Lab

Vista laptops

If you're looking for a new PC, the arrival of Microsoft's revamped operating system, Windows Vista, won't have passed you by. Vista's user interface makes some convincing improvements over its predecessor, Windows XP, but that means a computer needs extra oomph to make it work smoothly. Yet if you're thinking you'd need to pay a fortune to get a portable PC with enough power for Vista, you'd be wrong. The laptops we've assembled for this month's group test start at just £440, and even our Best Buy costs less than £600.

If you're shopping for bargains, you may still find laptops sold with Windows XP that are even cheaper. But it won't be long before you wish you had Vista, and then you'll have to pay to upgrade, if upgrading is possible. Vista has new features that make everyday PC use more efficient and convenient, including a global search facility and keyword tagging to help keep track of your pictures, documents and other files. It's also more secure against attacks from the Internet and accidental changes to the system. And if you choose a machine with Vista Home Premium, rather than the entry-level Home Basic, you also get the full effect of Vista's glossy new interface, with its transparent windows and useful 3D Flip between applications, and the benefit of Windows Media Center, which makes it a joy to play your music and movie files (and even watch TV, if you plug in a suitable adaptor).

New recipe

So what exactly makes a good Windows Vista PC? The first requirement is performance. With its added features, Vista demands a higher minimum spec; even for Home Basic, that means a 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM, and in our experience that's not enough.The slowest computer on test met these requirements, but lacked the responsiveness to make menus appear as soon as you click. 1GB of RAM is a more sensible starting point.

While you should aim for adequate processing power, in this price bracket it's not realistic to expect decent games performance. Even the machines that could run our 3D gaming test did so with little glory; others gave up. That's no criticism, but something to note.

In other areas, some impressive features are now standard. All these laptops have DVD writers; most can handle dual-layer discs. All have WiFi built in, giving you Internet access over a wireless network, whether your own or at your local hot spot. If you need FireWire (mostly used to capture video from MiniDV cameras) or Bluetooth (to transfer content to and from your mobile phone, or add wireless peripherals), check whether they're included.

Finally, don't ignore comfort. A poor screen, though rare these days, could lead to eye strain and headaches; a badly cramped keyboard could cause frustration and pain. Fortunately, most of these laptops proved a pleasure to use.