Jack of All Trades

Last Updated Mar. 11, 2010

By Joel Durham Jr. Perhaps better known for their printers these days, Hewlett-Packard (HP) still makes a wide range of laptops to cover virtually every user, from the young creative-type who spends his days surfing the Web via Wi-Fi at Starbucks to the rich executive whose desk furniture costs more than the annual salaries of most of his employees. The Mini line, for instance, is a line of tiny netbooks starting at $269. The Pavilion notebook series is a more traditional, mainstream laptop line for home users and runs $599 and up. The higher end Pavilions cost twice that, and pack power for gaming and high-end computing. The ENVY line, meanwhile, can cost $1500 and up and is made for the user who wants it all. While their lower-end models are often criticized for unreliability and short life spans, but they are cheap and are ubiquitous at big box retailers everywhere. Here are some of best HP lines right now:

G60t Series: As Casual As Casual Gets

Starting at $479.99, this mainstream notebook is packed with all the equipment to get users online and productive at a great price. Targeted toward the budget-conscious consumer and the casual home user, the G60t features a 16-inch, 16:9 display driven by an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator chip. Some extras include a Lightscribe-enabled DVD drive, decent-sounding Altec-Lansing speakers, and a special offer of a free memory upgrade (from 2GB to 3GB). The G60t is backed by a 1-year warranty on hardware with real-time chat and email support.

Pavilion dm3t Series: Comfort and Mobility

This ultra-portable series is intended for the user who wants a good balance of power and mobility. Starting at $599, the Pavilion dm3t features up to 9.5 hours of battery life for extended outings, and it’s less than an inch thick and just over 4 pounds, so users can carry it along without straining their backs, shoulders, and necks. The 13.3” display is generously sized for an ultra-portable, and the low-light VGA webcam lets users video-chat from anywhere they can find an Internet connection. In case superior graphics are a must, the dm3t series offers optional 512MB Nvidia GeForce G 105M graphics for better multimedia than the low-power, shared memory Intel graphics chip. Note that, as is the case with netbooks, the optical drives (DVD or Blu-ray) are optional and external.

Pavilion dv8t Quad Edition Series: Gaming Power

This beefy computer is intended for gamers, power-hungry users, and computing enthusiasts. Starting at $1249, the dv8t offers quad-core performance at up to 1.73GHz (with Intel Turbo Boost performance that can go as high as 3.06GHz). Memory starts at 4GB and peaks at 8GB, so the user can expect excellent gaming or multitasking performance. The big, bright display is 18.4” diagonal, and its native resolution is an HD-friendly 1920×1080 pixels. The optical drive comes with Lightscribe, for label-making fun. Expect to leave this one at home, or lug it only to the occasional LAN party, as it weighs 8.77 pounds.

ENVY 13 Series: Executive Decision

The ENVY series is called that because owners of other laptops will be green with envy. This powerful, stately notebook is intended for executives on the go, who want superior performance in a design they can be proud to display. The ENVY 13 features lightweight casing that’s not quite 1” thick, 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo processor for speedy spreadsheets and lightning fast document handling, and ATI Mobility discreet graphics with 512MB of dedicated memory. The 13.1” display his HD capable, and features an 8ms response time for excellent media viewing. Expect the best, because the ENVY 13 starts at $1499.

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Lenovo unleashed their new X-series ThnkPad laptops last week, each featuring a burly Core i7 processor. The X201 and slim-and-trim X201s are “perfect for mobile professionals that need full performance and long battery life,” as Lenovo’s website eloquently puts it. These are indeed computers for traveling business-folk, at a feathery 2.5 lbs (for the lightest X201s model), a 12-inch LED-backlit screen, and a battery life of up to 12.5 hours (that’ll get you from New York to Hawaii, which sounds like a great business trip). The X201 starts at $1,099 (though the base model comes with only a Core i5 processor), and the X201s at $1,399.

The real head-turner is the X201t. This convertible tablet is “great for students, healthcare, education and construction professionals,” or at least Lenovo hopes so. This is no iPad, and at $2,134 to start, it’s definitely aimed at a niche audience (but what student has $2,000 for a computer?).

All three models come equipped with some serious security measures as well, including a USB-based, 128 bit-encrypted, keycode-required hard drive. Lenovo is a leader in business-class laptops, so give these a look if you’re serious about serious work and have a serious budget to match.

Click the model numbers above for full specs.

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Well Made Machines For All

Last Updated Mar. 3, 2010

By Johanna Maaghul Asus basically invented the netbook category in 2007 with the original Eee PC. They’ve remained a major player in that segment since that time, and their current netbook lineup features models of varying screen size, along with a forward thinking “virtual storage” (more commonly known as cloud storage) subscription service. It allows users to store their files on remote servers so that these small machines can get by with smaller hard disks, therefore making them lighter and more energy efficient. Asus is also a respectable purveyor of gaming laptops and regular ol’ productivity machines. Most importantly, Asus makes very reliable machines. Their computers were found to have a lower failure rate than any other brand – a great accomplishment that consumers should take note of.

Eee PC Series: The Original Netbook, Still One of the Best

The Asus Eee PC (“Easy to learn, Easy to work, Easy to play”) was the first-ever netbook. There have been a few changes to the series since it hit the market more than two years ago (notably, the option of a hard drive, as well as the standardization of the Windows operating system), but it’s still the same old netbook that people grew to love. The Eee line still remains a great option for those who want a computer with just enough capability for their internet, email and Office Suite needs, and not much else. The Asus Eee PC 1005HA is considered to be one of the best netbooks currently available, boasting a battery life of 10.5 hours and a tiny body. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who needs something to toss in their backpack or purse and go. It’s a bit thicker than its predecessor, but that’s to accommodate the long-lasting six-cell battery. Other specs include the netbook-standard 1.6GHz Intel Atom N450 Pine Trailprocessor, 1 GB RAM, a 10-inch screen, 160 GB hard drive, and a weight of 2.8 lbs, retailing for $389.

K Series: Mid-Size Notebook, Plus-Size Power

If you need some oomph in a medium-sized package, consider the Asus K series, part of the “Versatile Performance” lineup. The K Series offers more of the power of a full-sized laptop but with a 14-inch screen, this is a nice middle ground between a full-size desktop replacement and a netbook series — an option for those who still want to carry less but need the speed and performance of a bigger machine. Weighing in at 5.2 lbs, the Asus K40IN comes equipped with a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB RAM, a 14-inch screen, 320 GB hard drive at a retail price of $799.99.

G Series: Game On!

Asus’s powerplay into the gaming and high-end laptop market is one worth considering. Asus has managed to provide a strong line of gaming machines that pack a bit more bang for the buck than similarly configured models on the scene. With a 500 GB hard drive and 6 GB of RAM, the Asus G71Gx has ample storage and memory for all your gaming (and other power-hungry) needs. The most recent version of this model also has sharp and stylish red accents on the keyboard, not previously included on older versions. Overall, the G71Gx is a great purchase gamers, and maybe even graphic designers (if they don’t decide to go Apple). Asus offers a complete package at just under $1150, including a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Dual Core Processor, a 17-inch display, and the aforementioned 6 GB of RAM and 500 MB hard drive.

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Laptop Advisor’s Guide To Bite-Sized Laptops You Can Take Anywhere

Last Updated Feb. 12, 2010

By Joel Durham, Jr. It’s hard to say where netbooks got their start, but one of the first popular models was ASUS’ Eee PC. Since that tiny notebook came out in 2007, virtually every major laptop manufacturer has scrambled to make something similar. Early netbooks, which are basically pint-sized laptops that typically weigh less than 4 pounds, ran either a version of Linux or Windows XP (mainly because Windows Vista was too much of a resource hog to run well on such low-powered machines). Today’s typical netbook features 10-inch screen (9 and 11-inch models are available as well) and runs Windows 7 on a low-power processor (commonly an Intel Atom processor). Because they’re meant to be used on the go, they all feature WiFi connectivity and some even work with 3G networks (for a fee, of course).

Netbooks are typically a supplement to a larger laptop or desktop computer – a cheap, ultra-light computer with a keyboard to toss in a backpack and have handy in case something important came up. But because of the extremely low costs, consumers on a very limited budget sometimes turn to them as their primary machines; they’re fine for very basic uses like web browsing and some office tasks, but users might find that the small screens and minimal power are frustrating for anything beyond that. Still, the sheer number of units sold speaks for itself: people want netbooks. Here are a few standout models, current as of February 2010.

ASUS Eee PC 1002HA: The Classic, Updated

A 10-inch display, a 160GB hard drive, and included 10GB of online backup storage highlight this winner from one of the first netbook lines in history. The Eee PC 1002HA runs for about five hours on a single battery charge thanks to SHE (Super Hybrid Engine), which sounds more like a feature of a Prius than a computer, but actually manages power consumption in real time to keep the 1002HA running for as long as possible. With a weight of about 2.6 pounds, this little netbook is easy to carry about and use to connect to the cloud from any Wi-Fi enabled coffee shop or bookstore. You can grab an Eee PC 1002HA for around $400.

Acer Aspire One D250: Pick A Configuration

Acer jumped into the netbook ring a few years ago and never looked back. The Aspire One D250 line features a 10.1-inch displays at a pixel resolution of 1024 x 600, Intel Atom processors as fast as 1.66GHz, and typically 1GB RAM. Outfitted with either Windows XP or Windows 7, the D250 is compatible with all your favorite software. Dolby Headphone technology makes listening to anything a pleasure provided you have a decent headset. Battery life depends on whether you opt for a 3- or 6-cell model (for about up to 3-6, or 5-9, hours of life, respectively), and maximum weight is 2.8 pounds, so a D250 won’t break your back in a backpack. There’s a huge range of D250 models that run from as little as $220 to more than $400, depending on feature set.

MSI Wind U135: Best Software of the Bunch

The MSI Wind U135, from a company known more for its components than its computers, runs around $325. For that, you get a sturdy design, a great keyboard, and more. The 1024×600 backlit LCD screen is bright and friendly. Its standout feature set isn’t its hardware (you’re saddled with a 1-button mouse if you opt for this model), but its software. The U135 comes with Microsoft Works, and, to its credit, a kid-friendly Web browser called Kido’z which makes the Web safe and fun for tots.

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A Fast-Growing Brand On The Cutting Edge of Energy Efficiency

Last Updated Feb. 25, 2010

By Johanna Maaghul Acer is out to conquer the world of computing. These aren’t the most solidly built machines on the market, but consumers are snapping them up fast: Acer sold more units in 2009 than any other laptop manufacturer besides Dell. That’s quite a feat, and they’re aggressively pursuing the top spot in 2010. They have been proactive in the netbook wave as well as the effort to make portable computers more energy efficient. The Aspire One netbook is among the best, with an expected 10 hours of battery life. Acer’s Timeline laptop series is also impressive, promising up to 8 hours of battery life, the best of any mainstream notebook. They’ve also announced tentative plans to jump into the emerging tablet category sometime in summer 2010. Even if their computers aren’t our favorite, we like their moxie.

Aspire Series: All Your Home Computing Needs

The Acer Aspire series is the broad catch-all tag for any of their personal use (as opposed to business-use) laptops. As you’ll see below, this line includes netbooks, mainstream notebooks, and desktop replacement machines. Some of our favorite Aspire models recently have been the 15.6-inch Aspire AS5740 and the 17.3-inch Aspire AS7740, two i3/i5 processor powered machines starting at under $800 (we previously reported on these computers here). These are great for users who need to do everyday tasks (Microsoft Office, web browsing, downloading music and watching movies too) as well as tasks that require extra power, like light gaming or photo editing.

Aspire Timeline Series: Keeps Going And Going

Acer claims that the Aspire Timeline series has the longest battery life of any mainstream laptop on the market. For users who need to work for an extended period of time away from an outlet, these energy-efficient machines can last up to 8 hours on a single charge — that’s enough to last for an entire trans-Atlantic flight and a few hours at the hotel while you struggle to find the right voltage adapter. Acer has chosen components that consume 40 percent less energy than traditional laptops, including ultra-low-voltage processors and LED-backlit LCD panels (which also happen to be super-thin). Even without considering the long-lasting battery, this is a great pick for someone who wants something just a bit lighter (though significantly less powerful) than similar mainstream models. Travelers and mobile-office users, take note. Try the Acer Aspire 4810, weighing in at just 4.2 pounds, with an 8-hour battery life, Intel Pentium ULV Mobile 1.3 GHz processor, 3 GB RAM, 14-inch Led-backlit screen, and 320 GB hard drive for $599.

Aspire One Netbooks: Sleek, Light and Efficient

Like any netbooks, Acer’s netbook line is great for on-the-go consumers who need a small, light, ultra-portable computer and can settle for less computing power and a much smaller screen than a mainstream laptop offers. Netbooks are nearly the same from manufacturer to manufacturer aside from the designs and maybe one or two standout features. The Aspire One’s marquis feature is its beefy 10-hour battery life. The rest of the Acer Aspire netbook lineup runs the gamut from underpowered but super-portable sub-$300 machines with 9-inch screens to bigger, faster models with screens as large as 11.4 inches (right on the edge of the netbook/notebook divide, if you ask us). Our favorite in the line is the 10.1-inch Aspire One 532h, which features the new-ish 1.6GHz Intel Atom Pine Trail N450 processor for netbooks, built-in WiFi, and a high-definition display. The 10-hour battery life we mentioned is a nice touch for sure, and the whopping 250GB hard drive is considerably larger than most netbooks in the Aspire One’s price range. As with any netbook, no built-in disk-drive here, but at $299, this value is hard to beat.

Travelmate Series: For those Truly on the Move

For those whose travels take them to places beyond the neighborhood coffee shop, the Acer Travelmate series is a smart choice for a number of reasons. This machine has been designed specifically for the traveling businessperson with great on-the-go features such as fingerprint recognition security, durable components and 7-hour-plus battery life Models with the Timeline tag (see above) have an 8-hour battery life. Travelmates are also fairly light for their size; the TravelMate 8571 Timeline, for example, features a 15-inch display and weighs just 5.1 pounds. If you need freedom and mobility and your computer may have to take a few knocks, this machine is a wise investment. At just over $1000, that TravelMate 8571 Timeline model offers a 1.4GHz Intel Dual Core Processor, 320 MB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, built-in 5-in-1 card reader, built-in Superdrive, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a webcam.

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The World’s Most Popular Laptop Brand Has A Machine For All Your Needs

Last Updated Feb. 22, 2010

By Johanna Maaghul With a strong reputation in the industry, Dell continues to sell more portable computers than any other manufacturer in the industry. While smaller manufacturers are quickly approaching their sales figures — Acer is knocking on the top-spot door — Dell continues to be a strong, stable player in the market. They are particularly known for their on-site support provided through their standard (non mail-in) warranty. Dell users have mixed feelings on Dell’s customer support and service, but in general, these are solid, decently reliable computers.

Inspiron Series: A Great Balance of Price To Performance

The tried-and true Inspiron series is one of Dell’s longest-running lines. It continues to be a popular choice for those looking for an inexpensive laptop with a strong track record. It has all the specs and features to do most of the basic tasks for the casual at-home user or on-the-road blogger, writer or Microsoft Suite-user. The Inspiron comes in dozens of configurations, ranging in size from the new, small-screen 11z model up to the comfy Inspiron 15, and many in between. Like any successful brand, the Inspiron has seen some changes over the years, but continues to be one of Dell’s best-selling, mid-range mainstream laptops. Try the Inspiron 14, running a 2.2 GHz Dual Core processor, 3 GB RAM, 14-inch screen, and 250 GB hard drive for $499.

Studio Series: Better Performance, More Media Possibilities

For those who are looking for an multimedia machine/desktop replacement-type model, the Dell Studio Series could be a good fit. This line offers more RAM and a slightly bigger screen than the Inspiron series, so many of the models are great for multimedia or home entertainment use. The Studio 15, for example, comes with several great media features including a 15.6-inch high-definition LED-backlit screen, an HDMI port for easy connection to an external monitor or TV, a 5.1 channel audio surround sound system with a sub-woofer to really get your tunes bumpin’. It’s also equipped with an ExpressCard/34, which allows you to add other devices such as a TV tuner, as well as an 8-1 media card reader. The model reviewed here comes equipped with an Intel Core 2.13GHz Processor, 4 GB RAM, and a 500 GB hard drive. That’s even enough power for some light photo and graphic work, a deal at $699.

Mini Netbooks: Personalized Portability

Netbooks are a dime a dozen, but Dell throws some fun, liveliness, and personalization into the mix with their Mini series, available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Weighing in at just over two and a half pounds, the Mini 10 series netbooks are built for portability. They’re not all that powerful (no netbooks are) but they’re perfect for the young student who wants to express his or her individuality and get some homework done on a machine light enough to toss in a backpack and go. The Mini 10v includes a keyboard at almost full laptop size (92 percent of the size of a laptop keyboard). With a sharp screen as well as available GPS and TV Tuner, this machine has great choices for personalization. Get it with the standard netbook guts: a 1.6 GHz Atom processor, a 10.1-inch display, and a 160 MB hard drive for $249. Note: Only the Mini 10 Tuner/GPS, with comes equipped with a choice of either of these features, offers the full Dell warranty. All of the other models require mail-in repairs during the warranty period.

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Portable Muscle for Taking Your Games on the Road

Last Updated Feb. 12, 2010

By Joel Durham, Jr. No laptop will ever beat a powerful desktop PC as a gaming powerhouse. There have been, however, great strides made in the portable gaming space in recent years. Multi-core mobile CPUs, multiple GPUs, and loads of memory can make any notebook ready to be a contender at a LAN party. Add that to the fact that it’s much easier to carry a 12-pound laptop computer plus accessories to a gaming get-together than it is to carry a 25-pound steel mid-tower desktop. Here are some of today’s most noteworthy gaming laptops. We’ll look at two super-charged, powerful machines that can handle any kind of game you throw at it, whether it’s strategy, MMO, or CPU-hogging first-person shooter; and two more affordable models, perfectly suitable for less resource-needy games like World of Warcraft and the like.

Alienware m17x: The Best Money Can Buy

The Alienware m17x is probably the king of the current crop of portable gaming machines. Even the lower-end configurations can handle most of the CPU-hogging games you’ll throw at it. This machine starts at $1700 with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, or $1800 with a Core i5 or i7—and the price goes way up from there. A typical Core i7 system includes Windows 7 Home Premium x64, a minimum of one ATI Radeon Mobility HD 4870 (CrossFireX configurations, with multiple GPUs, are available), 4GB of DDR3 memory running at 1066MHz, a 250GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gbps hard drive, and a 17” 1440×900 display. You can personalize your M17x by color, by the laser-etched details, and more. Alienware even has an accessory store so you can purchase a mouse (essential for any gaming PC—nobody games with a touchpad), a gamer-grade keyboard, a notebook bag, and more.

Falcon-Northwest Fragbook DRX: An Old Favorite

Falcon-Northwest is the oldest name in gaming-specific PCs. The company was building computers for gamers before anyone else thought there was a market for such things. As such, you’d expect the best from Falcon—and it’s rare that the company doesn’t deliver. The Fragbook DRX line is incredible in terms of gaming power. Featuring Core i7, desktop-grade CPUs up to 3.3GHz in frequency, 6GB of triple-channel DDR3 memory, Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M graphics, this laptop line is something to be reckoned with and can easily handle anything you throw at it. The downside is, it’ll typically run you more than $4000. You want the best, you have to be prepared to pay for it.

iBuyPower Battalion Touch CZ-10: Perfect For Strategy and MMO

Sometimes, you don’t want to pay $2000, $3000, or more for a desktop-replacement superlaptop. Sometimes, you only want enough gaming prowess to take on the road, but when you get home you’ll pack up your notebook and switch back to your high-performance desktop. That’s when price/performance models come in, such as the iBuyPower Battallion Touch CZ-10. This notebook has enough muscle for gaming with a Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53GHz CPU, 2GB of 1333MHz memory, and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 graphics. It also throws in the world’s first multi-touch display in a gaming notebook–perfect for controlling real-time strategy and mass-multiplayer online (MMO) games. All this comes at a starting price of $999. No, you don’t always need a second mortgage to pay for a gaming laptop.

ASUS G60Vx:

Starting at $899, the ASUS G60Vx is a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo P7450-based gaming rig that you don’t have to feel guilty about purchasing. With a 16” display, up to 4GB of DDR3 1066MHz memory, a 320GB 7200RPM hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M graphics, it’ll run today’s games at its native resolution of 1366×768 without compromising a ton of detail. This is also a gaming notebook you can expect to entertain you for a long time: it features a 9-cell battery for maximum battery life, so you can game as you fly across the country even when there’s no outlet nearby. ASUS is known for reliability, and also for packing in a ton of features for the money, so expect big things from this little laptop.

These are just a few of the dozens of capable gaming laptops available. In general, gaming machines really need a powerful processor (Core 2 Duo minimum), a slick graphics card, at least a few GB of RAM, a huge hard drive, nice speakers, and a large screen (though the last two are really up to personal taste). Happy hunting.

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Last Updated Feb. 8, 2010

By Johanna Maaghul Gateway was a late entrant into the portable computing market, standing loyally by desktop machines for a long time. They seem to have accepted the inevitable shriveling of the desktop market and have focused on refining their notebooks over the past few years.

Gateway continues to upgrade its design creating sleek and stylish machines that hold up over the long haul and offer continued consistency in their delivery of reliable and versatile machines. Gateway’s recent introduction into netbooks (who hasn’t entered the netbook market besides Apple?) came with great new look and feel that has out-styled many of its competitors. Here are some highlights among their current lineup.

LT Netbook: More Than a Toy

With the arrival of the netbooks onto the market, there has been some disappointment around the overall design and look of these machines. Gateway has managed to create one, however, that brings some new dignity, design-wise, to the netbook genre. The LT provides a very slick looking design and is probably the least ‘toy-like’ of all of the netbooks on the market. Its wide screen and durable and easy-to-use keyboard feel like you are getting closer to the features of a real laptop than the experience many netbooks give that holds them closer to the Leapfrog machines than to real computers. For $299, the Gateway LT2108u offers a 1.6 GHz Atom Pine Trail processor, a 10-inch display, 160 MB hard drive, more than 8 hours of battery life, and a total weight of less than 3 pounds. Standard guts for a netbook, but the selling point here should be the design.

NV Series: For The Casual Business or At-Home User

Starting at under $500, the Gateway NV series is the perfect machine for someone on a budget who won’t be using the machine for gaming or for serious software development, but would like a solid, fast machine to use for Microsoft Office tasks, email, and general internet use. With a great high-resolution screen and built-in webcam, this machine is a strong choice for the money and, at just under 7 pounds, not too heavy (at just under 7 lbs). It also offers great durability and a comfortable keyboard. Try the Gateway NV NV5207u with a respectable 2.1 GHz Dual Core processor, 4 GB RAM, 15.5-inch screen, and 320 GB hard drive for $499.

P Series: Fully Equipped for Gaming and Beyond

This line of machines features a 17-inch display to view more of your games, movies, videos and photos than you could on Gateway’s more affordable lines. But for the money, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the power and durability of this machine. The P series promises to provide a stable and robust environment for gaming, video editing and software development alike. The wide, clear screen and full keyboard offer a user-friendly workspace for any of your more than photo-editing and internet-surfing activities. The additional hard-drive slot will allow you to double your gaming capacity as well. The base-model Gateway P-7807u FX comes equipped with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, a 17-inch screen, NVIDIA GeForce 9800M graphics card, and 320 GB hard drive for $1,099. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a processor upgrade in this line sometime soon.

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Sony announced their latest line of Vaio laptops last week, the brightly colored mainstream E Series. The color options are certainly, uh, flamboyant? Styles listed on the Sony Style web store include: Coconut White, Gunmetal Black, Lava Black, Hibiscus Pink, Iridescent Blue, Caribbean Green. Gadget blog CrunchGear also listed matte colors Maple Brown and Silver White.

From the Sony Style blog: “The key benefit of this series is flexibility, personalization and customization. With that kind of fun, you just know Sony Style team couldn’t leave that alone.” More after the jump.

Though the E series is marketed in the entry-level notebook category, they’re more like mid-range, small desktop replacements. The 15.5-inch monitor sets it a bit outside the super-portable category these days, as does the short 3.5-hour maximum battery life and six pound weight. The baseline models are decently powerful machines for the $800 price tag, however, with a Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, 15.5-inch screen, 500GB hard drive, an HDMI output, and Windows 7. Pricing for options like an i5 processor and Blu-ray disk drive will be announced this weekend.

I’m surprised I’m admitting this, but this E Series is kind of endearing. There are just so many laptops from so many manufacturers with these kinds of specs, the ridiculous color schemes are like a breath of fresh air. And even tf those boring Lava Black glossy or Silver White matte finishes seem too pedestrian for your tastes, toss on an optional keyboard skin and–BOOM!–baby blue or hot pink keys for you.

The base models begin to ship in early March. No ship date has been announced for more powerful customized models, but they’re likely to ship a few weeks later, if we had to guess.

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In case you’ve been trapped under a bus for the last 30 hours, Apple announced their “latest creation” in San Francisco yesterday, a “magical and revolutionary device.” It’s the tablet computer that the world has been expecting from Apple for nearly 10 years now, the product of Steve Jobs’ dreams.

It’s called the iPad, and we think it’s pretty rad for what it is. It’s too underpowered to be a real laptop like the MacBook (and lacks the keyboard to even be a netbook), and it’s just too big to be a handheld, on-the-go device like an iPod Touch. But we tend to agree with Steve Jobs and the rest of the Cupertino Crew that it fills a significant gap between those two devices because it can handle any kind of media (pretty much) and make that media accessible anywhere. We break it down after the jump:

Music: via iTunes, Pandora, and a slew of other Apps. Apple has had this on lockdown for almost a decade now, and with the purchase of LaLa, they’re indicating a shift toward a streaming-based service–something that requires a perpetual web connection. The iPad does that.

Video: via iTunes, YouTube, and a slew of other Apps. The lack of Adobe Flash video on this and other iPhone OS-based products is a major, major flaw, however. It prevents users from viewing about 70 percent of all video content on the web, according to Adobe. Still, the videos that the iPad can will be available everywhere, on a comfy 9.7-inch screen.

Print: via iBooks and a slew of publication-specific apps. iBooks is a new service announced at yesterday’s event that will–you guessed it–sell books. The price point ain’t great, but five major book publishers are on board, so it’s likely to be a well-stocked store. Widely heard word on the street is that several newspaper and magazine publishers (old media) plan to jump on the bandwagon with iPad-ready versions of their publications. It may not be the industry’s saving grace, but it will certainly help to pull them out of the internet-age doldrums. Time will tell how this stacks up as an eReader (eye-strain and glare can be a real bitch on LCD screens), and if it will take the wind out of the Kindle’s sails (though it does improve on many complaints Kindle users had, like a color display, bigger screen, and a better user interface).

Gaming: via bazillions of Apps. No, Crysis won’t run on this thing, but most people don’t care about system-hogging first person shooters. Simple games that thrived on the iPhone will continue to thrive here, and the larger screen opens up possibilities for even better games. The no-Flash thing is a major flaw here as well, though; 75 percent of web-based games run on it, but again, there are literally thousands of cheap, simple game apps available–and they don’t even require a web connection.

Some tech nerds are flat-out underwhelmed by this gadget. They’re the guys and girls that make full use of their laptops, for both work and play. But they’re not the target audience here, and the iPad probably isn’t a good product for them. It has no native keyboard (a dock-keyboard peripheral costs $70), it can only run one program at a time (it can’t multitask, as the industry lingo goes), and it’s a “closed” product (it only runs apps from the iTunes App Store).

But think of all the people that buy a MacBook because they just want a sexy (and reliable and easy to use) Apple product. Those folks don’t even come close to reaching that machine’s capabilities. They email, surf the web, do their social networking mumbos jumbos, watch a few videos and listen to some music. You can do that with a netbook (most of it, anyway) yet they happily drop $1,000 on an Apple product. The iPad is designed for those people. It’s more portable, even sleeker, and costs half as much for the cheapest model. All their old iPhone apps run on this thing too.

It’s a flawed product for sure–no camera, no Flash as we mentioned, no multitasking–but it looks like the best tablet anyone has made to date (sorry, JooJoo–though your price tag seems reasonable now). iPad version two will be a monster, and at the very least, the iPad will encourage competition not only for better tablets, but since it’s an “unlocked” device, better 3G infrastructure and lower 3G prices. Then we all win, Apple lovers and haters alike.

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1. The JooJoo Pad Tablet

Acer is giving Intel’s powerful i3 and i5 Core processors a home in a pair of new budget-minded laptops. The 15.6-inch Acer Aspire AS5740 and 17.3-inch Acer Aspire AS7740 will both start at $750 when they ship on Sunday, January 17th. The larger AS7740 comes standard with a 2.14 GhZ Core i3-330M processor, 4GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive (to make use of that large screen), and Windows 7 Home Premium. The smaller AS5740 lacks the Blu-ray drive but packs a wallop with the 2.26 GhZ Core i5-430M processor.

Both feature other niceties like multi-gesture touchpads, built-in webcams, six-cell lithium ion batteries, a slew of ports, and 500GB hard drives. The designs could be sleeker and the battery life won’t be great, but that’s a lot of computer for under $800. Of course, better configurations are available for a bigger price tag as well.

Why does such a solid computer suddenly go for a reasonable price, you ask? Well, the International Consumer Electronics Show just wrapped up. A bunch of hot new configurations were unveiled in Vegas last week, so keep your eyes peeled for deals on powerful new models and cheap old models.

Update 2/24: These are even cheaper than announced already, as little as $599. Check the listings below.

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Intel’s new Pine Trail processors have finally launched, and it’s about flippin’ time. A chunk of all netbooks released in the past year or so have run on Intel’s 1.6 GHz Diamondville Atom N270 or N280 processors, which is a nice configuration for a portable mini-computer. Battery life is decent, performance is OK, though it’s no jaw-dropper. It’s aging fast, especially in light of competition from graphically superior NVIDIA Ion chips, so Intel hit us with an upgrade–sort of.

The new 1.66 GHz processors integrate the memory controller and GMA 3150 graphics, which reduces the size and improves efficiency. Early reviews of new Pine Trail computers like the ASUS Eee PC 1005PE indicate that the battery life is notably longer (20 percent), but the performance is largely the same. It “felt slightly snappier than netbooks with Atom N270 or N280 chips, but not by much,” Joanna Stern of Engadget said. It’s capable of comfortably running several small-footprint programs at once (a browser, messaging clients, music libraries, for example), but any kind of heavy media editing is best left to a more powerful machine.

Long story short: Pine Trail netbooks are slightly improved versions of older Atom-based netbooks. This falls short of the true overhaul that enthusiasts had hoped for, so we’ll all have to keep our fingers crossed for something better to roll along, but still a decent option as long as the price is right.

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All the in-fighting aside, the JooJoo Pad should finally ship to pre-ordering customers in 8-10 weeks according to Fusion Garage. $500 is a lot to ask for a keyboard-less device with the guts of a standard $350 netbook, but it sure is slick. It resembles a gigantic, 12-inch iPhone, but with several ports and inputs for future expansions (currently it only supports WiFi, so I’ll take a not-so-wild guess and say that 3G support would be part of any expansion). Rathakrishnan is mum on the exact processor inside this machine (though he’ll have to blurt it out eventually) but for something rumored to be running on the Atom processor, it plays 1080p video very, very well. Check out a JooJoo Pad demo and a chat with Rathakrishnan with Engadget below.

Fusion Garage is also apparently in talks with the media players (cartel?) that plan to launch tablet versions of their magazines in the next year. If you haven’t seen it, check out this demo of Sports Illustrated designed for tablets:

It’s shaping up to be what many of us had hoped a media tablet would be — a way to get music, movies, books, magazines, newspapers, TV, and web browsing all in one portable, sexy slate. It’s not exactly a laptop, but it may well be part of the future of portable computing. Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA are all rumored to be releasing similar devices sometime in the second half of 2010. The best guess (which really has no factual basis that I can discern) is that Apple’s Tablet will cost a smooth $1000, so $500 doesn’t sound so bad after all.

Update 12/18: The Archos 9 tablet dropped yesterday as well — it’s three inches smaller than the JooJoo, runs on an even-slower 1.1 gHz Atom processor, and comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition (ugh). We’d rather see it running Android, like the Archos 5 and 7. But hey, it’s here right now and tablet mania has begun. It hasn’t quite hit the mainstream yet, but we’ll be singing a different tune next Christmas.

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Dell announced their new ultra-thin and light Vostro V13 13.3-inch notebook yesterday. It’s just 0.65 inches thick, weighs in at a miniscule 3.5 pounds, and costs as little as $450. Now that’s a good deal on an ultraportable.

That base model gets you a Celeron processor and Ubuntu operating system, while the top-notch, $650 model comes with Windows 7 and a ULV Core 2 Duo processor. Other specs include 2GB RAM, VGA input, 2 USB ports, LED-backlit and anti-glare screen at 1366×768 resolution, and a 6-cell battery rated for 4.75 hours (probably around 3 hours in real life).

Yeah, it’s a bit light on specs, but the Vostro V13 is a great option if you want the portability of a netbook with the comfort of a notebook-sized screen and the solid metallic construction of a much more expensive computer. As a writer, this looks like an attractive setup to me.

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This is an exciting development because we’ve been waiting for a convertible like this one to take full advantage of Windows 7’s advanced touchscreen capabilities. As we previously discussed, touchscreens are all nice and fine, but will end up a novelty on desktop computers–arm strain is an issue, and mouses are easier to use anyway. But a tiny machine like the TC91mt eliminates the strain problem (just lay it flat!) and the touchscreen capabilities could prove to be very useful for, say, students who use it to hand-write class notes with a stylus.

In any case, the T91mt features an 8.9-inch multi-touch swivel display, 1.33GhZ Intel Atom Z520 processor, 1GB RAM, 32SSD, and a 5-hour battery life.

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Upon first glance, the Magic Mouse is truly an odd-looking creature. It doesn’t seem like something this simple could do anything besides move a cursor. It has no buttons or wheels on it whatsoever. But–and here is where your eyes deceive you–the top of the Magic Mouse has a multi-touch area, and the entire mouse functions as a large button. So, all of the features available on the trackpad are now available to laptop users who prefer a mouse–even iMac users. These features include standard clicking, right clicking, scrolling, zooming, and a few others. Finally, if things get a little too complicated and you would prefer to disable some features, you can easily go into the settings and do as you please.

Apple has also added a few other upgrades, such as Bluetooth wireless connectivity and a more sensitive laser-tracking engine, giving you more control. Also, the technology outfitted in the Magic Mouse can easily differentiate between zooming, swiping, scrolling, and every other action you can perform. So, don’t worry about the mouse not being able to perform exactly as you wish. Priced at $69, this is definitely an accessory that Mac users and even those considering purchasing a Mac, should check out.

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First of all, there were some minor changes to the internal specs of the MacBook. These include a processor upgrade to 2.26 GHz (up from 2.13 GHz), a hard drive capacity of 250 GB (up from 160GB), and new DDR3 memory (upgraded from DDR2). Aside from those tweaks, there weren’t any major changes to the internal components of the MacBook.

Now on to the more serious business: the external changes. Most of the features include implementing the MacBook Pro technology into the MacBooks. The multitouch trackpad, allowing users to perform zoom, scroll, and more is now possible just by using a couple of quick finger swipes. The screen now has LED backlighting, giving the display a brighter, more eye-catching feel. And finally, Apple’s very valuable feature, the built-in battery; though you won’t be able to remove or replace the battery, you get a much better battery life, and less degradation over time.

The last change the MacBook received was a rubberized bottom. I have to say, this isn’t one of my favorites, and I’m a little confused as to why Apple decided include it. Traction usually isn’t a problem, even on a slick surface. The heat generated by the laptop combined with that rubber bottom could also prove to be a small disaster. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Priced at $1000 and coming out during the week of the Windows 7 release, Apple has given several users that have been swaying between PC and Mac another reason to go Mac. With overwhelmingly positive reviews of Windows 7, we’ll have to wait and see if the new Macbook is a real contender this holiday season.

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Touchscreens are fine and dandy for iPhones, LG Dares, and the plethora of other touchscreen phones because it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to control these hand-held devices with your finger.  With desktops or laptops on the other hand, the mouse and keyboard just feel more natural — not to mention that your fingers are inefficient on the larger platform.

The fact of the matter is that scrolling, clicking (especially right-clicking), and the handwriting feature on a Windows 7-equipped touchscreen are frustrating at best and futile at worst. It may be good for a quick laugh or some fun when you’re bored, but the novelty will wear off (and it’s definitely not conducive to productivity). If you haven’t tried any of these features with a touchscreen PC, try running over to a local Best Buy; they usually have one on display for you to play around with.

But here’s my criticism of the common criticism, if you will: Just because a few novelty features don’t work that well doesn’t mean that you should judge the entire system as a failure. For example, I own an LG Dare (a touchscreen phone), and it includes an option to handwrite text messages. That method is slow, and 30% of the time, the letters I write are misrepresented. In short, it’s a feature I don’t use because it doesn’t work well. Now, does this discount the entire touchscreen phone as a whole? Definitely not.

The touchscreen features of Windows 7 that you will really want to focus on are the zoom, the pan, and the rotate features. These features tend to be difficult to execute with a mouse, and can’t be done easily by a keyboard. So using a quick finger swipe to rotate a photo or zoom in on a website, while reading and scrolling with the mouse, for example, could turn out to be very efficient in come centexts. Basically, your fingertips can come in handy in the cases where a mouse and keyboard come up short.

So all in all, despite all of the negative reviews of the touchscreen features, Windows 7 will still be a serious contender in the market given all of the innovation it has put into its touchscreen. The touchscreen will definitely not replace the mouse or keyboard, but the usefulness lies in its ability to interact with the mouse and keyboard, rather than to replace them.

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The touch screen interactivity is where the magic lies in Windows 7. I say “magic” because no one outside of the core Windows programmers really knows how this technology works, but the general consensus is that it’s flat out amazing. Not only can you drag windows and scroll through websites with a touch of a finger, but it supports a multitude of other features like pan, zoom, and rotate. And it works with almost every program out there, not just special programs designed to interact with the touch features.

This is not to say that the technology doesn’t have it’s share errors. Like most other new technology, touchscreen tech is fighting an uphill battle. I’m sure it’s nothing that the brilliant minds at Microsoft can’t fix. When this technology comes to fruition, it surely will not disappoint.

To go hand in hand with this new touchscreen technology, Windows 7 comes with a program called Bumptop. If you’ve ever seen the movie Minority Report, with Tom Cruise controlling his computer and moving windows around the desktop with the flick of wrist, this is it. (I would recommend a quick visit to Youtube if you haven’t seen it.) In short, it’s a desktop organizer that allows the user to quickly bump and toss objects around the screen, to create your own customized, easy-to-use desktop.

Who knows what makes touchscreens so attractive. Maybe it’s just that they’re more fun. But if you’re anything like me, and love the thrill of having complete control, literally, at your fingertips, then Windows 7 is definitely in the foreseeable future.

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Whether you’re planning to make a switch over from desktop to laptop, upgrading from an old laptop to a new laptop, or just buying a gift for a loved one, finding a new laptop can be daunting. It can be a lot like buying a car. First you have to choose whether you want an SUV, a van, or sedan, then pick a manufacturer, then look at the dozens of other options and find out which features you want or need. Finally you sift through hundreds of cars and find the perfect one for you, only to be left with the choice of color.

Buying a laptop has essentially adopted a similar methodology. That method may be great for some, but for those of you that don’t want to spend hours comparing complex spec lists, and don’t want to look at hundreds of laptops, here’s a different method. We’re going to make recommendations based on interests and specified needs:

So you say, I’m a broke college student…

Today’s college students spend several hours in front of a computer every day, whether its watching YouTube, downloading music, chatting, or [ahem] studying. Today’s college students also carry a heavy debt load and are looking to save some money wherever possible. If a big screen is a must-have, several models in Toshiba’s reliable Satellite line are available in 15-inch configurations for under $500. There won’t be too much power under the hood at this price range, but that’s fine for the purposes of the average student. If a small screen is OK, a netbook might be the right computer. The Acer Aspire ONE is among the least expensive. Again, it’s not powerful, but at $299 and under, it’s certainly cheap.

So you say, I love to play games…

Though this class of laptop is generally referred to as a gaming laptop, these laptops are really just high-end laptops with high performance parts, especially a slick graphics card. The myth is that only gamers need this kind of power behind the wheel, but graphic designers, video editors, and several other professions can often make full use of these laptops. In any case, my recommendations here are, hands down, the Alienware m15x and m17x. These will have high price tags, so for something cheaper, check out the Dell XPS.

So you say, I want to unleash the creative personality within…

And yes, finally we come to the Macbook Pro series. I’m not the biggest fan on the Macbook Pro; spec for spec, the Macbook Pro is undeniably overpriced compared to PCs. But, for those of you that either want a Mac or want some creative, easy-to-use programs, such as Garage Band (easy to use music creation software), and iPhoto (easy to use photo editor), there’s no denying that the Macbook Pro takes the cake. This laptop also has the processing power to handle high-end video, audio, and photo editing, making it a favorite among artists everywhere. Also, with their unique touchpad and aluminum unibody design, it’s hard not to feel creative and interactive when using this laptop.

This is hardly an exhaustive list touching for every interest group out there, but we hopefully hit the big ones and at least provided a starting point for the others. Leave your questions below — we’ll try to respond to as many as possible, but if we don’t get back to you, it’s probably because we already have you covered above or can’t provide you with a good answer. Feel free to chime in if you can help. Happy holidays to all!

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First of all, the Windows registry is, quite simply, a database. It contains several stored settings from the operating system, to applications, to hardware that the computer uses. Now on first glance this seems like a great idea because all of your settings are saved in one place and can easily be edited or deleted as needed. The registry determines what programs start when your computer starts, saves several default settings so you don’t have to constantly re-enter them, and unlike its predecessor, gathers all of this info in one place.

It sounds good in theory, and that’s why it was originally put in place. But here’s a short list of the bad and downright harmful aspects of the Windows Registry:

1) It slows down your computer at startup. Many applications get into the startup unintentionally, either because you don’t notice a checkbox when you’re installing the program or because the program automatically includes itself. The list grows and grows and your startup becomes slower and slower.

2) It’s a stockpile of junk. There is a lot of useless application data in the registry for applications you never use or settings you don’t even care about. This makes the registry impossibly hard to navigate unless you know exactly what you’re looking for and where it is.

3) Spyware and Viruses! Spyware does a load of bad things to your computer through the registry. For one, the spyware starts itself through the registry so you don’t even have to open a file for the spyware to launch. Long gone are the days where you actually had to open a bad email attachment or download a virus from a random site on the internet and, subsequently, open it.

4) Spyware automatically starts up when your computer starts up. This makes it easier for the spyware to get access to your computer, and it also makes it harder to get rid of because if the registry files aren’t deleted properly, then the spyware regenerates even when you think it’s gone.

5) Spyware and viruses shut down important applications through the registry. One of the biggest is the Task Manager (the savior of Windows, ctrl + alt + del), and some even go as far as to remove all of your icons. Not only does this make your life an utter pain, but it makes it extremely hard to get rid of spyware.

So, in short, if spyware has been a problem in your life, or you really don’t want it to be a problem you face in the future, thank twice about buying a Windows laptop. Nowadays, spyware can infect your computer from something as simple as an internet search for a recipe for flan, so you can never be too careful or too informed.

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Most netbook laptops are running either Linux or the more user-friendly Windows XP, but Microsoft never intended XP to live on in this form. Windows Vista, however, was not very netbook friendly, so XP survived to fill the game. The next Microsoft OS, Windows 7, has been developed to better serve the netbook market and can finally allow XP to fade into the past, while providing netbook users with a superior operating system that’s contemporary and powerful.

Netbook-maker MSI has announced that their MSI Wind U150, due out in 2010, will feature Windows 7, ushering in a new era for the netbook. The U150 will also feature a very useful touchscreen LCD display for direct interaction with the operating system. According to early reports, however, the touchscreen will be “resistive,” which is a cost-effective, durable screen that has a hard outer coating. This is in contrast to a “capacitive” touchscreen, which is more accurate and allows more light to be transmitted from the screen. A resistive screen is incapable of utilizing the “multi-touch” capabilities of Windows 7 that a capacitive screen could handle.

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Details about Asus’s plans for new netbooks have started to emerge and four new mainstream models are worthy of particular attention. These netbooks run between $299 and $429 and are, in Asus’s words, their “good, better, best, and elite” models for everyday netbook users.

The first in the series is the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-E, which has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $299. It’s the base model of the series, with a “good” array of specifications that will suit consumers interested in a simple, barebones netbook that enhances productivity but remains portable. The 1005HA-E has a 10.1-inch LCD display, an Intel ATOM N270 processor, a 0.3MP webcam, and four hours of battery life coming from a three-cell battery.

The next step up is the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-V, which resembles the 1005HA-E is all respects aside from its battery life and the available shell colors. The 1005HA-V provides a little extra style, allowing consumers to buy it in white, black, pink, or dark blue. It also uses a six-cell battery, for 8.5 hours of battery life.

The “best” model is the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-P, which really diverges from the previous configurations. It uses a six-cell high capacity battery that grants 10.5 hours of life. It’s Bluetooth capable. The processor is amped up to a N280 ATOM CPU, and the webcam is brought up to 1.3 megapixels.

The final, “elite,” model utilizes an Intel MENLOW 2420 processor, has 11 hours of battery life, and an 11.6-inch LCD display capable of high-definition (720p) resolution.

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Best known as the company that made your cell phone five years ago, Nokia is now entering the very active netbook market with a mini-notebook of their own. The adorably-named Nokia “Booklet” offers a fairly robust array of specifications, the most interesting of which is the integrated 3G connectivity that would allow it to access the Internet anywhere, at all times, much like an iPhone.

It’s likely that the Booklet will ultimately be paired with a wireless plan in the same way Web-enabled cell phones are, though it’s not clear which provider, be it Verizon or AT&T, will be behind this project. The Booklet is set to debut officially in early September, at which point we might discover who is backing its 3G data plan, as well as its pricing and availability.

Specs-wise, it’s pretty good looking. It has a 10.1-inch LCD display, a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor, HDMI output for best-quality high-definition connections, and is very svelte. It weighs only 2.7 pounds and has a thickness of just over a quarter of an inch. In addition to 3G connectivity, the Booklet also has “A-GPS,” the kind of global positioning technology found in cell phones. It’s not the full-fledged GPS found on GPS receivers.

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MSI announced six all-new notebooks this week, large-screen models that are a bit of a departure from their netbooks, but still maintain low, affordable price tags. The C-series laptops announced include both 16-inch (the 600 models) and 17-inch (the 700 models) displays, making these adequate desktop replacement computers. The six models are designated as such: CX600, CX700, CR600-013, CR600-017, CR700. Of particular note is the CX600-017 model, which can be upgraded with a Blu-ray disc drive for high-definition movie playback and high-density data storage. This model is equipped with a dual core, Intel Pentium T4200 processor clocked at a speed of 2.4GHz. All C-series models come with a 320GB hard disk drive, a 6-cell battery, and a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam.

The starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price on the C-series models is $549.99, but lower prices can be found with some hunting around the web. At Buy.com, the CX600 can be bought for just under $500, at present.

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It’s been a long time since Blu-ray definitively crushed HD-DVD, and with it, Toshiba’s dreams of cornering the high-definition media market. For the past year or so, Toshiba has shuffled around, pouting, trying to find a way to accept the new regime without coming off as desperate and hurting their pride. Ultimately, it was inevitable. Toshiba would have to accept Blu-ray and begin making their own Blu-ray capable devices in order to stay relevant.

That day has come. Toshiba has applied for admittance to the Blu-ray Disc Association, which would allow them to begin creating Blu-ray devices, such as BD players and laptops with BD drives. Things are still fuzzy, and there are no official release dates or product announcements just yet, but it’s good news for media-loving laptop users.

Toshiba’s Qosmio line of laptops are multimedia monsters, and before the high-definition format wars, were an excellent choice for consumers interested in a big laptop capable of acting as a media server, DVR, and home entertainment hub. In the midst of the battle, the Qosmios became some of the first laptops to support any HD media format, though in this case it was HD-DVD, unfortunately. Since the battle ended, the Qosmios have been hamstrung by Toshiba’s reluctance to accept Blu-ray, while Sony has produced plenty of Blu-ray capable laptops, hoping to scoop up multimedia laptop buyers.

Now, with Toshiba finally coming around, it might be worth waiting for the next wave of media-centric Toshiba laptops to see what they have to offer.

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The Sony VAIO NW160J matches a Blu-ray disc drive with a vivid, 15.5-inch display, ATI graphics card, and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. It’s not a multimedia laptop, per se. It’s more of a middle-of-the-road laptop with one really great multimedia perk, the Blu-ray disc drive. If you’re interested in a reasonably powerful laptop that can also playback high-definition movies and make the most of Blu-ray’s Internet-enabled BD Live functionality, the Sony VAIO NW160J is a solid pick for under $1,000.

Beyond the Blu-ray drive, the NW160J has plenty of appealing features that make it a good candidate for consumers interested in gaming or other tasks that require solid, speedy performance. The 2.1Ghz Core 2 Duo processor is a nice start, as is the 320GB hard disk drive and 4GB of RAM that’s included. The rated battery life is modest, only about four hours, though that’s sure to plummet if you’re doing viewing an HD video with your Blu-ray disc drive. They keyboard is worthy of note, as well. It’s not a traditional keyboard, but rather an isolated keyboard with each key set in its own opening cut into the body of the laptop.

The NW160J also features an HDMI output, meaning you can pipe your high-definition movies directly to your high-definition television. This makes the NW160J not just a powerful laptop but also a convenient Blu-ray disc player for your television set.

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Years ago, Gateway was known for their computer showcase stores and their quaint cow-patterned boxes. After a streak of bad luck that led the once popular and prosperous company retreated somewhat, but they’re still out there plugging away in the hopes of recapturing past glories.

The Gateway LT2000 is the brand’s second attempt at a netbook. The first try, the Gateway LT3100, had an AMD processor at its core. This time around, they’ve opted to go with an Intel Atom N270 processor, which is relatively common among netbooks, so performance-wise, the LT2000 should be roughly on par with competition from Asus, Acer, and MSI. The processor checks in at 1.6Ghz, fairly speedy, certainly enough to handle most netbook tasks.

The LT2000 netbook has just about everything you’d expect from a computer of this type. It features a 10.1-inch LED-backlight display with a roomy native resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Under the hood, you’ll find the aforementioned Atom processor, as well as a 160GB, 5400RPM hard disk drive, with plenty of capacity for files and media. The LT2000 includes 1GB of RAM; it’s not clear whether this can be expanded. Fun perks include a built-in webcam, stereo speakers, and a media card reader for quick access to digital photos or other files.

One caveat: the LT2000 only comes with a three-cell battery, which will only support the netbook for about three hours of unplugged useage. The choice of a smaller battery is no doubt to keep the weight down. The LT2000 weighs in at 2.62 pounds, average for a netbook.

It’s nice to see a little competition in the netbook space, however the design and specifications of the LT2000 are becoming pretty standard. Nobody is truly mixing it up and the configuration is becoming tedious. Perhaps in the next few months, someone will come along and shake up the market, but until then you’ve got your choice between a whole host of similar products. The LT2000 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $299.99.

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When checking out the Asus N81Vp, at first, it looks like a walking, well rather sitting, contradiction. If you were to take a look at its specs list, you would see a Intel T9550, 2.66GHz, processor, 4GB of RAM, and an ATI 4650, 1GB, Graphics card. When looking at these specs, the first thing that comes to mind is gaming computer. If you want more generic terms: high performance computer. But then you take a look at the screen size, 14.1”, and the weight, just under 6 pounds. With most high performance computers having a 17” screen and a weight of at least 7 pounds (usually), this laptop seems very out of the ordinary, and maybe even impractical.

At First Glance

Looking at the laptop, it’s nothing special, but has much necessary functionality. As far as looks go, it seems that Asus has adopted a similar style to the HP DV laptops, with a polished black outside, and a standard, low-key interior. Nothing special, but by Occum’s Razor, simpler may end up being better. There is a standard 1.3 megapixel camera, 14.1” LED backlit screen, Bluetooth, and a Dual Layer CD/DVD-R drive. Again, nothing out of the ordinary here.

Under the Hood

Here’s where things get really interesting. The video card contains 1GB of video RAM, making it a powerhouse for video graphics – a much needed quality in gaming, or graphic design, video editing, etc laptops. Then, backed by its 4GB of RAM, the laptop can pretty much handle any program or game you have to throw it at. In fact, if you compare this to any other 14.1” laptop, such as the HP DV4t or Lenovo T400 (two other big contenders), the N81Vp blows them out of the water performance-wise. Granted, the Asus does have 4 times as much video RAM as any of its competitors. Also, the processor doesn’t quite compare to the Lenovo or the HP, which each contain a 2.8GHz processor, but it can still hold its own. By gaming and video standards, this laptop is the crème de la crème of the 14.1” world.

Overall Thoughts

The laptop has a price tag of $1399.99, making it one of the more expensive 14.1” laptops by far, but I guess with 1GB of video RAM, the graphics card accounts for the significant price increase. As I mentioned before, this laptop is a powerhouse in the 14.1” world, but that’s not saying much. The fact of the matter is this laptop tries to combine 2 worlds, and does a very poor job of it. Looking at the gaming aspect, 1GB of RAM with only a 2.66 GHz processor is completely unbalanced, and overkill on the side of graphics; your processor will limit you far before the graphics card does. Further into the gaming aspect is the 14.1” screen – unless you have an external monitor, no serious gamer or even graphics designer wants to compromise screen space. Now on the portability side, its nice to have a laptop with a 14.1” screen, and a weight 1-2 pounds less than the most other high end laptops. But, weighing slightly under 6 pounds still accounts for a hefty computer. Furthermore, the fact that there’s so many high performance parts in the computer shoots the battery life way down, making it an impractical solution, unless you are constantly plugged in to an outlet. But, that again, defeats the purpose of being mobile. It’s a nice idea combining gaming and mobility, but in the end it just doesn’t encompass enough of each world to be ideal for gamers/graphics designers, or people desiring portability.

Unless you are going to be constantly plugged into an outlet, and have a serious need for portable performance, I would stay away from the Asus N81Vp.

Check out our buyer’s guide to the best gaming laptops! Updated 2/2010

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