It's probably accurate to say PCs are generally getting cheaper -- and the latest raft of budget laptops we tested this month goes some way to demonstrate that cheap doesn't have to mean nasty.

These are not gaming machines, unless Solitaire is your limit, nor are they the sort of computing powerhouses that make the lights dim every time they boot up. What the seven laptops we review here represent is one of the most cost-effective forms of computing around. In fact, an internet cafe is about the only cheaper alternative.

While bargain notebooks appeal to small startup businesses or cash-strapped students, you do risk heading down a computing cul-de-sac. With limited upgrade opportunities, it is vital to ensure you buying the right hardware to see out its useful operating lifespan.

Even minor upgrades will be expensive. So, we're not interested in how fast these laptops are -- although relative speeds will count -- but in what you get for your money. Specifications and prices are correct at the time of press, but they do change regularly. Prices we've given are the manufacturers' recommended retail prices, with VAT and delivery included. Shop around and you may get a better price.

Toshiba Satellite L100

The Toshiba L100 may wear the usual dull business-grey on the outside, but once opened up it's very sleek. There's a generous area to support your wrists, stereo speakers at the front and handy audio/video controls.

It is made from sturdy plastic and, despite weighing just 2.7kg, feels well built. Only the slightly flexing keyboard was a minor spoiler. Intel's 1.4GHz Celeron mobile processor sits at the heart of the L100 and while it may lack grunt, it is capable of reasonable performance in less intensive applications. On the up side, the L100 comes fitted with 512MB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM, which helps general workflow. However, as the ATI Radeon Xpress 200M takes its 64MB share, in reality you'll have only about 450MB to play with. The ATI Xpress 200M isn't the fastest graphics processor, but it produces enough muscle to power the 15in screen brightly and clearly. And it's more than a match for the main CPU (central processing unit).

Although Toshiba equips the L100 with only a 40GB hard drive, this is normal at this price. If you want to rip CDs or carry out data-intensive tasks, there's a dual-layer DVD writer on which to store it all. Other goodies include 802.11b/g wireless, a built-in modem, USB, ethernet, VGA and TV-out jacks, rounded off with a PCI card slot but, sadly, no FireWire.

Benchmark scores were nothing to get excited about, but once we rolled out our game timed demos, the tables were turned. ATI graphics left the Intel chipsets in its wake, clocking up impressive frame rates. Unfortunately, the battery life didn't produce the same eager performance of the graphics.

Medion MIM 2220

You may not have heard of the Medion, but perhaps you should get acquainted, as it offers the grunt of a 1.7GHz Pentium M processor.

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