This 17" basic desktop replacement boasts good looks and relatively modest weight at 7.2 pounds. Meant to be an affordable widescreen machine, the P205 averages $1,149 depending on configuration and makes an excellent back to school machine. The glossy display is bright and vibrant and performance is good with the Core Duo (Core 2 Duo also available). The P205 has a dual layer DVD burner and an optional HD DVD drive. WiFi and a wide array of ports including FireWire are standard, and a webcam for Skyping home is optional.

Read our Toshiba Satellite P205 review.