When it comes to laptops, everybody�s talking about Ultrabooks and Windows 8
convertibles.
But behind it all, we�re seeing a ton of great, regular ol� laptops at
rock-bottom prices.
In this episode of Top 5 we�re counting down the best laptops under $600, picked
by CNET Senior Editor Dan Ackerman.
Starting off at #5: the Lenovo ThinkPad X130e.
For the price of an iPad, you�re
getting an 11-inch laptop that won�t shatter after a drop off the table.
Like all of
these laptops, it runs Windows 7, this one with a 320GB hard drive and a 1.3GHz
dual-core AMD processor.
It�s a little on the chunky side, but it�s tough.
At #4, coming in at $550, we have the Acer Aspire V5-171-6867.
Ask for it by name, if you
can remember it.
We�re still in the 11-inch tablet zone here, but this one�s thinner, and has a
lot more to brag about.
You get an Intel Core i5 2.6GHz processor, 500GB of storage, USB
3.0 and HDMI out.
It�s a little cramped, but it�s a killer machine.
But the winner of the awful name category goes to #3: the Sony Vaio E Series
SVE11113FXW.
Still 11-inches, still a little chunky and little slow by modern
laptop standards, but the asking price is $449.
That�s the lowest price you�re
going to find on this list.
If all you need is a stylish little laptop for surfing the web
and checking email, this is a great option with impressive battery life.
Coming in at #2, the HP Sleekbook 6.
That name is murder on my lisp, and it
gets us right up to that $600 mark.
The tradeoff is that we�re making the jump to
a 15-inch screen.
Now that�s a proper laptop.
You�re getting all the high-end
design of an HP Envy laptop, but the horsepower is somewhat limited by the
AMD processor.
Bottom line: if you want a $600 laptop that looks like a $1200
laptop, this is the one.
Now before we get to the top, let�s take a reality check over on CNET�s list of the
best 5 laptops overall.
Our #1 pick, the Apple Macbook Pro with retina display will
set you back over $2,000.
For the same money you could buy one of the laptops
on this list for everyone in your home.
And now, the best laptop out there for under $600 is: the Dell Inspiron 17R.
What puts this
one over the top is the 17-inch screen.
That size, along with the Intel Core i3 chip under the
hood, make this a full-fledged desktop replacement.
Is it thin?
No.
And the resolution on that
big screen is a bit of a let down.
But for $599, you�re getting a lot of laptop for the money.
So there you have it, five solid laptops for under $600.
Be sure to check out Dan Ackerman�s
budget laptop roundup at CNET.com.
And for more Top 5�s like this, head over to
Top5.
CNET.com.
I�m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
