi.

If nothing happens, move on to step 2.

Setting Up Wireless Laptop Computer's Connection - Step 2
So you have confirmed that your laptop doesn't have any wireless connection? Next step, bring your laptop to the nearest electronics store. Much better, though, bring your laptop where you have bought it and purchase a wireless card. Here's a tip - before doing so, you should have the model number and the exact year that your laptop was manufactured ready. You need the help of a sales associate to make sure that you get the right PC and Express card for your laptop's wireless connection and they would need to reference the said details.

Setting Up Wireless Laptop Computer's Connection - Step 3
Now that you have the wireless card ready, you should follow the instructions as stated in the manual, install your wireless card, and restart your computer. Once you have done everything right, you should see an indicator at the lower right corner of your laptop's screen saying something along the lines of "Wireless Connection Detected". What happens next is that your laptop will instanty connect to the strongest wireless signal found in the area. There will be times that your laptop's wireless card would pick up a neighbor's signal unintentionally. Usually, though, this signal is weak. Bottom line - you want to get your own connection and not just leech off somebody's signal. To resolve that, get to the next step.

Setting Up Wireless Laptop Computer's Connection - Step 4
Everything's ready - your have bought the right wireless card, you have installed it properly, and you have confirmed that your laptop can now pick up wireless signals and connections. All that is left for you to do is grab your own connection and you can easily do so by calling your preferred cable or phone company to have them install a wireless router in your house. There are many company's that offer wireless connections at prices that are friendly to your budget or pocket. Fios and LinkSys immediately come to mind. Once you have a wireless router installed, you can get internet access no matter where you are in your home without having to deal with messy wires and cables!

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To help you narrow down your choices, as well as ensure that you are able to purchase the best laptop available, here are the top five laptops of 2010:

#1: Acer AS5742-7120 15.6-Inch Laptop

Acer AS5742-7120 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) List Price: $629.99 Sale Price: $530.00 You save: $99.99 (16%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 8 new from $530.00  1 used from $550.00

If you want the best budget laptop of 2010, look no farther than this Acer. Although its price is less than $600, this laptop is packed with features that make it a better laptop than many other higher priced models. Highlights of this laptop are its crystal-clear 15.6 inch HD screen, blazingly fast 2.40 GHz Intel Core i3 processor, high-definition webcam and Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium.

#2: MacBook Pro 13-inch 2.4GHz Laptop

Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Sale Price: $1,349.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 6 new from $1,349.95  47 used from $780.00

Whether you've been a MacHead for years, or you've decided to make the switch from Windows, if you want an Apple laptop, this is the one to buy. With this MacBook Pro, Apple successfully created a laptop that is very portable, but doesn't sacrifice computing power. Because the 13.3 inch screen has 1280-by-800 resolution, it gives you plenty of space to work and play on your screen. Thanks to its 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo dual-core processor, this laptop can easily run the iMovie and GarageBand applications it includes. And one of the biggest benefits of this laptop is that its battery can last for up to ten hours at a time.

#3: Toshiba Satellite L645D-S4036 LED TruBrite 14-Inch Laptop

Toshiba Satellite L645D-S4036 LED TruBrite 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Sale Price: $688.88 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $688.88  4 used from $450.00

If you need a laptop that is strong enough to serve as a replacement for your desktop yet exceptionally portable, this Toshiba Satellite is the best choice of 2010. With its powerful 1.8 GHz AMD Phenom II P820 triple-core processor, it has no problem providing you with the same level of performance that you're used to with your desktop computer. However, thanks to the fact that it only weighs a mere five pounds, you can enjoy the power it provides from anywhere.

#4: Dell Inspiron i14R-1761MRB 14.1-Inch Laptop

Dell Inspiron i14R-1761MRB 14.1-Inch Laptop (Mars Black) List Price: $739.99 Sale Price: $599.95 You save: $140.04 (19%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 2 new from $599.95  2 used from $436.00

One of the highlights of this high-definition 14.1 inch laptop from Dell is its 7-in-1 media card reader, which provides you with a more interactive experience as you are using your laptop. Additionally, because this Dell has an exceptionally slim and light profile, it's a very portable laptop. But that doesn't mean power is sacrified - this Inspiron i14R comes with a top-of-the-line Intel i3 process and a huge 500 GB hard drive.

#5: HP Pavilion dv6-3120us 15.6-Inch Laptop

HP Pavilion dv6-3120us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 5.25 Hours of Battery Life (Champagne) List Price: $624.99 Sale Price: $618.88 You save: $6.11 (1%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $618.88  3 used from $355.00

Who knew an all-around entertainment laptop could be had for a little over $500? From being able to use the TrueVision Webcam to burning labels right on to your DVDs or CDs, this laptop is packed with a lot of cool features. If you are looking for a laptop that provides you with plenty of entertainment options, while still allowing you to be productive when you need to get things done, the HP Pavilion dv6-3120us is the laptop to purchase. Whether you are video chatting with a classmate or colleague, watching a DVD or burning a new DVD, this laptop's AMD dual-core processor will be able to provide you with a smooth and enjoyable computing experience.

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In addition to being extremely portable, the great thing about purchasing a netbook is that there are plenty of quality options that cost less than $400.

To understand exactly what's available in this price range, here are the top five netbooks under $400:

#1: Acer AO532h-2223 10.1-Inch Matrix Silver Netbook

Acer AO532h-2223 10.1-Inch Matrix Silver Netbook - Up to 8 Hours of Battery Life Sale Price: $419.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 new from $419.99

With up to eight hours of battery life, this Acer netbook can easily last throughout the day without ever requiring you to plug it in for a charge. It offers a multi-gesture touchpad, which makes it easy for you to navigate through applications and the Internet. And whether you want to video chat or record a video to upload, you can do so with the Crystal Eye webcam that is built into this netbook.

#2: ASUS Eee PC 1015PEM-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Netbook

ASUS Eee PC 1015PEM-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black) Sale Price: $400.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping!

This netbook may have a low price and, at 2.8 pounds, a light weight. However, it does not skimp on performance or features. Thanks to its compact but powerful speakers, whether you are listening to music or watching a show on Hulu, you will have no problem getting a rich media experience with this netbook. And while it's obviously a small device, once you start typing on the keyboard, you will find that it is actually very easy and pleasant to type on.

#3: ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook

ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life) Sale Price: $449.60 Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 new from $449.60

Not only does this ASUS cost less than $300, but it also provides you with up to eleven hours of battery life. If you're always on the go but never want to put down your computer, you will find that the long battery life of this netbook is quite fantastic. And because this netbook has built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, you will always be able to connect while you are on the go.

#4: HP Mini 110-3130NR 10.1-Inch Netbook

HP Mini 110-3130NR 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black) List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $285.00 You save: $14.99 (5%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 4 used from $285.00

Thanks to its Intel Atom Processor N455, this HP netbook has plenty of computing power. And since you will probably be using it in a variety of environments, you will appreciate the fact that it has an anti-glare LED screen. Although its body may be small, it still offers plenty of ports. In addition to a 2-in-1 memory card reader, this netbook also offers an impressive three USB ports. Also, thanks to its HP Cloud Drive software, you will never have to worry about running out of space on your HP netbook.

#5: ASUS Eee PC T91SA-VU1X-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook

Asus Eee PC T91 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Tablet Computer (Black), Windows XP, T91SA-VU1X-BK List Price: $469.99 Sale Price: $310.00 You save: $159.99 (34%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 used from $310.00

This ASUS puts a "twist" on the traditional netbook (pun intended). In addition to functioning as a standard netbook, you can twist this device's screen to use it as a tablet. When you're using it a netbook, you can easily control it with a few swipes of your finger. And when you are using it as a tablet, you can use a stylus to have precise control over it.

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For an ultraportable laptop that you can effortlessly take with you anywhere, here are the five best options available:

#1: Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop

Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) List Price: $1,099.00 Sale Price: $899.00 You save: $200.00 (18%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 8 new from $899.00  15 used from $740.00

Thanks to its weight of less than 2.5 pounds, this MacBook lives up to its "Air" name. Running on a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the Air may be light, but it's by no means weak. And because it has a strong metal body, the Air is tough enough to always take along with you.

#2: ASUS UL30A-X5K Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop

ASUS UL30A-X5K Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Laptop with Kindle for PC (Black) List Price: $729.00

Although this ultraportable ASUS weighs less than four pounds, it still features a 13.3 inch screen, which allows you to have a rich computing experience when you're on the go. This ASUS also boasts a battery life of up to twelve hours, so you won't have to worry about carrying a power cord with you during the day.

#3: Toshiba Portege R705-P41 TruBrite LED 13.3-Inch Laptop

Toshiba Portégé R705-P41 TruBrite LED 13.3-Inch Laptop (Metal/Blue) List Price: $939.99 Sale Price: $879.99 You save: $60.00 (6%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 used from $879.99

When you put this laptop on your lap, you will instantly be able to feel how light it is. But, don't let its lightness fool you. If you need a laptop that is ultraportable but can still handle business class work, this is the one for you. This laptop runs on a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5-460M dual-core processor, and will have no problem completing the tasks you need it to accomplish.

#4: HP TouchSmart tm2-2150us 12.1-Inch Argento Laptop PC

HP TouchSmart tm2-2150us 12.1-Inch Argento Laptop PC - Up to 6.5 Hours of Battery Life List Price: $874.99

Not only is this offering from HP an ultraportable laptop, but it also doubles as a tablet that you can use on the go. Whether you are typing a report on the laptop or jotting down notes on the tablet, the 12.1 inch screen gives you plenty of room to get things done. Another really cool feature of this laptop is its fingerprint reader. Instead of requiring you to constantly type in your passwords, you can store them on your laptop. The reason you won't have to worry about your passwords being compromised is because your fingerprint will be the only way to access them. When you are asked to enter a password, simply place your finger on the fingerprint reader, and your stored password will instantly be entered.

#5: Toshiba Satellite L635-S3050 13.3-Inch LED Laptop

Toshiba Satellite L635-S3050 13.3-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion Finish in Helios Grey) List Price: $779.99

The Satellite L635-S3050 weighs a mere 4.8 pounds and features a blazingly fast 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 processor. Thanks to the included Toshiba Media Controller, this is a great choice if you are interested in having a rich media experience on the go. From watching videos to playing music, you can enjoy all of your media on this laptop's 13.3 inch HD TruBrite screen, which is complemented by its Dolby Advanced Audio speakers.

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Whether you are looking for a new laptop to upgrade to, or you want to purchase your first laptop, here is a look at the five best cheap laptops for students:

#1: Toshiba Satellite L645D-S4036 LED TruBrite 14-Inch Laptop

Toshiba Satellite L645D-S4036 LED TruBrite 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Sale Price: $688.88 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $688.88  4 used from $450.00

As a student, you probably don't have tons of money to spend on a laptop. Fortunately, this doesn't mean that you can't get a quality laptop. For less than $500, you can purchase this Toshiba Satellite laptop, which has everything you need to aid your studies. The 320 GB SATA hard drive gives you plenty of space to save all of your files, and the built-in Wireless-N Wi-Fi will ensure that you can get online whenever you need to look something up.

#2: HP Pavilion dv6-3120us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC

HP Pavilion dv6-3120us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 5.25 Hours of Battery Life (Champagne) List Price: $624.99 Sale Price: $618.88 You save: $6.11 (1%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $618.88  3 used from $355.00

If you are looking for a laptop that allows you to study hard and play hard, this is the laptop for you. Its AMD Turion II Dual-Core Mobile Processor ensures that its always runs quick regardless of what you're doing, and the five hours of battery life will allow you to use your laptop without constantly carrying around its power cord.

#3: Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 15.6-Inch LED Laptop

Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Fusion Finish in Helios Black) List Price: $679.99

Thanks to its 15.6 inch LED screen, this laptop is ideal for typing papers or reports. Because of the screen size, you can easily keep your word processor visible in one application window, as well as keeping your online reference material visible at the same time in another application window. This laptop also features Toshiba Bulletin Board, which is a program that allows you to build a custom work area that includes your calendar, to-do list, documents and more.

#4: HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC

HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 4 Hours of Battery Life (Charcoal) List Price: $524.99 Sale Price: $448.80 You save: $76.19 (15%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 12 new from $448.80  7 used from $312.97

If you like sitting your laptop on your lap while you are working, you will appreciate the fact that this laptop won't get hot when it's sitting on your lap. This laptop's touchpad is easy to use, and the keyboard provides an easy surface to type on for extended periods of time. The HP G62-340s features a high definition LED display, great for watching movies or gaming. And at under $500, it's a very affordable option.

#5: ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop

ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop (11.5 Hours of Battery Life) List Price: $849.00 Sale Price: $470.00 You save: $379.00 (45%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 7 used from $470.00

If you want a light laptop that's truly portable, you will love this ASUS. Not only does it weigh less than five pounds, but it's battery lasts for an incredible 11.5 hours on a single charge. And while this laptop is the definition of portable, thanks to its 14 inch HD LED LCD display, you will never have to worry about squinting when you are using this laptop.

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With these 5 laptops all under $500, you'll get the BEST bang for your buck without boring a hole in your pocket. Have a look and take your pick:

#1: Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 Notebook PC

Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 – this laptop is beefed up with an AMD Sempron SI-42 2.1 GHz Processor. For those of you who are not aware of it, that means you get the computing and processing power of most basic desktop computers while on the go!

Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 15.6-Inch Laptop (Matte Silver) Sale Price: $450.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $450.00  4 used from $300.00

The processor goes hand in hand with 2 GB of DDR2 memory – making sure that this laptop can handle even the most detailed applications and programs that leave other laptops and netbooks in dust. Not to mention it also comes with a GENUINE Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit operating system.

YES, the Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 gives you a lot of processing power to deal with difficult software, graphics and video, as well as multi-tasking. With the 250 GB SATA hard drive that it has, you won't have any problems finding space for those digital pictures, programs, games, and everything else in between.

And like icing on top of the cake, the Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 comes with its guns blazing...boasting a 15.6 HIGH-DEFINITION capable wide screen LCD display that comes with a 1366 by 768 native resolution. This makes sure you don't miss out anything when you are watching movies, playing games, etc.

My Review: I grabbed the Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 as a backup to my desktop computer and for out-of-town use. And let's not beat around the bush. Here's my conclusion: this gives you great bang for your buck!

True, this is NOT a light system. It's heavy and I find it a little challenging to use when on an airplane. BUT when it comes to speed and processing power, the Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 is top notch! The keyboard is also fantastic. I never had any problems with it. I highly recommend that you add 2 GB RAM – taking it to 4 GB RAM. This will beef up the system even more.

As for the HD TruBrite Screen, I'm giving it 2 thumbs up. The videos and images – they're all crisp and clean. And with the price – below $500, the Toshiba Satellite L455D-S5976 is a steal!

#2: Acer AS5742Z-4685 15.6-Inch Laptop

If you are looking for a laptop that gives you powerful performance, comes with the latest connectivity technology, and beefed up with rich media features...giving you a fast and responsive PC experience, look no further.

The Acer Aspire AS5742Z Notebook is everything you need!

Acer AS5742Z-4685 15.6-Inch Laptop (Mesh Black) List Price: $549.99 Sale Price: $476.99 You save: $73.00 (13%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 7 new from $476.99  2 used from $399.00

With the 15.6 inch HD Cine Crystal Wide Screen LCD Display, you can enjoy cinematic brilliance while you are on the go.

At the core of the Acer Aspire AS5742Z Notebook, you will find the Intel Pentium Dual Core processor that can keep up with your daily computing tasks like sending and receiving email, surfing the internet, doing your homework, etc. without any hassle!

With its operating system - Windows 7 Home Premium, you can do everyday tasks way easier than usual. PLUS, the Office Starter 2010 gives you new ways to deliver your best work.

In the connectivity department, the Acer Aspire AS5742Z Notebook is no push over. With the 802.11b/g/n WiFi CERTIFIED wireless connectivity and Gigabit Ethernet LAN, you will always be connected with your friends, email, favorite websites and social networks ALL THE TIME!

My Review: Being an advanced computer user who has been looking at different laptop models before I settled for the Acer Aspire AS5742Z Notebook, I dug deep into all of the specs of about 10 different models. And I concluded that this Acer laptop gives me the BEST value. The price is well over $300 over our family laptop, BUT it's worth every single penny.

The screen is crystal-clear and REALLY bright. The top cover as well as the spots where you place your wrists come with a very nice texture, which makes fingerprints and smudges almost invisible.

The p6100 is an EXCELLENT budget processor. This blows the similarly priced Athlon II Mobile processors out of the water and it's ahead of the old Core 2's out there. As for the battery life, it's at 3.2 hours while I'm browsing the internet and while working with Outlook and Microsoft Word.

The keys come with a great feel. The way it is designed...you really can't get food or other small objects between those small in-between spaces.

The Pros In A Nutshell: Crystal-clear LCD screen. Fast computer power. Great for multi-tasking. There's not a lot of UNNECESSARY software installed. Lightweight and the keyboard is easy to use.
The Cons In A Nutshell: Good BUT not great battery life. The price point is a little steep. BUT believe me, it's worth every penny.

Summing it all up, the Acer Aspire AS5742Z Notebook is a EXCELLENT buy at $500 range. If it goes on sale for $300 to 350, do yourself a favor and don't miss your chance to buy it!

#3: Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119 15.6-Inch Laptop

The Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119...

Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Sale Price: $579.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 new from $579.99

- Comes beefed up with 15.6-inch TruBrite Display. And with a resolution of 1366 by 768 PLUS an aspect ratio of 16:9, you get excellent color, depth, as well as quality in your images, videos, etc.

- Has the 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium p6100 Dual Core Processor with a 3 MB L3 Cache. This makes short work of processing applications, programs, etc. that leave other laptops lagging behind!

- The 320 GB SATA hard drive (with 5400 RPM) makes sure you will ALWAYS have space for those video games, programs, music tracks, pictures, documents, and everything else in between.

- 3 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz, which is expandable to 8 GB) gives you enough memory to keep up with the Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119's processing power.

Wireless Connectivity
With all of the integrated Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking features, you get 5 times the performance as well as double the wireless range with 802.11n-compatible routers compared to 802.11g networks.

My Review: The Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119 – it doesn't have HDMI, no microphone, no web cam, etc. Long story short: it doesn't have the typical bells and whistles of a laptop. BUT so what?! This Toshiba laptop is NOT built to look good...it's built from the ground up to perform and I'm MORE than pleased with it in the performance department.

The central processing unit (CPU) comes with 3M cache, which is EXCELLENT for multi-tasking. And all of the components are rated highly on the Windows Performance Index. The display is bright and nice. The keyboard – I LOVE it. Summing it all up, while it doesn't have the typical 'add ons' that make a laptop 'look good', the Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119 surpasses your average laptop when it comes to performance!

BUT still, I need a web cam, which is easily remedied by buying a Logitech 2 mega pixel Web Cam Pro 9000 that comes with a built in microphone. I got it for 35 USD. So for $365 ($330 for the laptop and $35 for the webcam), the Toshiba Satellite C655-S5119 is a steal!

#4: ASUS A52F-XA1 15.6-Inch Entertainment Laptop

ASUS A52F-XA1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Black) List Price: $599.00 Sale Price: $518.59 You save: $80.41 (13%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 2 new from $518.59  2 used from $375.18

Some Techy BUT Jaw Dropping Details
- Comes with Intel Pentium Dual Core P6100. A very POWERFUL budget processor that can handle your daily computing needs with ease. This is beefed up even MORE with the 4GB of DDR3 1066MHz DRAM, 2 slots (which is upgradeable to 8 GB).

- The 320GB Hard Drive (5400 RPM) gives you enough storage power for your pictures, videos, programs, video games, and MORE. And the Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) Operating System helps you get your usual job done EASIER!

- The 15.6-Inch HD Display (with a resolution of 1366x768) makes sure you don't miss anything when playing video games, watching movies, etc. You get all the crystal-clear details you want!

- And to make the deal even sweeter, it's beefed 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty and 1 Year Standard Warranty Included.
My Review: For surfing the internet, creating documents with MS Word, light online and video gaming (yes folks, Plants Vs. Zombies!), watching movies on Youtube.com, etc. the ASUS A52F-XA1 laptop is top notch!

For those of you who are NOT aware, the P6100 processor is a 2-GHz Core i3 BUT without the hyperthreading. Now, for a laptop, which is NOT expected to multi-task heavily or use a highly threaded application, the lack of hyperthreading is not really much a deal.

Now, the processor of the ASUS A52F-XA1 laptop is even designed on the same processes as the Core i3. And with the built in memory controller as well as other efficiencies found in the Core i3 style design, it's just as fast as the 2.5 GHz Core 2 Duo. Long story short, you get an amazingly fast processor (for a laptop) as well as a competent GPU (that's Graphics Processing Unit) which can easily and smoothly take on 1080p playback!

The processing power – this is the strongest point of the laptop. The weakest point, though, is the relatively slow hard drive. Now the WD Scorpio Blue with 5400 revolutions per minute is REALLY good for a laptop. BUT compared to a good desktop hard drive at 7200 revolutions per minute or SSD, it's a little behind. Still, this is NOT a biggie.

By the way, the blue clicking noise of the hard drive, as it turns out, is pretty normal. This is the sound made by the drive's head parking or moving around, which is an energy saving feature. Don't worry. It's NOT defective.

When it comes to reliability, ASUS's laptops and computers are on top of the pack. Looking at Square Trade's reliability index and other laptop magazines that run reliability articles, you can easily find ASUS at the second or first place. And the ASUS A52F-XA1 laptop did NOT disappoint.

#5: HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop

If you are looking for a laptop that gives you excellent value day in and day out, one that you can count on when it comes to productivity and entertainment in high definition, then the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop is yours for the taking!

Whether you want to edit photos, create videos easily, access your email and other common applications with one touch keys, the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop is MORE than up to the task. And it's NOT just stylish! It also comes with a fingerprint-resistant finish...those fingerprints and smudges won't ruin your laptop's looks!

HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 4 Hours of Battery Life (Charcoal) List Price: $524.99 Sale Price: $448.80 You save: $76.19 (15%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 12 new from $448.80  7 used from $312.97

- Beefed VISION Technology from AMD with AMD Athlon™ II Dual-Core Processor for Notebook PCs P340. A pretty powerful processor that can handle your daily computing tasks.

- Comes with Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit Operating System. This gives you the latest that Windows has to offer – ease of use for your most commonly used programs and unrivaled accessibility.

- 15.6" diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView LED Display (with a resolution of 1366 x 768) guarantees you get crystal-clear, crisp, and excellent images and color.

- The dimensions of 5.50 lbs; 14.72" x 9.70" x 1.25"/1.44" makes the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop REALLY portable...allowing you to take it with you no matter where you are.

- The 3GB of memory works hand in hand with the processor...allowing you to work with multiple applications at the same time.

- With the Light Scribe Technology, you get to burn custom labels on your CDs and DVDs as well as store thousands of photos in your hard drive!

My Review: Before anything else, let me make one thing clear: the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop is NOT the thinnest or lightest laptop out there in the market. It's pretty standard looking. The specs are modest. HOWEVER, when it comes to performance, the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop is no push over!

It's powerful enough to do most of the tasks that a basic computer user wants to do...and it does it without breaking a sweat!

The Pros In A Nutshell
- I like the keyboard – it comes with a Chicklet-style and it's easy to type on.
- Touchpad response...it's pretty smooth and easy to use. BUT look at the Con below.
- The display is really clear.
- The HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop is fast enough for most of your daily computing tasks.
- The wireless technology and connection it comes with is fast and strong.
- The fan is quiet. No irritating sound.
- And last BUT not the least, it doesn't get very hot when on your lap.

The Cons In A Nutshell
- The case's design is very basic and NOT attractive.
- The touchpad's button – it's stiff and really hard to push.
- It comes with a lot of HP software installed in it. While it may appeal to novice users who want those toolbars, picture managers, etc. installed, advanced users who know they don't really need that much software may find it irritating.

In conclusion, HOWEVER, I'm giving the HP G62-340us 15.6-Inch Laptop 2 thumbs up. This is an excellent laptop especially at the price range.

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We wanted to find out, because all too often, manufacturers skimp on the hardware features in an effort to bring you lower prices. We'll investigate whether this is the case, and we'll let you know our honest opinion in the conclusion of this review.

Lenovo Ideapad G555 0873-74U 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) List Price: $449.99

Lenovo Ideapad G555 Specifications and Features
CPU, Memory, Hard Drive
The processing power of the Lenovo Ideapad G555 comes from the AMD Athlon II Dual Core M340 processor. This chip is not very old, so it doesn't represent an exciting development in processing technology.

The machine also has 2GB of DDR3 memory, which is decent - seeing as many notebooks for the same price are still using second generation, DDR2 ram. DDR3 is much more expensive, and provides a boost in the ability of the memory to work with the other components of the laptop.

Finally, the hard drive is a reasonable 160GB - and whilst we tend to bag any machine which drops its hard drive below 250GB, the Lenovo Ideapad G555 is an exception to the rule simply because of the price.

Graphics & Display
You wouldn't expect a dedicated graphics card to be present in a machine at this price, as this is usually the first component which is axed during hardware scaling. However, the Lenovo Ideapad G555 surprises us with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD4200 graphics card. This is certainly not the top of the line, but it's not a lame attempt at graphics processing either - and will provide a fair bit of grunt.

The display on the machine is a 15.6 inch high definition display, with a 16:9 ratio wide screen making it perfect for movie and TV watching.

Software
All of the usual fancy Lenovo software updates have also been included in this machine. Firstly, the OneKey rescue system is a software based data recovery mechanism, whereby you can reset your notebook at the touch of a button, if you experience a fatal flaw in the computer system.

Whilst we couldn't test this out, reviews on the internet have shown that the software is useful in times when everything else fails.

Finally, the VeriFace system is a bit of a gimmick - nevertheless an accurate one - and it allows you to login via a facial recognition scan, rather than entering a password.

Our Rating of the Lenovo Ideapad G555
To answer our initial question we asked in the opening paragraph of this review - it is very clear that the price of the Lenovo Ideapad G555 has not resulted in a compromise on performance or reliability. All of the exceptional software components we have come to expect from Lenovo are present, as is the top of the line hardware at every turn.

Overall, the product gets a well deserved 5 star rating from us.

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We recently took the Lenovo Ideapad U550 for a test drive to examine whether or not the thinness was the only thing to rave about when it comes to this notebook.

Lenovo Ideapad U-550 15.6-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 6 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) List Price: $699.99 Sale Price: $600.00 You save: $99.99 (14%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping!

Lenovo Ideapad U550 Specifications and Features

CPU, Memory, Hard Drive
Part of the thinness of the Lenovo Ideapad U550 comes from the fact that the processor is an extremely mobile unit. This model uses an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300, which allows for extremely fast processing, with very little heat and very little space being taken up inside the laptop.

4GB of DDR3 Ram is also on hand to help with multitasking and memory intense programs such as games, flash based websites, etc.

Finally, the hard drive coming standard is a 320GB SATA disk, spinning at 5400rpm. This is clearly not the best hard drive available, however when reviewed alongside the other components of the laptop, it is a very good match for the machine.

Graphics & Display
The Lenovo Ideapad U550 has a 15.6 inch display, which is certainly a reasonable size. As you would expect, it is LED backlit, and features a viewing ratio of 16:9. Despite the somewhat commanding size of the display, the battery is still able to power the machine for a full 6 hours.

There is no dedicated graphics card on board, however that doesn't stop Lenovo from integrating an HD video output and a DVD reader and writer in to the notebook.

Software
Most of the software included on the device is not created or supported by Lenovo itself. For example, the notebook is running Windows 7 Home Premium from Microsoft. However, most of the software tweaks done by Lenovo are in the background - ensuring that the notebook runs faster generally, and also boots and shuts down at a rate of knots.

Our Rating of the Lenovo Ideapad U550
Traditionally, we haven't been huge fans of Lenovo products - until now. The Lenovo Ideapad U550 is literally a revolution in technology for the company, with hardware and software updates we didn't even think were possible for the company.

The Lenovo Ideapad U550 is very thin and very light, making it great for students who need to cart their PC around from lecture to lecture. Additionally, security and technology features including the VeriFace technology and the fingerprint scanner make this device a whole lot more enjoyable from the outset.

Overall, this machine does score well with us - getting a 5 star rating. We hope to see Lenovo continuing down this path when designing laptops in the future!

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We sat down, opened the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 up, and gave it a thorough work over to see exactly what was included inside.

Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 TruBrite 11.6-Inch Laptop (Chrome) List Price: $499.99 Sale Price: $476.22 You save: $23.77 (5%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 1 used from $476.22

Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 Specifications and Features

CPU, Memory, Hard Drive
Despite its physical size, this is nothing else small about the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150. The processor is a 1.3GHz AMD Athlon II Neo Dual-Core unit, which sports 2 MB of Level 2 cache.

If you thought you were going to miss out on processing power because of the small nature of the notebook - you really should think again.

Furthermore, the machine comes standard with 2GB of Ram, which is of the DDR3 variety (nice and modern) - however possible the most important thing to note here is that the Ram is expandable up to 8GB! Seriously - that's a lot of memory possibility.

Finally, a 320GB SATA hard drive is preinstalled (as you would expect) - and again this is expandable if you run out of room.

Graphics & Display
As we already noted, the display on the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 is a tiny 11.6 inches diagonally. Whilst this may seem overly small, it should be noted that objects and text on the screen are actually extremely easy to see. You won't be squinting trying to make everything out - and if you find yourself doing this, you can always adjust the screen resolution.

As for the graphics processing, a dedicated ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics card comes as standard - which when compared to the 11.6 inch display, offers an incredible ratio of power to performance.

Software
All of the usual Toshiba software which you would expect to find on a Toshiba Satellite model is again present with the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150. The Toshiba eco Utility is a special "environmental" mode, which tones down the processor and display when you don't need too much power.

Additionally, the USB Sleep and Charge feature keeps peripherals such as your Ipod charging, even if the computer is not on! Other computers actually fail to offer this type of support.

Our Rating of the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150
To conclude this review, we need to say that the Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 is a very small, but extremely powerful laptop. If you're a gamer, professional business person, or simply someone who doesn't want to have to wait 5 minutes for your computer to start up in the morning, this is the machine for you!

With 5.15 hours of battery life and a 5.0 Star Energy rating, we couldn't help but also award the machine with 5 stars out of 5.

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Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 Specifications and Features
CPU, Memory, Hard Drive
The Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 comes standard with an Intel Pentium Dual Core processor, which is the P6000 model. It runs at 1.86GHz, and has a 3MB L3 cache. Whilst most manufacturers have upgraded their systems to processors such as the Core Duo or Quad Core range, for some reason Acer have decided to stick with the lower spec CPU.

Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 15.6-Inch HD Wi-Fi Laptop (Black) List Price: $549.99 Sale Price: $429.00 You save: $120.99 (22%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping!

Nevertheless, it's still a quick machine. The Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 also has 3GB of Ram on the rails, giving it plenty of memory storage for when you are multitasking or using multiple applications at the same time.

To finish, the hard drive offers 320GB of space, which is not bad for a laptop, but not particularly exceptional. 320GB is enough to hold multiple music collections, and a vast array of movies and TV series.

Graphics & Display
The graphics processing power on the Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 is limited to the on board graphics accelerator which has been built in to the motherboard. This means that whilst you won't get dedicated graphics support, you will be able to run most games and graphic intensive programs without encountering issues.

The screen on the Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 is particularly impressive. It's a 15.6" HD screen with Acer's Widescreen CineCrystal LCD technology. We won't go in to too much technical detail on this, but basically it means that each pixel is brighter and more dynamic, based on the colors around it.

Software
All of the exciting features included with Windows 7 are present on the Acer laptop. This is because the machine runs Windows 7 Home Premium.

Some of the most exciting features in this package include Jump Lists (a new take on document sorting), an improved taskbar design, and "Snap" - which is a very fast desktop organizer which works like a charm. All of these things are part of the Windows 7 package itself, so even if you don't buy this exact notebook, any device with Window 7 has these great features.

Our Rating of the Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539
Overall, we were pleased with the Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539. Whilst it is clearly not targeted to the intense gamer or computer professional, it should more than satisfy the needs of home users and users wanting a laptop for work.

All of the specifications are about at the middle of the road; however the lack of a dedicated video card is slightly disappointing. Overall however, considering the incredible value for money (at the current pricing) - we award the Acer Aspire AS5741Z-5539 4.5 stars.

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