Forget the Surface Pro: Consumer Reports finds plenty of great low-cost Windows 8 laptops

Forget the Surface Pro: Consumer Reports finds plenty of great low-cost Windows 8 laptops:
If you think the $899 Surface Pro is too rich for your blood, don't sweat it: there are plenty of cheaper quality alternatives out there. Consumer Reports has been testing out several low-cost Windows 8 laptops and has found that they aren't just priced well but that they perform well too. Among the winners were ASUS's (2357) S56CA-DH51, a 15-inch laptop that costs $650 and that Consumer Reports praises for "very good performance and excellent ergonomics"; Sony's (SNE) VAIO SVT-13122CXS, a 13-inch ultrabook that costs $625; and Acer's (2353) M5-581T-6807, a $600, 15.6-inch laptop that Consumer Reports says has "excellent performance and respectable battery life." With so many quality laptops priced under $700, Consumer Reports hopes that it's a sign that "more inexpensive touch screen laptops are coming soon."