Even for a desktop replacement laptop--a category filled with oversize eye-grabbers like the HP HDX18 and the Alienware m17--Toshiba's Qosmio X350-Q708 is an extrovert. A flaming red beast of a machine, the X350-Q708 packs a lot of cutting-edge ...

Impressive sound quality and power Wide variety of ports

Unique design makes for impractical use Low resolution screen for its class

Is the Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708 worth buying? That's the $4200 question. In light of its unimpressive screen resolution and odd keyboard, you'll have to provide your own keyboard, monitor, and mouse if you plan on having a serious gaming session at ...

When I think of Alienware PCs, two words come to mind--and "cheap" usually isn't one of them. This boutique game machine maker creates premium packages with premium prices. For an Alienware laptop, the m17 is priced within a reasonable ballpark (our ...

Good gaming performance Lush, rubbery feel

Cramped keyboard despite its size

That gripe aside, those who want to get their game on will get a good deal out of the Alienware m17--especially considering that last year the m15x sold for over twice as much. As a gaming machine, the m17 delivers speed where it counts, but it lags a ...

Alienware, best-known for expensive, high-performance PCs, delivers a good gaming laptop at a reasonable price.

Good gaming performance ; Lush, rubbery feel

Cramped keyboard despite its size

That gripe aside, those who want to get their game on will get a good deal out of the Alienware m17--especially considering that last year the m15x sold for over twice as much. As a gaming machine, the m17 delivers speed where it counts, but it lags a ...

A slightly underpowered CPU choice gimps an otherwise decent consumer tablet PC.

Functional multi-touch display ; Smart construction

Multi-touch works, but imperfect ; sluggish CPU

As far as Tablet PCs go, the HP TouchSmart tx2 gets enough right to warrant a look. This media-friendly tablet tries to take the TouchSmart desktop experience on the road, but at this point the size of the device and the software's limitations mean ...

Though Apple announced a second generation of the MacBook Air in October of last year, a shipping delay, some surprising...

Though not for everyone, Apple's MacBook Air can still boast about its status as the world's thinnest notebook computer, only now, with a 33 percent performance gain, the tradeoff between size and speed is not as great as with the first generation ...

Not all slim and light laptops come off the conveyor belt bursting with sex appeal. Take the Acer TravelMate 6293: Battery life, it has in spades. Everything else? Not so much. This entirely black portable is fairly well packaged as far as all-purpose ...

Phenomenal battery life Nicely-designed keyboard

Lacks a FireWire port Older PC Card slot

The TravelMate 6293 also includes other features important to bottom-line-conscious corporate buyers, such as a gigabit ethernet connection and a standard DVD recorder (rather than a pricey high-definition optical drive)

Acer's TravelMate 6293 all-purpose laptop will thrill corporate bean counters with its long battery life.

Phenomenal battery life ; Nicely-designed keyboard

Lacks a FireWire port ; Older PC Card slot

The TravelMate 6293 also includes other features important to bottom-line-conscious corporate buyers, such as a gigabit ethernet connection and a standard DVD recorder (rather than a pricey high-definition optical drive)

Performance and battery life test results updated 1/20, 10:30 a.m. PDT

Stylish without skimping on options Brilliant screen

Multimedia, maybe, but sub-par sound

Dell's Studio XPS 16 is squarely aimed at people who want to get a little more for their entertainment buck; it's a solidly built multimedia machine that piles on features without breaking the bank. Dell's Studio XPS 16 looks to be a solid choice for ...

The newly announced Dell Studio XPS 16 emphasizes both form and function--at a reasonable price.

Stylish design doesn't skimp on options ; Brilliant screen

Multimedia machine has subpar sound

Dell's Studio XPS 16 is squarely aimed at people who want to get a little more for their entertainment buck; it's a solidly built multimedia machine that piles on features without breaking the bank. Though we don't have the final results to back our ...

Ultraportable laptops priced under a grand are still relatively rare. The same can be said for slim, sexy notebooks that weigh close to 4 pounds. That's changing, though, and Toshiba's $949 Satellite U405-S2854 satisfies in all the important areas: It ...

Great value Huge hard drive

High-gloss finish might put off some Lacking wired Internet connectivity

The biggest concessions you might miss: gigabit ethernet and a modem port, two wired-communications options that most laptops still offer. The U405-S2854 is fully equipped for wireless communications, though, with both Bluetooth and 802.11g Wi-Fi ...