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Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation
http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com
For netbook makers, the first instinct is to vie for the lowest prices, but they are bound by what's considered the norm for netbooks—a 10-inch screen, an undersized keyboard, and minimal features. There are only a handful of netbooks that push beyond these boundaries in an effort to draw in the sophisticated netbook users—if there's such a group. The Lenovo Ideapad S12 ($500 direct) is arguably the best 12-inch netbook available, besting the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, Samsung NC20 (21GBK), and HP Pavilion dv2-1030us. Its 1,280-by-800 resolution, superb full-size keyboard, and an ExpressCard slot are sophisticated netbook components. But its price, well, that will raise eyebrows in a different way.
Lenovo
http://www.lenovo.com
The Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs) of old—like the Sony VAIO VGN-UX180P, the Vulcan Flipstart, and OQO model 02—have all retreated into the digital afterworld because of their gravely impractical form factors or too expensive price tag. PC makers haven't given up on the concept, though, as Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs)—handhelds made specifically for surfing the Web and watching videos—are waiting on deck to replace their forefathers. Their mission: To fill whatever tiny space there is left between smartphones and the ever-growing netbook category. One such device, the Viliv S5 Premium ($800 list) is described as a MID, as it lacks a physical keyboard and a big enough screen that would have otherwise placed it in the netbook category. Dynamism is one of the few Web sites that imports this handheld device from Korea. Aside from the full blown operating system and internal 3G (and GPS) capability, the S5 illustrates why MIDs will have to jump over mountain-high hurdles to gain acceptance: The haptic keyboard is frustrating to use, the resolution is too high on a 4.8-inch screen, and $800 is way too expensive for a stripped down netbook.
Yukyung Technologies Corporation
http://www.dynamism.com
Most hardcore gamers couldn't care less about how a gaming laptop looks. Give them the fastest processor and most powerful 3D graphics card and let them get on with the show. While most gaming laptop manufacturers would agree (they would buy the bulkiest bare-bone chassis from a Taiwanese factory and customize it with their own parts), Alienware is the one company that goes against the grain. The Alienware M17x ($4,850 direct) is now the benchmark of gaming laptop designs, as its frame is completely covered in aluminum metals—a look reminiscent of an all-terrain vehicle. Even after focusing much of its attention on design, Alienware didn't forget about its processing roots: An Intel Extreme Quad core processor and the ability to switch between a low-powered and a ridiculously powerful Nvidia graphics card deliver a gaming punch like no other. Yeah, it'll cost you a bundle, but we're still giving it the Editors' Choice in the gaming category.
Alienware Corp
http://www.alienware.com
Shrink the system and bulk up the battery: It's not rocket science, but it's a winning recipe for portable PC design. HP does it with the Pavilion dv3-2150us ($849.98 list), which reduces the company's desktop-replacement media-center platform—complete with infrared remote control—to a 5-pound, 13.3-inch form factor and adds a long-lasting 9-cell battery. It's not as slim and elegant as our Editors' Choice Acer Aspire 3935 (6504) or Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch, but it works, and it's reasonably priced to boot.
Hewlett-Packard Company
http://www.hp.com
Hewlett-Packard Company
http://www.hp.com
The HP Pavilion dv6 1230us ($799.99 list) is a tale of two laptops. On the one hand it has all the flashy exterior of the other models in HP's venerable Pavilion line of laptop computers. On the other, it is, at best, a modest laptop with just enough processing power to perform the baseline tasks required of an "entertainment" laptop. Unfortunately when compared to other multimedia laptops the 1230 comes up short.
Hewlett-Packard Company
http://www.hp.com
The Sony VAIO VGN-FW198UH was one of the first laptops to showcase a 16:9 aspect ratio display, a beautiful 16-inch widescreen that fit the lines of the 1080p format to a T. (It's a format that's commonly paired with high-end LCD panels.) But as the field of 16-inch laptops grew, so did the bargains that reflected a new shopping trend in this troubled economy. That said, the latest in Sony's FW series, the VAIO VGN-FW390 ($2,099 direct), lacks the pricing aggression of its peers, as this configuration crosses over the $2,000 mark—and few laptops, right now, cost this much. In its defense, though, the FW390's pricey 128GB solid-state drive and a high-end processor had something to do with this anomaly; and there are ways to get the FW390 down to a respectable price and still get a free Blu-ray reader upgrade in the process.
http://www.sonystyle.com
If you're shopping for a Falcon Northwest gaming laptop, there's no middle ground: Either go for broke or leave the website. Consider the Fragbook DRX ($6,449 direct, starting prices around $4,000); the money you'll have spent by the time you trick it out could avert several foreclosures. This 12-pound tank is one of only a handful of boutique laptops that have enough cooling fans to run a 3.33-GHz, Intel Core i7 975 processor—the top-of-the-line desktop processor, no less. Surround the CPU with an excellent supporting cast—an nVidia GeForce 280M GTX graphics card, 6GB of memory, and three internal hard drives (one of which is an 80GB SSD), and its competitors can only watch helplessly while they get pulverized in performance tests.
Falcon Northwest
http://www.falcon-nw.com
The Mini 10v is everything you want in a mobile companion and more. With its compact and lightweight design, this netbook helps keep kids, teens, bloggers and travelers connected from just about any location at any time, whether on the couch or on the road. Available in seven stylish colors, the Mini 10v is designed for simple and quick Internet access coupled with a flair for personal style.
Dell, Inc.
http://www.dell.com
The Acer Aspire AS3810T (6415) ($900 street) isn't the first to sport a metallic chassis or the increasingly popular "chiclet" keyboard, but it may well be the new recipe for ultra-thin laptops. The AS3810T is part of Acer's new Timeline series, ushering in the value proposition that was uncommon in sleek ultraportables until now. With the help of Intel's latest Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processor, the AS3810T achieved a phenomenal 8 hours 40 minutes of battery life in tests.
Acer America Corporation
http://www.acer.com/us