Not long ago, notebook computers were expensive accessories for traveling executives. Now, it's not a surprise to find many choices priced under $1000. A recent check of Web stores found major vendors offering notebooks on the cheap (aka "inexpensive," as the companies that sell them would prefer). IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell are all offering portable models for under $750.
Forrester Research analyst Simon Yates isn't surprised. "Notebooks between $800 and $1000 are becoming prevalent," he says, which makes the $750 price not entirely out of line. Yates sees this as "the result of a willingness--or lack thereof--[by consumers] to pay more than $1200 for a PC." If you really hunt for bargains, they can get even better. Last year, Gartner Group analyst Martin Reynolds bought a new notebook for his father that, after rebates, cost less than $500.
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News source: PCWorld
