Laptops

HP Compaq tc4400 tablet
The HP Compaq tc4400 convertible tablet offers decent performance and battery life, though we recommend adding more RAM.
Specs: Intel Core Duo (2 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, Mobile Intel 945GM Express

Apple MacBook Pro (Core 2 Duo 2.33GHz, 17-inch)
Apple's Core 2 Duo 17-inch MacBook Pro is especially thin and light for a desktop replacement, making it an attractive choice for multimedia users on the go.
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.33 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6.8 lbs, 17 in TFT active matrix, Apple MacOS X 10.4

Systemax Pursuit 4155
The Systemax Pursuit 4155 pairs a competitive feature set with decent performance for the budget-minded home user.
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.66 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6.2 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Dell Latitude ATG D620
Dell gives a popular system a rugged makeover with the Latitude ATG D620, making heavy-duty laptops much more accessible for business and industrial users.
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.66 GHz), 512 MB, 14.1 in, Windows XP Home

Asus Lamborghini VX1 (yellow)
Like its sports-car namesake, the Asus Lamborghini VX1 runs fast, looks flashy, and costs a lot of dough.
Specs: Intel Core Duo (2 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 5.3 lbs, 15 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Toshiba Portege R400-S4931
If money is no object for you, the Toshiba Portege R400 is an eye-catching, Windows Vista conversation piece, but the rest of us will want more performance from a system this expensive.
Specs: Intel Core Duo (1.2 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 3.7 lbs, 12.1 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate

HP Pavilion tx1000
HP's first Vista-based laptop, the Pavilion tx1000us, is an unusual but largely successful hybrid, combining a tablet design with an entertainment-focused laptop.
Specs: AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology (1.8 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 4.2 lbs, 12.1 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Asus W7J
The 13.3-inch Asus W7J could have been the PC alternative to the MacBook if poor battery life didn't kneecap this otherwise solid laptop.
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.66 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 4.3 lbs, 13.3 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Lenovo 3000 C200
The Lenovo 3000 C200 forgoes flashy extras and instead delivers solid Core 2 Duo performance at an impressively low price.
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.66 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6.2 lbs, 15 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Gateway NX570X
The very configurable and affordable Gateway NX570X makes it easy to build a reasonably powerful--and visually appealing--machine on a fixed budget.
Specs: Intel Core Duo (1.6 GHz), 512 MB DDR II SDRAM, 6.2 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition