Samsung's new NF310 costs around $400. This is a 10.1-inch, ultra-portable laptop, so it's a great laptop for people on the go. You can easily toss it in your bag and carry it with you around town. It also gets a solid 9 hours of battery life. Unlike traditional netbooks, the NF310 contains an HD LED-backlit screen and dual core processor, so it's powerful enough to handle streaming HD video on sites like Youtube and Hulu. Need a compact device that can easily handle your basic computing needs? Check out the NF310!

The $600 ASUS UL30A isn't as small as a netbook, but it fits in the ultra-portable category due to its 13-inch screen and 1-inch thickness. The UL30A features a full-sized keyboard, 12-hour battery life, HDMI output, and 3 usb ports. This thin-and-light laptop is a great choice if you desire portability, but you're not comfortable with the compactness of a netbook. It also packs a bit more pop under the hood than you'll get from a laptop. The combination of power and portability make this a nice little device for business use -- stuff like office work, web browsing, and so on.

Toshiba’s Satellite series is extremely diverse. However, if you're looking for an above-average entry-level device, look no further than the Satellite L645D. This is a 14-inch laptop that is about as reliable, affordable, and powerful as they come in the $600 range. The L645 contains a triple core processor, so it's the most powerful laptop on this list. It can handle movies, the internet, and even some moderate gaming. However, the battery life isn't amazing -- only three or four hours. This entry-level notebook is a good option for students, aspiring gamers, and anyone else who might benefit from a little more power under the hood.

Looking for a solid, no-frills 15.6" laptop for under $500? Lenovo's 15.6-inch Ideapad G550 is exactly what you need. While this notebook doesn't boast a lot of extras it still contains a dual core processor, 4GB of ram, and a DVD player. It's more than capable of handling basic computer functions and browsing the web. This is another laptop that doesn't offer a ton of portability (its battery only lasts about 4 hours), so it's great for lounging around the house. This laptop would also make a great second computer due to its ultra-low price tag.