We’ll look back on 2012 as the first year when budget laptops really got a fair shake, with many models looking and acting much more like their expensive cousins than ever before. Even at the very low end of budget — laptops that are $600 or under — you can get a slick-looking HP Envy Sleekbook, or a powerful Acer Aspire V5.

Acer Aspire V5-171-6867

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: An excellent set of specs and features in the Acer Aspire V5-171-6867 include a Core i5 processor, 6 GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, HDMI, USB 3.0, and even Bluetooth, all for a surprisingly low price, and stuffed into a very small netbook-like body.

The bad: It has a cramped-feeling keyboard and touch pad, weak battery life, and poor speakers, plus an uninspired, thick design.

The cost: $549.99

The bottom line: The Acer Aspire V5-171-6867 crams the horsepower of a full-fledged budget ultrabook into an 11-inch ultraportable for several hundred dollars less than most equivalent products. It’s a great budget laptop to consider, but sacrifices have been made to shrink down that much computer into a tiny package.

Dell Inspiron 17R

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: The Dell Inspiron 17R is a big, desk-filling laptop for not much money, built into a similar chassis to Dell’s recently reviewed, and more expensive, 17R SE model.

The bad: The Inspiron 17R has low screen resolution for a 17-inch laptop, no discrete graphics and no clickpad.

The cost: $599 to 699.99

The bottom line: If you need maximum screen size at a minimum price, the basic 17-inch Dell Inspiron 17R is powerful enough for everyday tasks, but the lower screen resolution is a constant reminder of its budget origins.

Sony Vaio E Series SVE11113FXW

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: The 11-inch Sony Vaio E has a sharp design at a budget price, plus decent graphics and good battery life.

The bad: This 11-inch laptop is thicker and heavier than many 13-inch models. The slow CPU isn’t for everyone.

The cost: $441.29 to $479.99

The bottom line: With only a handful of 11-inch laptops still available, serious travelers are flocking to ultrathin 13-inch models instead. But the low price and good battery life of the Sony Vaio E keep it from being counted out.

HP Envy Sleekbook 6

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: The HP Envy Sleekbook 6 has a great design for a great price, and includes Beats Audio and decent graphics.

The bad: You’re trading down to AMD’s A-series processors, which are not as fast or power-efficient as comparable Intel parts. Unlike actual ultrabooks, this doesn’t have a solid-state hard drive. Some of the construction still feels a bit budget.

The cost: $549.99 to $649.95

The bottom line: The ultrabook-like HP Envy Sleekbook 6 is the sharpest-looking $599 laptop you’re likely to find, although you’ll pay a performance premium.