The L735-S3220RD is part of Toshiba's L730 series; and if you're willing to settle for lesser (though certainly competent) performance and no Blu-ray, you can get the basics for considerably less. Cheaper CPU options include an older Intel Pentium B940 and an i3-2310M processor. How much lower you can sink the price depends on when you shop, but the low-end model was available for $479 at this writing from Toshiba's own website.

The more you carry the L735-S3220RD, or any L730 series laptop around, the more you'll appreciate Toshiba's smaller, lighter design. It doesn't wear on you as the day progresses, and for most users the smaller screen won't be an issue. If it weren't for the short battery life and slightly subpar input ergonomics, this laptop would have earned a higher overall rating.