Sony VAIO PCG-FX405

There's some scope for upgrading too, particularly for memory expansion, which can be upgraded to 512Mb. Sadly, both SODIMM sockets were occupied with 128Mb modules on our model, and it would have been better for Sony to have fitted a single 256Mb SODIMM, making future upgrades easier.

The Sony PCG-FX405 isn't going to set your world alight, but it's an honest, hard-working notebook with all the requisite features. The extra grunt supplied by AMD's Athlon 4 processor is very welcome, as is Windows XP Home, which together make the FX405 a thoroughly modern machine. The biggest concern is battery life, which really does hamper its usefulness as a mobile computer: I'd also prefer more than the one-year collect-and-return warranty. These matters aside, it has almost everything at an affordable price.

Author: Gareth Ogden