Campus Technlology's January 2001 Sub-$500 Laptop Roundup: Dual-Core -- Campus Technology

Mobile Computing | January 2011 Product Roundup
Laptops for the Price of an iPad

Sure, those tablets are adorable, but for less than $500 you can get a whole lot of computing power and a real keyboard to boot.

This laptop guide is a companion piece to the January 2011 product roundup in the print edition of Campus Technology. All laptops are consumer models released in 2010, and prices are the suggested retail price. Product descriptions are based on manufacturers' specifications; CT has not done any product testing to verify manufacturers' performance claims.

BROWSE LAPTOPS

Processor

Dual Core

List Price

Weight

Screen Size

Misc

Manufacturers

Dell Inspiron 14
$499.99
The G42T sports a dual-core 2.3 GHz Intel Pentium T4500 (1 MB level-2 cache per core, 800 MHz frontside bus) and comes equipped with a 14-inch (1,600 x 900) display, 250 GB internal SATA drive, and 2 GB DDR2 memory. It weighs in at 4.96 lbs.

Features
Graphics: Intel 4500MHD
Networking/Wireless: 802.11g Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 3 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL
Card Reader: 7-in-1 media card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure Digital High Density, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD Picture Card)
Battery: 9 cell lithium ion battery, up to 8 hrs., 10 mins.
Other: 1.3 megapixel Webcam

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Dell Inspiron 15R
$499.99
The Inspiron 15R base model sports a dual-core 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-370M processor (3 MB cache) and comes equipped with a 15.6-inch 720p HD LED display, 320 GB internal SATA drive, and 3 GB DDR2 memory. It weighs in at 4.96 lbs.

Features
Graphics: Intel 4500MHD
Networking/Wireless: 802.11g/n Wi-Fi, BlueTooth 2.1+EDR, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 3 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL
Card Reader: 7-in-1 media card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure Digital High Density, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD Picture Card)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 4 hrs., 2 mins.
Other: 1.3 megapixel Webcam; HD audio 2.2; one year LoJack for Laptops standard theft protection

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium; Roxio Burn 1.0

Dell Inspiron 17R
$499.99
The Inspiron 17R base model comes equipped with the largest display in our sub-$500 laptop roundup, a 17.3-inch (1,600 x 900) screen. It runs on a dual-core 2 GHz Intel Pentium P6100 (265 MB level-2 cache per core, 3 MB shared level-3 cache) and comes equipped with a 250 GB internal SATA drive, and 2 GB DDR3 memory. It weighs in at 6.67 lbs.

Features
Graphics: Intel HD
Networking/Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 3 USB 2.0 ports; 1 combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port w/sleep and charge
Display Ports: HDMI
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL (optional Blu-ray player)
Card Reader: 7-in-1 media card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure Digital High Density, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD Picture Card)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 3.8 hrs.
Other: 10-key number pad; 1.3 megapixel Webcam; Energy Star

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Gateway NV55C03u
$479.99
Powered by a dual-core 2 GHz Intel Pentium P6100 (265 MB level-2 cache per core, 3 MB shared level-3 cache), the NV55C03u offers a 15.6" HD (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 320 GB internal SATA drive, and 3 GB DDR3 memory. It weighs in at 5.72 lbs.

Features
Graphics: Intel HD
Networking/Wireless: 802.11n Wi-Fi; gigabit Ethernet
Connectivity: 3 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: HDMI, VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL
Card Reader: 2-in-1 media card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 4 hrs., 34 mins.
Other: 1.3 megapixel Webcam; 10-key number pad; multi-gesture touchpad

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Gateway NV55C35u
$449.99
Powered by a dual-core 2 GHz Intel Pentium P6100 (265 MB level-2 cache per core, 3 MB shared level-3 cache), the NV55C35u offers a 15.6" HD (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 250 GB internal SATA drive, and 4 GB DDR3 memory. It weighs in at 5.72 lbs.

HP G42T
$449.99
The G42T sports a dual-core 2 GHz Intel Pentium P6100 (265 MB level-2 cache per core, 3 MB shared level-3 cache) and comes equipped with a 14-inch screen (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 320 GB internal SATA drive, and 3 GB DDR3 memory. It weighs in at 4.85 lbs.

Features
Graphics: Intel HD (optional ATI Mobility RadeonHD 5470 discrete graphics)
Networking/Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 3 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: HDMI, VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL (optional Blu-ray player)
Card Reader: 5-in-1 media card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD Picture Card)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 5 hrs., 30 mins.
Other: Computrace LoJack for Laptops; Webcam; Energy Star

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5048
$484.99
Sporting a dual-core 2.1GHz AMD Athlon II P320 processor (512 KB level-2 cache per core), the Satellite C655D-S5048 offers a 15.6" HD (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 320 GB internal SATA drive, and 3 GB DDR3 memory. Weight: 5.51 lbs.

Features
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
Networking/Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 2 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL
Card Reader: 4-in-1 shared memory card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Mini SD, MultiMediaCard) (adaptor may be required)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 3.8 hrs.
Other: 10-key number pad; multi-gesture touchpad; Energy Star

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5088
$479.99
Sporting a dual-core 2.2 GHz AMD Athlon II P340, the Satellite C655D-S5088 offers a 15.6" HD (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 500 GB internal SATA drive, and 4 GB DDR3 memory. It weighs 5.5 lbs.

Features
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
Networking/Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 2 USB 2.0 ports
Display Ports: VGA
Optical Drive: CD/DVD±R DL
Card Reader: 4-in-1 shared memory card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Mini SD, MultiMediaCard) (adaptor may be required)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 3.4 hrs.
Other: 10-key number pad; multi-gesture touchpad; Energy Star

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium

Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150
$499
Sporting a dual-core 1.3 GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K325 chip (1 MB level-2 cache per core), the Satellite T215D-S1150 offers an 11.6" HD (1,366 x 768) widescreen display, 320 GB internal SATA drive, and 2 GB DDR3 memory. Weight: 3.3 lbs.

Features
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225
Networking/Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100 LAN
Connectivity: 2 USB 2.0 ports; 1 combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port w/sleep and charge
Display Ports: HDMI, VGA
Card Reader: 5-in-1 shared memory card reader (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, MultiMediaCard) (adaptor may be required)
Battery: 6 cell lithium ion battery, up to 5 hrs.
Other: Webcam with integrated digital microphone; multi-gesture touchpad; Energy Star

Software
Operating System: 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium