The Lenovo IdeaPad V460 is nearly the ideal sub-$1,000 thin-and-light laptop. With the base model starting at $699 (our test configuration cost $799), it offers sleek looks, plenty of features, and manually switchable graphics, the last of which helps it deliver very good overall performance. Unfortunately, the battery life is disappointing—a big drawback for a machine that’s meant to spend significant time on the road.
2.27GHz Intel Core i5-430M
4GB DDR3
320GB hard drive
DVD±RW
14 inches (1,366x768 native resolution)
Integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD; Nvidia GeForce 310M (512MB)
4.9 pounds
1.1x13.4x9.2 inches
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Buy the Lenovo Ideapad V460- [$979.60 - Amazon]
The Dell Inspiron 17R
Once again, Dell is making a big splash with a new line of consumer notebooks. This time around, the newcomer is the Inspiron R Series, and the theme is a popular one: cramming in high-end features while keeping the price low. The R Series offers a newly designed chassis and several fun color options, and it comes in sizes ranging from a lightweight 13-inch laptop to an imposing 17-inch desktop replacement.
We looked at the Inspiron 17R, a stylish 17-inch model sporting a beautiful high-definition (HD) display and an eye-catching finish. What's more, it comes with a discrete graphics processor, unusual for a laptop in this price range. (The model we tested cost $849 when we wrote this.) While this looks good on paper, our testing indicates that the graphics hardware could still stand for some improvement. If you're looking for a laptop with a big display for reasons other than gaming or graphics-intensive work, this Inspiron has potential. Gamers won't rejoice, however. It all depends on what you intend to do with your notebook.
Technical Specifications
2.4GHz Intel Core i5-450M
4GB RAM
320GB hard drive
DVD±RW
17.3 inches (1,600x900 native resolution)
ATI Radeon HD 5470 (1GB)
7.1 pounds
1.4x16.5x10.9 inches
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Buy the Dell Inspiron 17R [$951.60 - TechForLess]