Drawbacks: The dv6500t weighs 6.2 pounds. Serious gamers will need to upgrade from the basic Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 chip to the optional 128MB nVidia GeForce Go 8400M GS graphics chip (an extra $79).

As with many other HP consumer laptops, the dv6500t's glossy screen reflects overhead lights, which can be distracting unless you tilt the screen just so.

Go configure: You can have laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, and other vendors configured to your specifications. The choices you make (for memory, the hard drive, and other specs) can incrementally raise or lower the system's overall price.

As a result, a preconfigured laptop may go for $1450 in a store, but you could probably configure a version of the laptop online for $1000 or less. (You'll have to accept some trade-offs to reach the lower price, naturally.)

Also, keep in mind that prices listed in PC World reviews apply to the specific configurations we tested, when we tested them. Lower-priced configurations of the same laptop may be available. For example, our review unit of HP's Pavilion dv2500t went for $1439 at the time of our testing, but recent configurations of that laptop on HP's site started at $800.

The upshot: Don't disregard a laptop that's listed at over $1000 because it seems to be out of your price range. You can definitely find better deals out there.

Put your money in memory: Moving up to a speedier processor will likely add $100 or more to your laptop's cost. Recently, for instance, upgrading the Pavilion dv2500t from the Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 (1.5 GHz, 2MB Level 2 cache, 667-MHz frontside bus) to the Core 2 Duo T7250 (2.00 GHz, 2MB Level 2 cache, 800-MHz frontside bus) added $100 to the system's cost. But most users are unlikely to notice any difference in speed between those two processors.

For the same amount of money, you could bump the base Pavilion dv2500t's memory from 1GB to 2GB. The more memory, the faster your applications will open and run. Plus, Windows Vista, a version of which comes preinstalled on the dv2500t and many other new laptops today, demands 2GB. Don't even consider a Vista laptop with less memory.

Ask yourself whether you need a deluxe operating system: When you configure a laptop, you're given a choice of Windows operating system, making it easy to overspend. For example, when configuring a Dell Inspiron 1420, the difference between Vista Home Basic and Vista Ultimate Edition is $149.

Most users probably won't be satisfied with Vista Home Basic, because it is, indeed, basic. On the other hand, Vista Ultimate Edition is probably too much for most users. A better option: For just $30, you can upgrade the Inspiron 1420 from Vista Home Basic to Vista Home Premium, which is all the operating system many people need. (Read "Pick the Right Vista Version" for more information.)

Consider upgrading the hard drive: Selecting a larger hard drive is almost always worth the money. As your collection of music files, digital camera images, and videos grows, you'll certainly need more room. It's better to buy extra hard-drive space now than to bother with an upgrade later.

You may also have an option for a 7200-rpm hard drive as opposed to one that spins at 4200 rpm or 5400 rpm. A faster hard drive allows you to open and save files and launch applications more quickly. The downside: Faster hard drives drain your laptop battery more quickly than slower ones do.

Also, 7200-rpm internal laptop hard drives cost more than slower drives. For example: The base Dell Inspiron 1420 comes with an 80GB 5400-rpm drive. For $100 more, you could upgrade from the 80GB drive to a 120GB 7200-rpm drive. Alternatively, however, for an additional $75, you could instead double the machine's capacity with a 160GB 5400-rpm drive. In the end, for most mainstream users, a larger-capacity 5400-rpm hard drive is a better value than a smaller-capacity 7200-rpm drive.

Invest a bit in an extended-life battery: The more cells a laptop's lithium ion battery has, the longer it can hold a charge. Unfortunately, additional cells mean a larger and heavier battery. Nevertheless, upgrading to an extended-life battery when configuring your laptop is often a good value. With the HP Pavilion dv2500t, for example, upgrading to a 12-cell battery adds only $49. (For battery-life tips, read "Keep the Power Flowing.")

Think before purchasing an extended warranty or service plan: Extended warranties/service plans can add $200 or more to your laptop's bottom line. If you don't have the help of an IT staff, you aren't technically savvy, and your laptop maker offers good tech support, an extended warranty or service plan may be worth the expense. Otherwise, you might skip it. Most laptop makers outsource their consumer-PC phone support overseas, and the quality is erratic at best. Also, many credit cards will double your manufacturer's warranty to protect you against defects anyway.