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Which Notebook to Buy?How to weigh the options and make a great decision.James A. Martin
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The other day, my friend Don asked me something many of you are probably asking yourself this time of year. And no, the question wasn't "Paper or plastic?" It was "Which laptop should I buy?"
To help you find the answer, I've sifted through editorial ratings and reader survey results from PC World, Consumer Reports, and some of our competitors, including PC Magazine, CNet, and Mobile magazine (which recently ceased publication). Based on my highly unscientific survey, I've come up with some likely notebook contenders to get you going.
The Best Reviews
Acer TravelMate. Every month, PC World updates its "Top 10 Notebook PCs" chart. Among the models recently listed, the $1999 Acer TravelMate 8100 was the top desktop replacement model (PC World's rating is 86, Very Good). I found other Acer TravelMate models on the chart, including the 4564 (no longer offered on Acer's Web site) and the 3000 series, listed among the top-ranked notebooks at some of our competitors' Web sites. Based on this consensus, then, you might take a look at Acer TravelMate notebooks.
Dell Inspiron 6000. With a PC World Rating of 83 (Very Good), this notebook was recently among our top desktop replacement notebook picks. Consumer Reports' December 2005 issue also lists the Dell Inspiron 6000 among its highest-rated models, and it was also among two of our competitors' top-rated notebooks. The price of our review unit was $1964.
Other notebooks earning...