ENTRY-LEVEL LAPTOPS

GROUP TEST

With the new university and college terms about to start in many parts of the country, we felt that the price point of laptops up to and including £1300 (inc. VAT), would be enticing to those looking for a machine to see them through three years of education. That is not to say we've focused solely on the student-friendly aspects of the laptops under review. Rather, that we have pitched the reviews towards usability in an educational establishment, which can easily equate to any setting where access to mains power is limited for periods of time.

Entry-Level laptops have a great deal to offer, not only to the student population but also to those on a fixed budget or those looking to replace bulky office desktops with space-saving devices. Twelve months ago, we could have predicted what a typical entry-level laptop would consist of. With the price of components falling month-on-month, you'll find that in many cases there are no similarities. We have collected together eight machines that cross the range of specifications, from deskbound machines running the fastest desktop chips, to ultraportable laptops using Intel's latest Pentium M processor. We even have the first instance of a sub-£1300 laptop to feature an integrated DVD-R/RW drive. Over the following pages you'll find that when it comes to choosing a machine that is right for you, it's no longer a case of looking at the specifications but at what else the machine has to offer - and we're here to help make that decision easier for you.

STUDENT DISCOUNT

This month, we have taken the step of asking the manufacturers of our review machines whether they offer a specific student discount above the quoted price. Sadly, we found that, on the whole, manufacturers do not offer discounts to students. The most popular response being that, as prices are kept to a minimum, there are no further incentives that can be made. However, some manufacturers are more than willing to offer discounts.

If the laptop you're interested in does not carry a discount, we suggest mentioning to potential vendors that you're in higher education and whether they would consider putting together a suitable deal. This may simply consist of extra software but may include a carry case or other peripherals.

REVIEW CO-ORDINATORS:
Michael Browne
Roger Kirkwood