Slick-looking case ; excellent screen ; includes dedicated keypad, HDMI output ; easy overclocking with Turbo button ; productivity, multimedia performance improved in Turbo mode ; decent gaming performance for the price

Small keys take getting used to ; no Bluetooth ; overclocking does not enhance gaming performance ; short battery life ; not configurable ; user upgrading voids one-year warranty ; limited phone support

The slick-looking MSI GX600 TurboBook offers respectable gaming performance and easy overclocking for an affordable price, but its mediocre battery life will keep you tethered to your wall socket.

Impressive performance ; full 1080p HD screen ; HD DVD player

Does not burn HD DVDs ; test unit did not include HD DVD player applet

Gateway brings its FX line to the notebook arena with the P-171XL, a top-performing machine with a reasonable price for its class.

Boots quickly ; has HDMI port, touch-sensitive media controls ; vertical and horizontal scroll strips ; provides access to media and presentations without booting Windows ; lots of case design options

Noisy optical drive ; integrated graphics can't be upgraded ; keyboard keys a bit shallow ; glossy screen produces excessive glare

Though no friend to gamers, the Dell Inspiron 1525 offers mainstream users a good mix of style and portability.

Convenient convertible form factor ; bright screen ; thoughtful design touches ; good performance for an ultraportable

Digitizer detracts from screen sharpness ; a touch heavy for prolonged tablet use

A portable companion that serves as a notebook or a tablet, the well-designed HP Pavilion TX2000z might win you over to the pen-driven lifestyle.

Penryn CPU, nVidia GPU offer better performance than original HDX ; gorgeous 20-inch screen is now 1080p-capable ; can be configured with HD DVD or Blu-ray drive ; sports same excellent design and extra features as original HDX

Midrange graphics will disappoint gamers ; analog TV quality is just so-so ; noticeable fan noise

With the updated Pavilion HDX, HP made a great thing even better by adding a speedy Penryn CPU and better graphics.

Decent performance for the price ; large, bright screen

Bland design ; cheap-feeling case ; short battery life ; just 1GB of RAM ; not suitable for 3D graphics

This business-minded budget portable delivers features and performance appropriate for the price.

Low starting price ; excellent screen and audio ; solid battery life ; performs better than most budget notebooks

Boring looks ; rigid mouse buttons ; noisy fans ; no media-control buttons, FireWire port

The budget PC Club Enpower ENP545 offers a tad more oomph than most budget notebooks, but its looks are decidedly bottom-tier.

Striking design ; bright, rich screen ; solid speakers ; good battery life ; good feature set for a budget model

Budget PC performance ; LCD has narrow viewing-angle range ; chunky extended battery protrudes from bottom ; no HDMI port ; no configuration options

The DV2660se lacks the performance of its more expensive Pavilion kin, but it delivers plenty of features and even more panache.

Low price ; bright LCD ; Wi-Fi support includes 802.11a

Light on features ; no scroll pad ; below-average battery life ; weak speakers

A low price is this business-class notebook's only standout featureso bargain hunters may want to keep shopping.

Bright 12.1-inch wide-screen LCD ; tiny and lightweight, but sturdy ; respectable base config costs only $1,499 ; lots of security options

Fixed configuration ; no 802.11n wireless, Webcam ; bulkier than similarly priced ultraportables ; bland looks

With its sturdy build and ample security options, the HP Compaq 2510p is a solid, safe, and strait-laced ultraportable for business travelers.