GE E1480W

According to reviews, the 14-megapixel GE E1480W offers exceptional features for the price but with sacrifices in performance. This stylish yet compact camera touts a 3-inch LCD, an expansive 8x zoom lens with optical image stabilization, HD video (720p) and an HDMI port for direct TV playback. It also has easy-to-reach control buttons, automatic features like face detection and red-eye removal, and more than a dozen shooting modes. By comparison, the Sony CyberShot DSC-W350 (Discontinued) has a smaller 2.7-inch LCD display, while the Kodak EasyShare M580 (Discontinued) offers a shorter 7x zoom lens -- yet both models cost more. 

On the performance front, however, the E1480W misses the mark. "Unfortunately, in an effort to cram features into this low-cost camera, GE neglected image quality," says PJ Jacobowitz at PCMag.com. The E1480W takes good photos only in the best conditions, and even though the HD video is on par with other budget models, the E1480W lacks the video zoom capability of its cheaper cousin, the GE J1470S (*Est. $95) . Nevertheless, the GE E1480W still nabs a good overall rating in most reviews, with poor battery life surfacing as a main complaint among users at Amazon.com. For more versatile performance at the sub-$200 mark, Jacobowitz gives the nod to the pricier Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W350 and the Kodak EasyShare M580. For the same price as the E1480W, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 (Discontinued) gets better reviews.

To date, few experts and users have weighed in on the GE E1480W. However, PCMag.com provides a detailed, test-based analysis that compares the camera to rival point-and-shoot models, while a shorter review at About.com relies on hands-on use for its evaluation. User reviews at Amazon.com help to shed light on problems that crop up outside the test labs.