Toshiba Satellite Pro A120

Battery life isn't overly impressive: the light-use life of just over two-and-a-half hours is acceptable, but not enough for regular mobile use. The weight of just under 3kg won't put you off taking it on the occasional trip, though.

As the cheapest of the A120 range, it can't compete in either performance or features with the A-Listed Lenovo 3000 N100 (see p39). This comes with a T2300E Core Dual processor, a dual-layer DVD writer, Bluetooth, a webcam, an 80GB hard disk and Windows XP Professional. However, this A120 costs a significant £111 less than the £477 Lenovo, so provides a great option if the budget's really tight.

All in all, this is a well-designed laptop, delivering basic performance at a great price. It also includes many useful features, such as spill resistance and hard disk protection, that we simply wouldn't expect on a value notebook. Combined with the very usable keyboard and screen, it's highly deserving of a Recommended award.

Author: Seth Barton