Father's Day Gift Guide: New notebook PCs to top your dad's wishlist

Your dad probably already has a notebook computer — an old one which he probably curses at every time it freezes, just when he's about to open up a funny e-mail from one of his mates. This Father’s Day why not give your dad a new notebook PC so he can keep in touch with his friends and family, and forward those "funny" e-mails and YouTube videos?

Most blokes don’t want anything flowery, or with fancy colours or perfume scents. And it’s likely that his hands are probably too big for him to be able to use a netbook with ease. Overall our selection of notebooks focuses on 13in, 15in and 17in models — and many of them are our personal favourites. We’ve also included a netbook that we think a dad might love plus some stylish slimline laptops too.

Most of them cost more than $1000, so if that's more than your gift budget can handle, and you think that your dad might indeed love a netbook, then check out our Australian netbook buying guide (there are more than 30 reviews, so put on the kettle and get comfy).

1. Toshiba Satellite U500 (RRP: $1999) This 13in laptop is a little beauty! It's small, light, comfortable to use, and has every component and feature your dad will ever need — and he'll be able to charge his iPhone using its USB ports (even when the laptop is switched off!). The stylish Satellite U500 won't compromise your old man's masculinity.

2. ASUS U80V (RRP: $1999) Give dad this 14in laptop for Father's Day, and he might never put it down! It has a backlit keyboard that's great for typing at night, and a touchpad with LED lights that track your finger's movement — an engaging if not practical feature. The U80V has solid specifications that will let your dad run everything from office software to his favourite games (though it may not play brand new, power-hungry games).

3. Lenovo ThinkPad T400 6473TBM (RRP: $2299) This 14in laptop is not as flashy to look at as the ASUS U80V. The ThinkPad T400 is designed for business users, but it's a great laptop for home use too. It has a solid keyboard that dads will love, a keyboard light and enough speed to run the latest applications. It's simply a very well-designed laptop.

4. HP Mini 5101 (RRP: $1099) Using a netbook for hours on end can be an uncomfortable experience. But if your dad prefers the small form factor and mobility of a netbook over the bulk to a full-blown 14in or 15in notebook, the HP Mini 5101 is a good choice. It's sturdy and it’s made out of metal, and its well-spaced keys should be easy for your dad to use. Its performance is above par for a netbook, plus it has 2GB of RAM and a 7200rpm hard drive. Designed for business users, it's a great model if you can afford it.

5. HP Pavilion dv7 2022tx (RRP: $2499) While a few of our previous choices have been laptops that can also be used at the office, the 10in HP Pavilion dv7 2022tx is a bona fide desktop replacement notebook for the home. It has a massive 17in screen, as well as plenty of speed for all sorts of tasks — it’ll even run a few games! Its good looks mean that it won’t be out of place next to a big screen TV if your dad decides to use it as a media hub. With 640GB of hard drive space your dad will be able to store tonnes of his golden oldie music as well as his classic film collection.

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