Don't Miss

CNET Reviews - Most Popular Computer Systems

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Gateway T-6836
A standout among budget midsize laptops, the 14.1-inch Gateway T-6836 marries strong performance and battery life with a compact, well-designed case.
2 Lenovo ThinkPad X300
The ThinkPad X300 breaks new ground by packing a broad display, full-size keyboard, and nearly every feature a mobile user needs into a sleek, lightweight case.
3 Apple MacBook - black (Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard)
Apple has been content to issue minor periodic hardware updates to the 13-inch MacBook, but the modest performance gains and new Leopard OS keep it in our top tier of laptop recommendations.
4 Dell Studio 15
Dell's first release from its new Studio line, the Studio 15, sits between the Inspiron and XPS lines and offers a good mix of features for the price, but we'd be tempted to save up a few extra dollars for a thinner, lighter XPS.
5 Asus M70SA-X2
You can find Blu-ray-equipped desktop replacements for less, but no other media laptop currently offers as many features for the price as the Asus M70.
6 Acer Aspire One (Linpus Linux Lite, White)
The Acer Aspire One is easily the best of the current under-$400 Netbooks, but its meager allotment of memory and tiny battery limit its appeal.
7 Asus Eee PC 900 (white)
The 9-inch Asus Eee PC 900 adds a bigger screen and a larger capacity solid-state hard drive than its 7-inch precursor, but the new price has passed the point of an impulse purchase.
8 HP Officejet J6480
The HP Officejet J6480 has a lot of built-in features that are rarely found included in a $200 printer. Shoppers looking for an all-inclusive multifunctional unit will be impressed with the robust hardware and rich print quality.
9 Asus Eee PC 901 (white, Windows XP)
The long-awaited Asus Eee PC 901 is the best version of this inexpensive Netbook yet, but it's facing increased competition from the likes of HP, Dell, and MSI.
10 Dell Inspiron 1525
Taking consumer complaints to heart, Dell updates its mainstream 15-inch laptop with the Inspiron 1525. It's thinner, lighter, and less expensive than its predecessor.
11 Gateway P-7811FX
We don't know how Gateway makes money selling these things, but the combination of high-end components and low price makes the 17-inch Gateway P-7811FX the best mobile gaming deal going right now.
12 Lenovo IdeaPad U110 (red)
The 11.1-inch Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is the most beautiful laptop we've seen in years, and behind those good looks is a well-appointed, fairly priced ultraportable. Despite a few minor nitpicks, we recommend the IdeaPad U110 to those who want a lightweight, eye-catching laptop for frequent travel.
13 HP Pavilion dv6985se
The HP Pavilion dv6985se is a well-stocked mainstream machine with a long-living (though heavy) 12-cell battery. We recommend it, provided you like the unique copper-colored case and are willing to schlep around 6.6 pounds of laptop.
14 Canon Pixma MX700
The Canon Pixma MX700 is a great choice for small offices with a wide variety of print tasks. This inkjet multifunction beats out the competition with a winning combination of features and performance.
15 Lenovo ThinkPad X200
It lacks some basic features you may require--touch pad, optical drive--but the 12.1-inch ThinkPad X200 offers strong performance and the longest battery life we've seen. With a variety of connectivity options and a roomy keyboard, the X200 makes a great ultraportable for road warriors.
16 Gateway DX4200-UB001A
We can forgive Gateway for cramming the DX4200 with more memory than it needs simply because its specs and overall performance are the best in its price class. Of the various do-it-all lower midrange PCs out there, this one gets our nod.
17 Sony Vaio NR430E/L
The entry-level Sony Vaio NR430 strikes all the right notes--decent performance, pleasing design, great keyboard and display--to form an excellent 15-inch laptop for students (and home users in general) on tight budgets.
18 Asus Eee PC 4G (white)
For less than $400, the Asus Eee PC 4G offers an impressive package for portable Web surfing and basic productivity, as long as you keep expectations tempered. The incredibly approachable price outweighs any shortcomings; it's a near perfect choice for a highly portable second or backup laptop.
19 Dell XPS 630
With its second full-fledged gaming PC, Dell shows that it understands the mainstream gaming desktop as well as the high-end. The Dell XPS 630 delivers everything a gamer would want in a sub-$2,000 PC, from its components, to its case, to its powerful software. We've seen no better system in this newly competitive category.
20 Dell XPS M1530
Dell's turn toward a "design-first" philosophy continues to pay off with the XPS M1530, easily the best-looking 15-inch laptop in recent memory.
21 Dell Studio S1535-125B
The Dell Studio S1535-125B impresses us with its leading performance in the sub-$1,000 category, thanks in large part to a speedy Intel CPU and generous memory allotment. Striking a fine balance between Dell's XPS and Inspiron lines, we recommend this well-rounded 15-inch laptop for students and home users alike.
22 Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
A slight bump to the specifications for the same price in addition to a much appreciated option to upgrade the graphics means the 24-inch iMac keeps the Editors' Choice it earned last year when the brushed-aluminum-and-glass design was first introduced.
23 D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router
The D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router is the fastest we've seen, but we're still reluctant to recommend it as it's based on an unfinished wireless spec.
24 Dell XPS M1330
Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.
25 Canon Pixma MX7600
The Canon Pixma MX7600 multifunction is a huge improvement over the previous model. With additional features such as an autoduplexer, increased faxing options, and an upgraded control cockpit, we have no problem recommending the MX7600.