Solid laptop for $500 or under

[DLiller1]

Hey guys,
I'm trying to help a computer less friend get something that will serve his family well. He is looking for a laptop for $500 or under, that will be good with music and movies. I think his daughter will be using it for school a fair amount. He is on a tight budget so the $500 or less is pretty fixed. What do you guys think will offer him the most bang for his buck in a laptop PC (or Mac if possible). I know it is a tall order, but I dont know a lot about computers so I figured this was the best place to ask.

All suggestions in that price range are appreciated.

Thank you in advance,
Devin

 

[Muffin Man]

this is pretty decent for the price, compared to others.
Newegg.com - ASUS P50IJ-X3 NoteBook Intel Pentium dual-core T4500(2.30GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel GMA 4500M

 

[MindoverMaster]

Macs are above his budget. Does he care about screen size, HDD space, RAM, long battery life?

 

[DLiller1]

that first suggestion is pretty good. I think he was leaning towards a large screen if possible. I dont think it is absolutely critical though. Thanks for the fast responce and assistance guys.

 

[Muffin Man]

hmm, well if he could go over budget just a tad, there's this one.
Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Satellite L675D-S7040 NoteBook AMD Athlon II Dual-Core P340(2.20GHz) 17.3" 4GB Memory DDR3 1066 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
it has a cpu that's a bit slower but has integrated video that's a bit faster.

 

[DLiller1]

I will show him the toshiba also