Dell Inspiron 6400

With the relatively large chassis, there's plenty of room for Dell to spread the connectors: two USB 2 ports at the back are kept company by S-Video, VGA, modem and 10/100 Ethernet connectors, with a further two USB 2 ports and mini-FireWire to be found at the right. Digital camera owners will also appreciate the 5-in-1 built-in card reader, and there's an ExpressCard/54 slot for future expansion.

It would be nit-picking to criticise Dell for not including a hardware switch to activate the wireless, especially as Fn+F2 works just as well. As with all new Centrino Duo notebooks, it includes an 802.11a/b/g adaptor, while Bluetooth is a welcome bonus. Just note, the one-year collect-and-return warranty will leave you to pick up carriage and repair costs from the second year onwards.

The 6400 isn't the right notebook for everyone, and we strongly recommend looking at the group test on p90 before making a decision. But if you're on a tighter budget and battery life is more important than gaming speed, it's a superb choice; use E-Value PPUK5-N04646R to get this specification at this price.

Author: Tim Danton