In recent months Packard Bell's netbook range has grown to comprise some of the best machines on the market. The uniquely designed Packard Bell Dot VR46 is its latest addition and, while its netbook status is questionable, it is a pleasing portable nonetheless.

The VR in VR46 stands for Valentino Rossi and the Packard Bell Dot VR46 has been designed with the Italian motorcycle racer's trademark logo's on the chassis' lid. The garish, yet eye-catching, sun and moon pattern won't suit all tastes but is sure to be a big hit with MotoGP fans.

The glossy lid is surprisingly resilient to scuffs and scratches, making the Packard Bell Dot VR46 tough enough for life on the move. The rest of the chassis is finished in equally strong matt black plastics and build quality is fantastic. All panels are rigid and fixed firmly in place and provide a high quality feel.

This level of quality is continued by the excellent keyboard. Using the same design as most recent Packard Bell and Acer machines, all keys are large, well-spaced and raised above the chassis surface. Long-term use with the Packard Bell Dot VR46 is comfortable at all times, with no errors when speed typing.

The stunning 11.6-inch screen is no less impressive. Despite its glaringly glossy Super-TFT coating, brightness, colour and contrast are all fantastic, creating truly striking images. An HDMI port lets you connect the Packard Bell Dot VR46 to an HDTV when back at home for the biggest picture possible.

While the Packard Bell Dot VR46 is marketed as a netbook, it is no such thing, with its use of an Intel Ultra-Low Voltage processor, 4096MB of memory and a 320GB hard drive making it more of a CULV portable. Presumably it is being called a netbook purely for marketing purposes.

As a result, performance doubles that of most netbooks on the market. Frequent office use and basic multimedia tasks run with speed, with only complex multi-tasking noticeably slowing the Packard Bell Dot VR46 down. The processor's low-voltage also lets the chassis stay cool at all times.

Additionally, the low power requirements ensure that battery life is excellent. Packard Bell claims as much as eight hours of mobile use and during testing we found we were able to easily keep working with the Packard Bell Dot VR46 for 454-minutes between charges – only half an hour less than claimed.

The icing on the cake is the excellent software package that Packard Bell has included with the Packard Bell Dot VR46. Microsoft Works provides basic home office tools, Norton Internet Security protects you when online and Adobe Photoshop Elements delivers market-leading photo editing capabilities.

While the garish Valetino Rossi branding won't suit all tastes, underneath the Packard Bell Dot VR46 is a great little laptop and one that's very easy to recommend. Its specification and price confirm that it's certainly not a netbook, but as a slim and light CULV portable, this is one of the best.

Alex Bentley

Most people love a good bargain and there’s always a deal to be had on electrical items such as cheap laptops. Simply by shopping around, looking for special offers and asking the right questions you can get hold of cheap laptops at an even further discounted rate.

Cheap laptops need just as much thought and consideration when it comes to use, maintenance and storage as the most expensive laptops on the market. After all, it’s not really a bargain if two weeks after your purchase you drop the laptop and smash it! Below are four top tips for looking after cheap laptops (and indeed laptops of all prices!)


1) Let your laptop breathe

Don’t be tempted to use your laptop when it’s still inside your laptop bag, even if you’re on the move and in a rush! Using a laptop in its bag (or even resting a laptop on a cushion on your knees) can cause heat to build up through poor air circulation. If you often use your laptop on the go then try to rest it on the table on trains or you could create a small platform to sit in your laptop box to help aid air circulation.

2) Keep your laptop warm

Just like people, cheap laptops can feel the cold and chilly weather conditions and this can be potentially dangerous to your laptop. Don’t be tempted to leave your laptop in your car boot over night in winter (or any time of year as it’ll be much more secure inside) as cold conditions can actually freeze your laptop. You should also keep your laptop free from damp conditions so be especially careful in rooms where condensation can build up in cool weather.

3) Store your laptop safely

Cheap laptops and more expensive ones both need to be stored correctly. Don’t leave your laptop on the floor, even for a minute. Warm laptops can be very enticing to pets such as cats to make a bed on and all the bright buttons can allure children to your laptop with sticky fingers and spilled drinks. Obviously leaving laptops on the floor can result in them being stood on and completely broken in one step. Make sure your laptop stays safe and store it on a desk (not the kitchen table) or keep it safe in a sturdy laptop bag.

4) Travelling tips

If you travel with a laptop then invest in a proper laptop bag. No matter how little you pay for cheap laptops, if they’re not carried in a bag designed for laptops they are much less likely to survive being dropped. When travelling on flights, keep your laptop with you at all times as checking it in can mean it gets battered about with the rest of the luggage, or stolen or lost, which if you use your laptop for business purposes can be devastating. All laptops have varying functions and facilities, whether they’re cheap laptops or more pricy ones, so make sure you are familiar with how your laptop works before you take it on a long trip with you. Getting to a foreign country and not knowing how to turn the wireless function on or how to access your emails could be a disaster.

Always keep your eyes peeling for bargains when investing in cheap laptops but once you have yours, don’t forget to treat it with the same respect as if it was twice the price!