Ever drop your briefcase instead of setting it down gently? Systemax, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based PC builder best known as the house brand of the Tiger Direct and Global Computer Supplies catalog and online stores, has introduced a semi-rugged laptop that meets the military's 810F specification for shock, vibration, and spill resistance. The Systemax Vigor features a magnesium alloy case, shock-mounted hard drive, and protective surround that protects the keyboard and touchpad from rain and dust -- as well as a lower price tag than many ruggedized notebooks.

Configured at TigerDirect.com, the 6.6-pound Vigor starts at $1,000 with a 15.1-inch XGA screen, Intel Celeron M 370 (1.5GHz) processor, 256MB of DDR-2 memory, a 40GB hard disk, and DVD±RW burner. Options include a Pentium M 750 or 760 processor, up to 2GB of memory, a 100GB hard drive, and 802.11b/g wireless networking.