The Samsung NC10 is a completely average Netbook in every way, but we like its keyboard and love its long-running battery.

The Samsung NC10 is a completely average Netbook in every way, but we like its keyboard and love its long-running battery.

If you want a thin-and-light 14-inch laptop or just love the distinctive look, the Samsung X460 is an impressive piece of hardware, but you'll find better value elsewhere.

The ZT Affinity N4004i offers decent performance and great battery life, but it can't compete with the superior build quality found on competing mainstream laptops from big names such as Dell, Gateway, HP, and Toshiba.

Though its subdued design may strike some as square, but the midsize Lenovo IdeaPad Y530 delivers a decent media experience for less than $1,000.

It may look like your standard Netbook, but the Asus N10J is unique because underneath it features discrete, switchable graphics. You'll pay a bit more for the privilege, but the end result works for gaming on the go, as long as you don't mind dialing down your game settings.

With an HD-friendly 16-inch screen, beautiful design, and dedicated graphics, the affordably priced Gateway MC7803u makes an excellent portable entertainment center, provided your HD content is not on a Blu-ray Disc.

The reasonably priced, attractively designed Gateway M-7818u is a solid all-around 15.4-inch laptop for students and home users.

Two hours of battery life is simply not enough for the otherwise unobjectionable and basic Averatec Buddy Netbook.

The 14.1-inch Toshiba Satellite E105 is a solid all-around laptop that delivers on Best Buy's Blue Label promises: longer battery life, lightweight design, and lengthy warranty.