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Top 5 budget notebooks

By Darius Chang
Feb 05, 2008

Not all of us need a speed demon-possessed laptop. True, it would be nice to have a blazing-fast 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo machine laced with 2GB of memory and mixed with a high-end discrete graphics card. Naturally, such a system will run the bill way past the S$2,500 (US$1,590.53) mark. But if emails and surfing the Internet are all you do, why use a Porsche just to drive two streets down to the grocery store?

A basic system is really all you need. The latest Core 2 Duo processor? Don't bother. Discrete graphics? Save the cash. However, we do recommend that no matter which system you choose, max out the RAM. It makes a big difference in performance for a relatively small price. Moreover, forgo single-core systems as dual-core machines cost only a little more but give a significant performance boost. Let's take a look at budget systems which won't break the bank.

Note: The selection is based on listed retail prices at Singapore Sim Lim Square stores and Dell's online store correct as of February 1, 2008. Models from the same series are represented only once.

Click here for a feature comparison table.
1.  Acer Aspire 2920Z (Pentium Dual-Core T2330 Processor 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM)

Outlook: Who says a portable machine has to cost the sky? Based on Acer's Gemstone chassis (co-designed with the luxury car designers from BMW), this 12.1-inch laptop not only has an integrated optical drive, but also gives the benefits of dual-core performance at a price which just breaks S$1,000 (US$636.21).

Specifications: Core Duo processor (1.6GHz); 2GB RAM; 120GB harddisk; 12.1-inch display; DVD writer drive
Operating system: Linux
Price: S$1,098 (US$698.56)

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2.  Compaq Presario V3636TU (Pentium Dual Core T2310 Processor 1.46GHz, 512MB RAM)

Outlook: The HP Compaq Presario V3000 delivers a strong set of components and decent basic features for a competitive price. Optional addons like the HP XB 3000 expansion base further expand the functionality of this series with more connectivity ports and better speaker setup.

Specifications: Pentium Dual Core processor (1.46GHz); 512MB RAM; 120GB harddisk; 14.1-inch display; DVD writer drive
Operating system: Windows Home Basic Edition
Price: S$999 (US$635.58)
Store: MC2 Pte Ltd

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3.  Dell Inspiron 6400 (Pentium Dual Core T2080 Processor 1.73GHz, 1GB RAM)
 
CNET Asia rating: 6.4 out of 10
The good: Comfortable keyboard and touchpad; adequate display; solid collection of basic multimedia features; excellent multimedia controls; wide array of configuration options; competitive base price.
The bad: Mediocre performance with Windows Vista; too heavy for regular travel.
The bottom line: With a solid set of multimedia features and high-end components, the Windows Vista-based Dell Inspiron 6400 remains a good laptop for basic home use.

Specifications: Core Duo processor (1.73GHz); 1GB RAM; 160GB harddisk; 15.4-inch display; DVD writer drive
Operating system: Windows Home Basic Edition
Price: S$1,149.18 (US$731.12) (inclusive of delivery)

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4.  HP 520 (Core Duo T2400 Processor 1.83GHz, 1GB RAM)

Outlook: The HP 520 was designed for the budget business user in mind, though we expect its low price will also attract more than its fair share of home users as well. Though the Core Duo chipset is several generations behind, the Windows Vista Business operating system is definitely in step with the times.

Specifications: Core Duo processor (1.83GHz); 1GB RAM; 120GB harddisk; 14.1-inch display; DVD writer drive
Operating system: Windows Vista Business Edition
Price: S$1,199 (US$762.82)

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5.  Toshiba Satellite L40 (Core Duo T2310 processor 1.46GHz, 1.5GB RAM)

Outlook: Despite its affordable price tag, this Satellite not only possesses Toshiba's EasyGuard technology, but is also based on the latest Intel 965 platform with the integrated GMA X3100 graphics chipset.

Specifications: Core Duo processor (1.46GHz); 1.5GB RAM; 80GB harddisk; 15.4-inch display; DVD writer drive
Operating system: Windows Home Basic Edition
Price: S$1,151 (US$732.28)
Store: PA Mart

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