Toshiba Tecra M5-S5331 (Core Duo 1.83 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD)

Description: The Toshiba Tecra M5-S5331 is a 5.1-pound, mainstream notebook computer. Compared to other consumer level notebooks on the market, it is midpriced at around $1,080. Has Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) built-in.

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 has only a 5.1-pound weight, which is lighter than some similarly priced notebooks. This notebook comes with a SD card slot, making it easy to swap digital pictures, music clips, and other files with your palmtop. The DVD? RW(? R DL) / DVD-RAM is housed in a modular plug-in drive bay, which is more upgradeable and gives you more options than an integrated drive.

Cons: Has only 512 MB RAM, which is considerably less than some similarly priced notebooks. For example, the HP Pavilion tx2120us , a 4.6-pound notebook at around $1, 180, has 4 GB RAM. Also, this notebook only has a Core Duo processor, which is somewhat less efficient than some similarly priced notebooks. For example, the Lenovo 3000 , a 4.4-pound notebook at around $1, 200, has a Core 2 Duo processor. Integrated graphics controllers that rely on shared RAM are sometimes an acceptable trade-off for budget-minded users.

Suitability: Suited for those who just need a basic notebook. Store massive amounts of data on DVD using the DVD recorder included in this computer. Comes with office-grade word processing software; it comes with well-rounded features for most writers. You can use the bundled video software to compile and edit movies uploaded from a digital videocamera. If you have a wireless network at home, wirelessly browse the Internet from any room in your house with this Wi-Fi enabled notebook.

Value: In general, 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 quite a bit more -- right around $1,279. Generally, while it won't impress at LAN-parties, this item may be just the ticket for a buyer on a tight budget.

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) Using this PC's Firewire (1394) port, you can connect to many digital camcorders and other equipment to rapidly upload data to the notebook hard drive.