Sony VAIO TZ150N (black)

Product summary

The good: Extremely slim and light; head-turning design, excellent battery life; includes integrated WWAN; manages to squeeze in DVD burner.

The bad: Slow performance; expensive; limited configuration options; bloatware clutters the hard drive.

The bottom line: Only the high price and sluggish performance detract from Sony's inch-thick flagship laptop, the VAIO TZ, which impresses with smart design and fantastic battery life.

Specs: Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.06 GHz); RAM installed: 1 GB DDR II SDRAM; Weight: 2.6 lbs See full specs >>

Price range: $1,696.34 - $2,175.26

Dell XPS M1330

Product summary

The good: Thin, sexy design; strong performance; backlit-LED display; included media remote control.

The bad: Small touchpad; some options (SSD hard drives, Blu-ray) not available yet; not as many color options as Dell's new Inspiron line.

The bottom line: Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.

Specs: Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz); RAM installed: 2 GB DDR II SDRAM; Weight: 4 lbs See full specs >>

Price range: $1,299.00

Alienware Area-51 m9750

Product summary

The good: Massive resolution display; twin SLI video cards offer unparalleled 3D performance for a laptop; DVI and surround sound outputs; matte finish on case repels fingerprints.

The bad: No HDMI; requires Windows XP for optimum performance; reasonable starting price disappears quickly with upgrades; battery life weak, even for a desktop replacement.

The bottom line: Alienware's flagship gaming laptop, the Area-51 m9750, has plenty of appeal for high-end gamers, but the alien head aesthetic seems dated, and newer components are right around the corner.

Specs: Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.66 GHz); RAM installed: 1 GB DDR II SDRAM; Weight: 8.6 lbs See full specs >>

Price range: $1,699.00

HP Pavilion dv2500t (Core 2 Duo 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD)

Product summary

The good: Strong set of specs for the price; performance almost matches that of more expensive laptops; attractive 14.1-inch display; dual headphone jacks and fingerprint reader; includes most of the ports and connections home users need.

The bad: Average battery life with the standard six-cell battery; opting for an HDMI port means sacrificing a USB port.

The bottom line: The HP Pavilion dv2500t delivers an eye-catching case, a strong set of features, and solid performance at a lower price than competing systems. We recommend it for home or school use.

Specs: Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz); RAM installed: 2 GB DDR II SDRAM; Weight: 5.5 lbs See full specs >>

Price range: $899.99

Kensington Contour Cargo Messenger

Product summary

The good: Smartly designed pockets; extra-wide shoulder strap.

The bad: Earth-green palette isn't for everyone; stiff rear panel; side MP3-player pockets are too small.

The bottom line: The Kensington Contour Cargo Messenger laptop case is one of the most comfortable, and useful, laptop messenger bags we've used, though it's not exactly sophisticated-looking.

Price range: $38.24 - $59.99