HP Laptop

The Pavilion DV 1000 HP laptop is attractive, thin, and relatively lightweight at 5.5 pounds. Its pleasing display (blue back lights) and ergonomically efficient keyboard have made it a perennial favorite among business travelers. In addition, the Pavilion DV 1000 HP laptop gets excellent battery life, although insiders recommend purchasing a spare battery for the road--just in case.

The Pavilion DV 1000 prices competitively its class, but its cheaper graphics chip shows when it comes to gaming. Compared to its Toshiba Qosimo rival, the Pavilion can't match 3-D game performance. That said, the unit is extremely quiet and easy to tote. You may want to attach a mouse, since the touchpad isn't completely centered on this Pavilion model.

Even when spinning at 5,400 rpm, the DV 1000 Pavilion doesn't produce excessive heat or noise. HP customer service is reputed to be the best in the industry. Movie and music enthusiasts can use the QuickPlay feature on this HP laptop to access music and start up DVDs without much hassle. (You don't even have to boot up the computer to play these multimedia features!). Of course, to get the QuickPlay feature, you need to tack on an additional $250 to the price tag.

Go for the 12 cell lithium battery. Even though the six cell gives you more life, on average, than a standard lithium battery, the 12 cell is worth the investment, if only for peace of mind. All told, the HP Pavilion DV 1000 is likely a better buy than the Compaq 2000, another computer in this laptop class.