Laptops That Last A guide to the best rugged portables for the price

You drag your laptop with you everywhere you go, because you rely on it to run your business. You need something that can hold up to all that wear and tear--but you don't want to break the bank. Thankfully, major laptop makers are finally taking durability seriously when it comes to designing their notebook computers. Features that were once considered high-end, like all-metal casings, state-of-the-art processors and instant web access, have become commonplace. With so many options available, picking the right portable computer for your business isn't easy. For laptops that are built to last, here's our guide to four of the best.

1. 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro
Starting Price: $1,800
The construction standards pioneered by the Apple MacBook Pro line of notebooks are superior to anything else on the market today. Single-unit, molded aluminum cases and keyboards (which are just now coming to other brands) have been standard in MacBook Pros for years. The trick with Apple is picking which über-box is best for your small business. For now, your best bet may be the recently updated 15-inch, 2 Ghz, 4 GB, 500 GB spinning-hard-drive model.