Thanks to Toshiba, customers are able to get a 15.6-inch laptop with an excellent Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive, backlight keyboard, Intel Wireless Display tech, and a striking aluminum design for $630. That’s the price for the Toshiba Satellite P855-S5102.

The CPU in question is the Core i5-3230, which is the currently the fastest part in the 3rd Generation “Ivy Bridge” i5 series.

If you want even more powerful Toshiba P-series with a bigger screen, available on the market is the 17.3″ P875-S7102 with a Core i7 for $800. A laptop with similar internal specs to the P855-S5102 and a touchscreen 14″ display is the Sony Vaio SVE14A35CXH, priced at $750.

If you are, on the other hand, interested in a laptop with almost the same main specs as the P855 but different design, worth checking out is the $600 Asus Q500A-BSI5N04 with the same CPU and HDD, 6GB RAM, as well as backlight keyboard and aluminum chassis.

Toshiba Satellite P855-S5102 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch at 1366-by-768 pixels, TruBrite (glossy)
• Processor: 3rd Gen Intel Core i5-3230 dual-core CPU, 3MB cache, 2.6GHz-3.2GHz clock speed
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 graphics
• Memory: 8GB DDR3, expandable to 16GB
• Storage: 750GB hard drive at 5400 rpm
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 2MP
• Audio: harman/kardon stereo speakers, SRS Premium Sound 3D
• Network: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, Intel Wireless Display, no Bluetooth
• Input: backlit isle-style keyboard with numeric pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 4 USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 2-in-1 media card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.2″ x 15.2″ x 9.9″
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The HP 2000-2b80dx is a new 15.6-inch laptop model on the market, but it doesn’t really bring anything new in terms of both hardware and software. The 2000-2b80dx, sold bundled with the Logitech M315 wireless mouse, Webroot SecureAnywhere antivirus, and an 8GB SanDisk flash drive for $330 at Best Buy, has the same specs as the 2000-2b30dx retailing for $300. These Windows 8 laptops have the very entry level AMD E-300 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive, beside a DVD burner, stereo speakers, and HDMI.

All these parts are packed into black cases made of glossy plastics.

Despite being aggressively cheap, the 2000-2b80dx / 30dx, maybe aren’t the best buying choices, since for a couple of tens bucks more one can get a laptop with a much faster processor such as the AMD A-series, Intel Celeron, or Intel Pentium.

HP 2000-2b80dx Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 pixels, glossy
• Processor: AMD “Fusion” Dual-Core E-300 at 1.3GHz, 1MB Cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6310 integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, upgradeable to 8GB
• Storage: 320GB 5400rpm hard disk
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wireless-N, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: keyboard with number pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-format memory card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.4 x 14.8 x 9.7 inches
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

There are various variants of Hewlett-Packard’s Pavilion g6 15.6-inch notebook on the market today. One of them is the HP Pavilion g6-2330dx which will arrive soon in stores for $400. If you have already saw the g6-2278dx selling for about $450, it’s good to know that the g6-2330dx offers the same specifications and design for about $50 less. There are the AMD A8-4500M quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 640GB hard drive in them, besides a DVD burner, stereo speakers, webcam, and HDMI.

Furthermore, HP’s g6-2330dx is better than the g6-2239dx which delivers the AMD A6-4400M CPU and the same other components for the same price of $400, as well as the g6-2320dx with the A6, a 500GB HDD, and a slightly lower price tag of $380. This comparison makes the g6-2330dx currently the best choice when it comes to the AMD-based g6 configurations.

HP Pavilion g6-2330dx Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch glossy at 1366-by-768 pixels
• Processor: AMD A8-4500M quad-core, 1.9-2.8GHz, 41MB cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7640 integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, expandalbe to 8GB
• Storage: 640GB hard disk at 5,400 rpm
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes
• Audio: Stereo speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio technology
• Network: Wireless-N, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: full-size keyboard with isle keys and numeric pad, multitouch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multiformat card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• Dimensions: 1.4″ x 14.8″ x 9.6″
• Weight: 5.5 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Lenovo N586 – 59359207 IdeaPad is a laptop with older hardware and design already available on the N586 – 754084U model, but with newer software. The N586 – 59359207 comes with Windows 8 instead of 7 Home Premium and that’s the only difference between these two laptops. OS, preinstalled on a 500GB hard drive, is running on AMD’s A6-4400M processor with the Radeon HD 7520G integrated graphics and 4GB of RAM. The 1.4″ thick 5.7-pound matte black plastic laptop with AccuType ergonomic keyboard also accommodates a DVD burner, HDMI out, three USB ports, and a six-cell battery.

The price of $350 is an affordable one for the given configuration, but alternatively you can also take a look at the 370-dollar Samsung NP365E5C-S01UB with the same main specifications, a different design and built-in Bluetooth. However, the Asus X55C-SI30202M, selling for $370, appears to be a better choice than the Lenovo N586 – 59359207 and Samsung, because it has a much powerful Intel Core i3 processor.

Lenovo N586 – 59359207 IdeaPad Specifications

• Display: 15.6″ 1366-by-768-pixel
• Processor: AMD A6-4400M dual-core, 2.7-3.2GHz, 1MB of L2 cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7520G integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, expandable to 8GB
• Storage: 500GB 5,400rpm HDD
• Optical Drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes
• Audio: stereo speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio
• Network: Wireless N, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: Chiclet-style AccuType ergonomic keyboard with numeric pad, multi-touch trackpad
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x USB 2.0 port, HDMI, VGA, multi-format media card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.4″ x 14.8″ x 9.7″
• Weight: 5.7 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Asus Q500A-BSI5N04 doesn’t have a touchscreen full HD display and a Core i7 processor like the Q500A-BHI7T05 does, but it’s $350 less expensive and costs $600.

Instead, the Q500A-BSI5N04 runs Windows 8 on a 15.6-inch 720p display, with help of the 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3230M dual-core processor, Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, 6GB of RAM, and a 750GB hard drive.

Other features of this system that are not necessarily present on average laptops are backlight keyboard, aluminum chassis (in black color in this case), and Intel Wireless Display technology. The notebook has a DVD burner, three USB ports, HDMI out, and stereo speakers.

If you are a Toshiba fan, their $630 Satellite P855-S5102 is a similar laptop to the Q500A-BSI5N04, with the same main components (with exception of larger 8GB RAM), aluminum casing, and backlit keys.

Asus Q500A-BSI5N04 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch at 1366-by-768 pixels
• Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3230 dual-core, 3MB cache, 2.6GHz-3.2GHz
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 graphics
• Memory: 6GB DDR3, expandable to 8GB
• Storage: 750GB HDD at 5400 rpm
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 1MP
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth, Intel Wireless Display
• Input: Backlight keyboard with numeric pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, digital media card reader
• Battery: 6-cell battery
• Dimensions: 1.3″ x 14.9″ x 10″
• Weight: 5.7 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The 300-dollar Asus X55A-SPD0204O features a brand new processor by Intel – the dual-core Pentium 2020M at 2.4GHz. This chip has been present on the market since recently, particularly in the Asus X501A-BSPDN22 with the same price and core internal components, but the X55A-SPD0204O sports additionally a DVD writer, so if you still burn DVDs this laptop has advantage over the X501A. On the other side, the X55A-SPD0204O is heavier and weighs 5.6 pounds, up from 4.6.

Since there are no reliable benchmarks for the included Pentium yet, you can check out how its older counterpart performs while keeping in mind that the 2020M will have a similar speed.

Computing-wise, this no-frills laptop is all you need to do most day-to-day tasks you’d want to do with a PC. But, absence of HDMI is an issue if you use the laptop to play movies on a HDTV. Also, only two USB ports on this notebook can be an issue if you connect a lot o external devices at the same time, such as a mouse, printer, and smartphone for example.

The Asus X55A-SPD0204O sports a clean and utilitarian look, with textured matte black plastics dominating on the chassis.

Asus X55A-SPD0204O Specifications

• Display: 15.6″ LCD HD widescreen display (1366 x 768 resolution)
• Processor: dual-core Intel Pentium 2020M, 2MB L3 cache, 2.4GHz clock speed
• Graphics: Intel HD graphics
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM at 1,600MHz
• Storage: 500GB HDD (5400 rpm)
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 1.0MP webcam
• Audio: Altec Lansing stereo speakers
• Network: Wireless-N, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: full-sized “Wave” keyboard with numeric pad and touchpad
• Ports and Slots:1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x VGA, digital media reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• Dimensions: 1.3 x 14.9 x 9.9 inches
• Weight: 5.6 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

Let’s be clear right away. The new 15.6-inch HP 2000-2c20dx is an affordable and solidly equipped notebook, but the Toshiba Satellite C855-S5108 with the same price of $380 is a better choice. That’s because it features the newer, faster, and more power efficient 3rd Gen Core i3-3110M processor instead of the older 2nd Gen Intel Core i3-2328M.

Overall, the HP 2000-2c20dx with 4GB of RAM, 500GB HDD, a DVD burner, and HDMI delivers solid performance and feature set for day-to-day tasks and multimedia, but it really doesn’t bring any improvements over the mentioned Toshiba. As a matter of fact, the Toshiba additionally provides USB 3.0 technology and one USB port more than on the 2000-2c20dx, so it is a clear winner at the $380 price point.

HP 2000-2c20dx Specifications

• Display: 15.6″ LED at 1366 x 768 pixels, glossy
• Processor: 2nd Generation Intel Core i3-2328M at 2.2GHz, 3MB L3 cache, 2.2GHz
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, expandable up to 8GB
• Storage: 500GB hard drive at 5400rpm
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: 720p webcam
• Audio: Altec Lansing stereo speakers
• Network: Wi-Fi 802.11n, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: full-size keyboard, centered (without number pad), touchpad with multitouch support
• Ports and Slots: 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-in-one card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• Dimensions: 1.4″ x 14.8″ x 9.7″
• Weight: 5.4 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Asus K55A-SI50301P is a mid-range 15.6-inch laptop suitable for effortless everyday use, work, and multimedia. With a price of $430, it’s currently the cheapest notebook with an Intel Core i5 processor on the market. The K55A-SI50301P features the 3rd Gen i5-3230M dual-core, with only the i7 chips sitting above it in the hierarchy. These benchmark results only confirm that:

The laptop packs 4GB RAM, a 500GB HDD, DVD burner, stereo speakers, HDMI, a total of three USB ports, and a multi-in-one media card reader. The 1366×768 display panel is managed by the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, which is not intended for gaming.

Finishes on the palmrests and lid of this 1.3″ thick laptop look great and resemble brushed aluminum, but the Asus K55A-SI50301P is actually made of plastics.

Asus K55A-SI50301P Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch at 1366×768 pixels
• Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3230M “Ivy Bridge” dual-core, 3MB L3 cache, TurboBoost, 2.6-3.2GHz
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 graphics
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 memory, expandable to 8GB
• Storage: 500GB hard disk at 5,400rpm
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: 1MP
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wi-Fi 802.11n, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: Chiclet-style keyboard with numeric pad, multitouch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 5-in-1 digital card reader
• Battery: 6-cell battery
• Dimensions: 1.3″ x 14.9″ x 9.9″
• Weight: 5.6 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The HP Pavilion 14-b031us is a thin and light 14-inch laptop with a 0.8″ thin profile and weight of four pounds. For comparison, the standard Pavilion g4 14-incher is 1.4″ thick and weighs 4.8 lbs. On the negative side, the 14-b031us uses an ultra-low voltage Pentium processor with considerably lower performance than the full voltage Pentiums, has a 4-cell battery instead of a 6-cell unit, and doesn’t have an optical drive. The battery life is “up to 4 hours” according to the manufacturer.

The included CPU is the Intel Pentium 978. The PassMark benchmarks show that it is not only slower than the lowest-end full-voltage Pentium B950, but the full-voltage Celeron B820 as well. On the other side, this solution is better than various low-end AMD chips, computing performance-wise. Other core components are 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard disk.

In other aspects, the HP Pavilion 14-b031us doesn’t lag behind the standard-size laptops. It has all necessary ports the average user needs, such as HDMI, three USBs, and media card reader, with exception of VGA.

The laptop is made of black glossy plastics and has a chiclet-style keyboard.

It currently costs about $380.

HP Pavilion 14-b031us Specifications

• Display: 14″ 1366 x 768, BrightView (glossy)
• Processor: Intel Pentium 987 dual-core, 2MB cache, 1.5GHz
• Graphics: Intel HD integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, 2 user-accessible RAM slots
• Storage: 320GB hard drive (5,400 rpm)
• Optical drive: no
• Webcam: 720p webcam
• Audio: Altec Lansing stereo speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio technology
• Network: Wireless-N, 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth
• Input: isle keyboard, touchpad with multitouch gesture support
• Ports and Slots: 2 USB 3.0; 1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, multi-format digital card reader
• Battery: 4-cell 37WHr 2.55Ah Li-Ion, “up to 4 hours” battery life
• Dimensions: 0.8″ x 13.7″ x 9.4″
• Weight: 3.96 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

Two laptop models with the same specifications and different model names have become a frequent occurrence since recently. In this case, the “new” 15.6-inch Toshiba Satellite C855-S5111 has the same specs as the C855-S5108 and also comes with the same price tag of $380. That’s a fairly low price for a notebook with a 3rd Generation Intel Core i3 processor.

It also has 4GB of RAM, a 500GB HDD, DVD burner, stereo speakers, webcam, HDMI, and four USB ports. There is no info on battery life in the available specs sheets, but given that the S5108 has a run time of up to 4.10 hours, one can normally expect the C855-S5111 to have the same battery life.

Design-wise, the C855-S5111, as same as the whole Toshiba Satellite C series, is a monolithic and utilitarian-looking notebook with rounded edges and textured black plastics, which is thankfully not glossy and doesn’t catch fingerprints much.

Toshiba Satellite C855-S5111 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch at 1366 x 768 pixels, glossy
• Processor: 3rd Gen Intel Core i3-3120M dual-core, 3MB cache, 2.5GHz clock speed
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 graphics
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 memory included, maximal 16GB
• Storage: 500GB 5400rpm hard drive
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes, HD
• Audio: stereo speakers, Toshiba audio enhancement technology
• Network: Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: full-size keyboard with numeric-pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0 port, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-in-one card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion, up to 4.10 hours
• Dimensions: 1.3 x 15 x 9.5 inches
• Weight: 5.4 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Samsung NP510R5E-A02UB laptop model (or NP510R5E-A at some retailers) is an ultra-thin 15.6-incher, delivering great portability without sacrificing screen size.

The aluminum-cladded NP510R5E-A02UB is 0.9-inches thin and weighs 4.6 pounds, whereas the standard 15.6″ laptops measure about 1.3 inches and around a pound more.

There are no sacrifices performance-wise either. True, the included Intel Core i7-3537U ultra-low voltage processor isn’t as fast as the full-voltage i7 counterparts, but this dual-core chip runs as fast as a standard-voltage i5, offering effortless completion of daily tasks and multimedia playback and creation. The integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics is able to display images and movies on the 1366×768 screen well, but it is not good for gaming.

Samsung’s NP510R5E-A02UB / NP510R5E-A has 8GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive, which are both above the average of 4GB and 500GB. The only drawback storage-wise is absence of a built-in DVD burner.

Despite it thinnes, the notebook still packs the standard set of connectivity features such as three USB ports, HDMI, VGA, a media card reader, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet LAN, and additionally provides Bluetooth and Intel Wireless Display technology.

The keyobard is a chiclet-style one, but we have no info whether it has backlight or not.

Unfortunately, there is no info on battery capacity at the time of this writing either, but it is probably a 3-cell 43Whr unit used in other NP510R5E-series models.

This model is very reasonably priced. It’s $730, which is an affordable price for an aluminum i7-powered machine with large RAM and HDD capacities. However, the Samsung NP510R5E-A01UB offers almost the same performance and components for $130 less.

Samsung NP510R5E-A02UB Specifications

• Display: 15.6″, 1366 x 768 resolution, matte
• Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3537U dual-core, 2.0-3.1GHz, 4MB L3 cache
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 integrated
• Memory: 8GB DDR3 1,600MHz RAM
• Storage: 750GB 5,400 rpm HDD
• Optical drive: none
• Webcam: Yes, 720p
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wireless-N, Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.0, Intel Wireless Display
• Input: full-sized keyboard with numeric pad (no info on baclight), multi-touch trackpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-format media reader
• Battery: unknown, probably 3-cell 43Whr
• Dimensions: 0.90 x 14.80 x 9.76 inches
• Weight: 4.6 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Toshiba Satellite C855-S5107 is a 15.6-inch Windows 8 laptop based on the new Intel Pentium 2020M processor from the latest Intel “Ivy Bridge” chip family. The 2020M isn’t as fast as the Core i3-3120M used in the almost identical C855-S5108 configuration, but the C855-S5107 is $40 cheaper and costs $330.

Here’s a relevant CPU comparison chart:

Although it is considerably slower than the i3, the 2020M is still an excellent CPU for routine daily tasks, HD multimedia, and 2D gaming. Quality 3D gaming is pretty much out of question since the Intel HD graphics isn’t a solution for that purpose.

The notebook has a DVD burner, webcam, stereo speakers, and HDMI. It has a plenty of USB ports, a total of four with USB 3.0 speed on one of them. All these components are packed into a simple looking black 5.4-pound 1.3″ thick chassis with matte textured finish and a tile-style keyboard on it.

Toshiba Satellite C855-S5107 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch 1366×768-pixel, glossy
• Processor: Intel Pentium 2020M dual-core at 2.4GHz, 2MB cache
• Graphics: Intel HD graphics
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 memory, max. 16GB
• Storage: 500GB 5400 rpm HDD
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes, 720p
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: full-size “tile” keyboard with numeric-pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0, 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-in-one card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.3 x 15 x 9.5 inches
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

Toshiba’s Satellite C notebook series is really popular these days, probably because of their low prices and various configurations available. The Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5105 (or C855D-S510 as listed on BestBuy.com) is a very entry level 15.6-inch model. You can hardly find a slower processor than the AMD E-300 and a smaller hard drive than 320GB on the market. The C855D-S5105 / C855D-S510 includes both of these. But, you can’t find a full-size laptop for $280 either, and that’s exactly how much this model costs.

On the other side, 4GB of RAM is a satisfactory amount and the notebook has almost all other standard laptop features. We say “almost” because the notebook doesn’t have an HDMI port. However, there are a webcam, stereo speakers, VGA out, three USBs, media card reader, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet LAN.

If you don’t like the result of the E-300 you see on the chart above, you can step up to the C855-S5107 version with the much faster Intel Pentium 2020M and a price tag of $330.

Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5105 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch 1366-by-768 pixels, TruBrite (glossy)
• Processor: AMD E-300 1.3GHz dual-core “Fusion” APU, 1MB cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6310 integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, expandable to 16GB
• Storage: 320GB hard disk at 5,400 rpm
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: Yes, 720p
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wireless N, 10/100 Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: keyboard with dedicated numeber pad, multi-touch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 3 USB 2.0, 1 x VGA, memory card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion, “up to 3.77 hours” battery life
• Dimensions: 1.3″ x 15″ x 9.5″
• Weight: 5.5 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

With its price of $470, the 14-inch Sony Vaio SVE1413TCXB with the Intel Pentium 2020M processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard disk is far more expensive than the 15.6″ Toshiba Satellite C855-S5107 with the same CPU and RAM, a bigger 500GB HDD, and a $330 price tag. However, the SVE1413TCXB has some features that are not present on the Toshiba. These are backlight keyboard and Bluetooth 4.0, but they can hardly justify the $140 price difference.

True, the Sony Vaio E-series has a more appealing distinctive wrap design (in black color) and 14″ laptops are generally more expensive than similarly equipped 15.6-inchers.

Regarding computing performance, the included Pentium 2020M delivers enough power for effortless completing of daily tasks and multimedia playback.

According to official info provided by Sony, the battery life on this model is “up to six hours”.

Sony Vaio SVE1413TCXB Specifications

• Display: 14-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution
• Processor: Intel Pentium 2020M dual-core at 2.4GHz, 2MB cache
• Graphics: Intel HD IGP
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 at 1,600MHz, up to 8GB
• Storage: 320GB hard drive, 5,400 rpm
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 1.3MP 720p
• Audio: Stereo speakers
• Network: 802.11b/g/n wireless, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS
• Input: chiclet-style backlit keyboard, multi-touch trackpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0, 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, Memory Stick / SD card reader
• Battery: 6-cell 5300mAh, “up to 6 hours” battery life
• Dimensions: 13.55″ x 1.00–1.39″ x 9.60″
• Weight: 5.30 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The 15.6-inh Asus X501A-SI30302Q laptop delivers the same light weight of 4.6 pounds and features as the X501A-BSPDN22, but the former has a better processor. It’s the Intel Core i3-3120M, which is an upgrade from the Pentium 2020M used in the latter model and it significantly boosts performance, as you can see in the chart.

This full-size laptop, which lacks optical disk drive, has 4GB of RAM memory and a 500GB hard drive. Other notable specifications include 1366×768 screen resolution, stereo speakers, a 1MP web camera, a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 port, VGA and HDMI video connectors, a multi-in-one card reader, and Wi-Fi and Gigabit LAN. As you’ve maybe noticed, there are only two USB ports, whereas other 15.6″ notebook usually have three or four. Fortunately, HDMI port isn’t missing like on some other budget laptops.

The X501A-SI30302Q costs $370. If you need a built-in optical drive and more USB ports at the similar price point, you can take a look at the Toshiba Satellite C855-S5108 for $380. However, our opinion is that the Asus has a more stylish and elegant look.

Asus Asus X501A-SI30302Q Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch 1,366 x 768 pixels
• Processor: Intel Core i3-3120M, 3MB L3 cache, 2.5GHz clock speed
• Graphics: Intel HD integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 1,600MHz RAM
• Storage: 500GB hard drive at 5,400rpm
• Optical drive: none
• Webcam: 1MP
• Audio: stereo speakers, SonicMaster Lite audio technology
• Network: Wireless-N, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: Chiclet-style keyboard, number pad, wide touchpad without physical buttons
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-formatcard reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.3″ x 15″ x 10″
• Weight: 4.6 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Samsung NP510R5E-A01UB is a slightly different laptop if you compare it to the NP510R5E-A02UB. The 15.6-inchers belong to the thin-and-light notebook category with their profiles measuring 0.9″, aluminum cases, and no optical drives built-in. The NP510R5E-A01UB has an Intel Core i5 chip, while the latter sports an i7, but in reality both processors offer almost the same performance. That’s because the included i5-3230M is a full-voltage part, whereas the i7 CPU in the A02UB model is an ultra-low voltage chip with better power efficiency. You can check these out in the PassMark test chart below. Another difference is 6GB of RAM in the A01UB, down from 8GB, but both RAM amounts are more than sufficient for all daily tasks of the average user.

The 750GB hard drive is also an above average amount on today’s market, while the other stand out features include Bluetooth, Intel Wireless Display technology, and anti-glare display coating which is a good and not so common feature on the consumer-oriented laptops.

Otherwise, the feature set is an average one and provides three USBs, HDMI and VGA, a media card reader, Wi-Fi, Gigabit LAN, a 720p web camera, and stereo speakers.

The price for the Samsung NP510R5E-A01UB $600, wheres the mentioned i7 model with the less power-hungry CPU and more RAM is $730. That higher price doesn’t bring any significant advantage, so the A01UB appears to be a better optimized choice if you consider the price and components.

Samsung NP510R5E-A01UB Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 pixels, anti-glare
• Processor: 3rd Gen Intel Core i5-3230M, two cores, 3MB L3 cache, 2.6-3.2GHz clock speed
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 IGP
• Memory: 6GB DDR3 system memory at 1,600MHz
• Storage: 750GB hard drive at 5,400rpm
• Optical drive: no
• Webcam: Yes, 720p
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth 4.0 interface, Intel Wireless Display technology
• Input: keyboard with dedicated numeric pad, multitouch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-in-one card reader
• Battery: 3-cell
• Dimensions: 0.90″ x 14.80″ x 9.76″
• Weight: 4.6 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Dell Inspiron I15RV-1428BLK is a new 15.6-inch model from the PC maker’s affordable laptop line. Despite being cheap, with a price tag of around $350, the I15RV-1428BLK isn’t as bulky and underpowered as the older entry Inspiron notebooks. This one sports a new thin design with a profile measuring 1″ and the latest Intel Pentium ultra-low voltage processor.

The CPU in question is the recently released Pentium 2117U, which has lower power consumption than the full-voltage counterparts and performance similar to the B-series Pentium full-voltage models.

Other parts of the notebook reveal that it is a classic consumer laptop with 4GB RAM, a 500GB hard drive, DVD burner, a display resolution of 1366×768 pixels, 1MP web camera, stereo speakers, HDMI, four USB ports, Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, an 8-in-1 media card reader, and additionally Bluetooth 4.0, which is not a common feature for budget laptops. The old VGA video connector is missing.

Dell’s Inspiron I15RV-1428BLK has a textured matte finish on the chassis made of black plastics and a chiclet keyboard accompanied by a spacious trackpad.

The new thin Inspiron series competes directly against the HP Pavilion Sleekbook, which is a slimmer version of the budget Pavilion g-series.

Dell Inspiron I15RV-1428BLK Specifications

• Display: 15.6″, 1366 x 768 resolution, glossy
• Processor: Intel Pentium 2117U dual-core at 1.8GHz, 2MB cache
• Graphics: Intel HD graphics
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM included, max. 8GB
• Storage: 500GB hard disk (5400 rpm)
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 1MP HD
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: Wireless-N, Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth 4.0
• Input: Full-size chiclet-style keyboard with numeric keypad, touchpad with multitouch gesture support and physical buttons
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, HDMI, 8-in-1 card reader
• Battery: 4-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.0″ x 14.8″ x 10.2″
• Weight: 5.1 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The HP Pavilion g6-2231dx is a laptop which comes bundled with an 8GB Flash drive, notebook sleeve, and Kaspersky anti-virus for a total price of $380. This price tag recommends the g6-2231dx over the g6-2320dx, because the latter has the same specifications without any bundled extras for the same amount of money.

Speaking of specs, HP’s g6-2231dx is an entry-class laptop with the AMD A6-4400M dual core processor incrporating the Radeon HD 7520G integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, DVD burner, stereo speakers, webcam, HDMI, three USB ports, and a six-cell battery.

These features are packed into a glossy black chassis with a chiclet-style keyboard in the center.

Overall, the laptop is good for everyday use, but we would still recommend a system with an Intel Core processor, such as the Toshiba Satellite C855-S5111 with a Core i3 chip for $380. It doesn’t come bundled with a sleeve, anti-virus, and flash drive, but these additions are pretty much cheap even if you buy them separately and the i3 is far better than the A6.

HP Pavilion g6-2231dx Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch 1366×768-pixel display, glossy
• Processor: AMD A6-4400M CPU with 2 cores, 2.7GHz clock speed, and 1MB of Cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7520G integrated GPU
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, max. 8GB
• Storage: 500GB hard drive at 5400rpm
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: TrueVision HD
• Audio: Stereo speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio technology
• Network: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: chiclet-style keyboard with numeric keypad, textured multitouch touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-format card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.4″ x 14.8″ x 9.6″
• Weight: 5.5 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The product page on Best Buy says the Lenovo N586 – 59343757 belongs to the IdeaPad entertainment notebook lineup, but this 15.6-inch model is more likely an Essential-series budget laptop, judging from its look and specifications.

The monolithic- and utilitarian-looking N586 – 59343757 is made of black matte plastics and won’t win any design awards with its 1.4″ thick chassis, but on the other side, it’s a pretty much affordable notebook with a $400 price tag. It packs the decent AMD A6-4400M dual-core processor, but since there are laptops with faster CPUs and lower prices, the N586 – 59343757 could have been even cheaper.

One of the good choices is the Intel Pentium-powered Dell I15RV-1428BLK from the new 1″ thin Inspiron series. It’s only $350 and additionally provides Bluetooth. Both laptops have 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, four USB ports, HDMI, webcams and stereo speakers.

The Lenovo N586 is maybe a better choice ergonomic-wise, since it has the company’s AccuType keyboard with specially designed curved keys.

Lenovo N586 – 59343757 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-incher with 1366×768 resolution
• Processor: AMD A6-4400M dual-core, 2.7-3.2GHz, 1MB L2 cache
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7520G integrated
• Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM, expandable to 8GB
• Storage: 500GB 5,400rpm HDD
• Optical Drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: Yes
• Audio: stereo speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio v2
• Network: Wireless N, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, no Bluetooth
• Input: Chiclet AccuType ergonomic keyboard with numeric pad, trackpad with physical buttons
• Ports and Slots: 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 1 x multi-format media card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.4 x 14.8 x 9.7 inches
• Weight: 5.7 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year

The Asus X55C-SI30301N is the same notebook as the X55C-SI30202M, which is no longer available. Both are equipped with the 2nd Generation Intel Core i3-2370M processor, 4GB RAM, a 500GB hard disk, and a DVD burner. The X55C-SI30301N is nevertheless a better shopping option, because for about the same amount of money it ships bundled with a Logitech M315 wireless mouse, a laptop sleeve by Targus, Kaspersky anti-virus 1-year subscription, and an 8GB SanDisk flash memory USB stick. The whole package costs $390 and is available via Best Buy.

On the other hand, if you don’t need all these extras and a built-in DVD writer, a better choice is the $20 cheaper Asus X501A-SI30302Q, because it has the newer and faster 3rd Generation Core i3-3120M CPU, an HDMI port, which is omitted on the X55C-SI30301N, and a more streamlined and cleaner design with chiclet keyboard keys instead of classic ones.

One of the downsides of these laptops is a small number of USB ports. They have only two of them, but thankfully one of them provides USB 3.0 speed.

Asus X55C-SI30301N Specifications

• Display: 15.6″, resolution of 1366-by-768 pixels
• Processor: 2nd Gen Intel Core i3-2370M dual-core CPU at 2.4GHz, 3M L3 cache
• Graphics: Intel HD 3000
• Memory: 4GB DDR3, upgradeable to 8GB
• Storage: 500GB 5,400rpm HDD
• Optical drive: DVD writer
• Webcam: 0.3MP webcam
• Audio: Stereo speakers, SonicMaster Lite
• Network: Wireless-N, Gigabit Ethernet, no Bluetooth
• Input: keyboard with numeric pad, multitouch trackpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x VGA out, multiformat media card reader
• Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion
• Dimensions: 1.3 x 14.9 x 9.9 inches
• Weight: 5.4 lbs
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year