Lenovo ThinkPad T60p (Windows Vista)

The good: Slick, professional design; bundled ThinkVantage security applications.

The bad: Display is not wide screen; upgraded specs can double the price.

The bottom line: The Lenovo ThinkPad T60p, the go-to laptop for button-down business users, makes a largely effortless transition to Windows Vista.

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Description: This configuration of the Lenovo ThinkPad T60p is a 6.2-pound, consumer level notebook computer. Compared to other mainstream notebooks on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $950. Has Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) built-in. Features ATI Mobility FireGL V5250 graphics with 256MB of video memory.

Pros: Has a plug-in module media bay, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced notebooks. By way of comparison, the typical cost of a product with this favorable a media bay is $1,465. Also, this notebook comes with Microsoft Windows Vista business and Microsoft Windows Vista OS, which is somewhat more favorable than some similarly priced notebooks. By way of comparison, the average cost of a product with a comparable set of OS is $1,420. The DVD-Writer is housed in a modular plug-in drive bay, which is more upgradeable and gives you more options than an integrated drive.

Cons: Has a DVD-Writer removable disc drive, which is less favorable than some similarly priced notebooks. Also, this notebook has a 6.2-pound weight. This is not out of line with the product's price, but is heavier than the average notebook on the market today. The Lenovo ThinkPad T60p comes with basic word processing software – if you often create complex documents you will likely need to upgrade to a more powerful office suite .

Suitability: A general-purpose notebook, suited for general mobile computing. Enjoy movies while in transit with this notebook's DVD player. With 256MB of dedicated video RAM, this machine will do a lot better than most other notebooks, when it comes to multimedia applications and games. If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled laptop.

Value: In view of its relatively inexpensive price, this notebook has great features for the money. For example, when it comes to screen size, the average price of mainstream consumer products with a comparable screen size is considerably more -- right around $1,093. Generally, this economy-class model lacks curb appeal, but budget-minded consumers will like the low price.

Suggestions: (1) Given this device's Wi-Fi capability, you may want to get a wireless access point for your home, so that you can browse the Internet more conveniently from any room. (2) To get the most out of this laptop's Bluetooth capability, you could have a Bluetooth-enabled headset, handheld or other device, and be able to link it wirelessly to your computer within a range of 20-or-so feet inside the same room.