In preparation for the new school year, summer is a busy time for shopping laptop deals, and there are some truly amazing deals awaiting you. Some companies are offering big discounts, some are offering a free laptop with mobile broadband package and Microsoft is even throwing in a free Xbox 360. But none of this makes it any easier for you to decide which laptop computer is the right one for you or your child. In order to help you with that, we have compiled this look at the top three laptops of 2011 (so far, because we know that this market is always in flux).
Acer Cromia Chromebook (Wi-Fi)
Along with the Samsung Series 5, the Acer Cromia is the first commercial Chromebook on the market, and it’s a doozy at an amazing sub-$400 price tag. The important thing to understand about Chromebooks is that they are not (yet) PC and Mac replacements. So if you have specific software requirements, a Chromebook is likely not for you. If, on the other hand, you need an affordable, powerful, highly portable laptop with extremely long battery life, then a Chromebook may be the perfect choice. Answer these questions: What are my computing needs, and can I meet those needs within the Google ‘sandbox?’ If the answer to that second question is yes, then the Chromebook is an extremely tough value to beat, especially considering that nearly all of the software for it is available free.
Acer Cromia Chromebook (Wi-Fi)
Toshiba Satellite L500
The Toshiba Satellite L500/L505 costs about twice as much as the Acer Cromia does, but this is a full-blown Windows laptop with 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and a gorgeous 15.6-inch display. You also have the option of a dual-core AMD Turion II processor instead. At the current price, this laptop is a phenomenal value that provides high performance, excellent portability and impressive usability. About the only negative associated with it is its relatively short battery life. It is well suited to classroom use, but if you use it for a lot of multimedia, then you’ll want to consider upgrading to a more powerful battery. The great thing about buying Toshiba is that you get Toshiba’s amazing reputation for longevity. Over the past decade, no laptop manufacturer has provided greater durability. Many consumers buy a laptop to last 2-3 years, but this may be an important factor if you need yours to last longer.
Toshiba Satellite L500
ASUS K50IJ-XA1
ASUS is a name that has only recently begun to make an impression with the casual consumer, but gamers and power users have respected this name for years. Like Toshiba, ASUS earned that respect through their commitment to high-quality minor parts. These parts often fly under the average consumer’s radar, but they are precisely what determine longevity. The nice thing about this ASUS is that it is less expensive than the Toshiba but only a hundred dollars or so more expensive than the Chromebook. It’s not quite as light, but it is nearly as portable due to its compactness. It has a spacious 15.6-inch display, and under the hood, you get a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 4 GB DD2 SDRAM and a 500GB HDD. So it is portable enough for school and perfect for Internet, video and word processing, but it is also quite powerful enough to handle the latest games at a relatively high quality and speed.
ASUS K50IJ-XA1
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