Media-Savvy Laptops Are Becoming Affordable

This month, the top four desktop replacements on the chart cost less than $2000 each, and all five ranked all-purpose notebooks come in at under $1350 apiece.

Media mogul: The Sys Technology Freestyle M7500. Don't spend thousands on an entertainment notebook before checking out the Sys Technology Freestyle M7500, our new number three desktop replacement. Its bright 15.4-inch wide screen, matched with CyberLink's PowerCinema-an alternative to Windows Media Center Edition--makes it a budget-friendly way to view movies on the go.

Our new first-place notebook in the all-purpose category, the business-minded HP Compaq nx6125, is attractively priced, too. It includes a fingerprint reader for extra security. The Toshiba Tecra A5-S416, another business portable, sets itself apart with a 14-inch wide screen.

Toshiba's Satellite M55-S325, also new, doubles as a stand-alone DVD player.

For more information about the notebooks reviewed in this chart, including details on how we tested them, please go to .