Sub-£350 laptops are never going to be capable of high end computing. They won't run the 3D latest games, or edit high-definition video.
But, for stuff like word processing or web browsing they're absolutely ideal. All the laptops we've featured in this round-up include screens of 15.4-inches or above, so they're great for home use.
Best of all, though, is the price: for around the same cost as a netbook, you're getting what is pretty much a full-blown PC. Here our our 10 favourite sub-£350 notebooks.
1. Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo V6535 - £276
An ideal machine for families, Fujitsu Siemens' Esprimo V6535 features a matt 15.4-inch screen, which eliminates reflections, and an Intel GMA 4500M graphics chip, which is actually surprisingly capable for 3D application Build quality is impressive, too, and it won't attract too many scratches and marks. We were also impressed with the large comfortable keyboard, which is very suited to long-term use. Overall, this is a great machine for home use, but with 164 minutes of battery life it'll enjoy trips outside, too.
Read our Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo V6535 review
2. Dell Vostro 1015 - £279
Dell's Vostro is built to the same high standards of all the big D's machines, but it also costs less than £300. Bearing in mind Dell's netbooks are about the same price, it's a complete bargain. For the price, the specifications are - understandably - a bit feeble: you get a 160GB hard drive and a mere 1GB of RAM. But it's also got a nice 15.6-inch screen, a dual-layer DVD rewriter and Windows 7 Home Premium.
3. eMachines G420 - £299
17.3-inches is a whopping screen size, and one you don't often seen on laptops in this price range. It's all backed up amicably by the its components, such as Nvidia's 9100M graphics chip, which is capable of basic photo editing, and a surprisingly powerful AMD Sempron processor. The sheer size of the beast means it's not the most portable of PCs, but as a clutter-free desktop replacement it's ideal.
Read our eMachines G420 review
4. Asus X58L - £299
Asus' bargailicious laptop doesn't really stand out from the crowd apart from in one area: its vibrant 15.4-inch screen. Its glossy Super- TFT coating means colours pop off the screen, and contrast and black levels are also impressive. Performance isn't great, but added extras like a dual-layer DVD rewriter and a 4-in-1 card reader make it nice and practical. It's hard-wearing, too, and features a smooth keyboard and large touchpad. Certainly not a bad option, especially given the low price.
5. Asus X5DC-SX025V - £299
Not the greatest laptop in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but we found Asus' venture into the world of cheap portable PCs pleasing enough. Although it let us down in the performance stakes, its usability more than made up for it, with a lovely keyboard and comfortable 15.6-inch screen making it ideal for internet browsing and word processing. It's also ruggedly made, and its matt-black plastics mean that it's not a magnet for dirt and fingerprints.
Read our Asus X5DC-SX025V review
6. Toshiba Satellite Pro L300-2CH - £299
Toshiba's laptop is incredibly well made, thanks to its bulky, but not-too-heavy chassis. It also includes a lovely 15.4-inch screen perfectly suited for entertainment, and an impressive 194-minute battery life. The included internet security and DVD authoring tools make it ideal for first-time laptop buyers, but it's let down slightly in terms of performance and the awkward arrangement of its USB ports. Nevertheless, it's a portable and competent machine, and feature-packed for the price.
Read our Toshiba Satellite Pro L300-2CH review
7. Lenovo G550 - £330
Lenovo - it of ThinkPad fame - knows how to build a decent laptop, and the G550 is no exception. Usability is the big selling point here, with a solid keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad, as well as a 15.6-inch display capable of stunning brightness, colour and contrast. Lenovo hasn't skimped on innards, either, and you'll find a capacious 320GB drive within a machine that happily multitasks, too. The only slight let-down is graphics performance, but at this price-point it's a given.
8. HP Compaq Presario CQ61-402SA - £347
Performance is actually rather good in HP Compaq Presario. You won't be editing high-definition videos or playing intense 3D games, but in terms of multitasking it's actually rather capable. HP's also bundled CyberLink MediaShow for editing videos and CyberLink PowerDVD for watching movies. Add to this the HDMI output and you've got a multimedia machine ideal for usage in the home. Admittedly, battery life could be a little better, but it's certainly worth the extra £50 over a other laptops in our round-up.
Read our HP Compaq Presario CQ61-402SA review
9. Toshiba Satellite L450-136 - £350
It's a tight match between Toshiba's Satellite L450-136, and Lenovo's G550, above. The Lenovo just about pips the Toshiba in terms of graphical performance, and both offer similar levels of comfort and usability. However, in terms of connectivity, the Toshiba's the winner, including a speedy 802.11n WiFi connection, and an HDMI output for connecting it to a big-screen TV. Combine this with its excellent battery life and strong performance, and it's an extremely versatile laptop.
Read our Toshiba Satellite L450-136 review
10. Advent Modena - £350
The ample storage provided by the 320GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 memory make Advent's Modena stand out from the crowd. As with most laptops of this price, it's not a hugely powerful machine, but it will handle internet browsing and watching the occasional DVD. It also includes a 15.6-inch TFT screen, which is glossy enough to show colours nicely, but not so glossy that you'll be constantly staring at your own face. At 33mm, it's fairly slim, too, but the low battery life means you can't stray too far from the mains.
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