Laptops Arena

The lure of a big screen notebook like the Averatec AV7160-EC1 is hard to resist as you navigate the laptop aisle. While the machine boasts the promising combination of a huge 17-inch widescreen and an attractive price ($1,199), a little shopping around will net you better performance and even more multimedia features for about the same cost.

The sharp-looking Averatec AV7160-EC1 is clad in a glossy black shell with silver accents. Averatec should be commended for shaving the unit's weight to a slight 7.2 pounds; many 17-inch notebooks we've seen weigh more than eight pounds. Still, this is no featherweight, and the big screen makes this system too bulky to tote often.

View full review here.