Dell's new budget Inspiron 1000 series notebook PCs don't come with a lot of frills, but they sport some of the best price tags you'll find on any portable system on the market. The low-end system still has some fairly decent specs. There's a 14.1-inch screen and a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron processor inside. The 256MB of memory might be the smallest amount you'll find in a notebook these days, but it's still enough to get most jobs done. There's also an adequate 30GB hard drive and a 24X CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive, so you can watch DVD movies and burn your own audio and data CDs. Graphics are integrated and share 64MB of that memory, so these systems won't be stalwart gaming machines. There's also no wireless functionality built in. The mid-tier of the Inspiron 1000 series beefs up the display to 15 inches, providing more screen room for working or watching movies. There's also a larger 40GB hard drive and price tags that start at $80 more. The high end of the line doubles the memory along with those other upgrades, but the price starts at about $1,000. All of the systems ship with Microsoft Money and Word Perfect, so you'll have the basics in office computing software. All three configurations of the line weigh about 6.5 pounds, so they're not thin-and-lights, but they're still fairly portable. System warranties start at one year, although you can beef that coverage up to three years (for $90 extra). Battery life is below industry par--you're lucky to get more than 1.5 hours with the Inspiron 1000 line. You can add a lithium-Ion battery to your system that will give you an extra 2.5 hours of battery life, but it'll cost you an extra $89. If you're more impressed by a truly excellent price than sheer performance or extended battery power on the go, the Dell Inspiron 1000 line is one of the most affordable laptop lines out there. Pro: Great price, decent components. Con: Low battery life, integrated graphics. FOR MORE INFORMATION Dell Computer One Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78682 800-915-3355 http://www.dell.com

Warranty
90 days limited