ASUS U2E

Handsome. Fully loaded with connectivity options, including three USB ports. Weight on par with similar systems that don’t include an optical drive

Numerous software problems. Integrated BIOS/driver update system never completed successfully. Homegrown software works even worse than Vista; causes problems. Too-small keyboard. Too-small, too-stiff mouse buttons. Very loud fan and very quiet...

Gorgeous leather accents. LED backlit screen. Built-in optical drive. The only 3-pound ultraportable with an HDMI port. Excellent battery life. Energy efficient.

92 percent keyboard. Three-cell battery is not enough. Poor performance scores. Way too expensive. Could use a cellular modem.

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Unique leather-bound exterior Ample I/O ports (even HDMI)

Mouse buttons feel a little junky

The Asus U2E is a fun, stylish notebook, and its cowhide couture is bound to turn some heads, though perhaps not those of die-hard Apple fans

1.3 kg light and ultra compact; Noble and exclusive materials; Perfect workmanship; Many ports including DVI; Integrated DVD drive; Even illumination; TPM security chip; Fingerprint reader; 300-Mbit-WLAN and Bluetooth; Many accessories including...

No HSDPA; Loud fan; Gets very warm; Slow hard disk

There are only some disadvantages of this 11 inch subnotebook: The next generation could additionally provide fast Internet access via HSDPA. Furthermore, the temperature and noise emissions should be improved. Finally, we would like a slightly faster...

Low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor is easy on battery life ; One of the most attractive 11-inch notebooks we've seen ; Excellent build quality ; Great keyboard ; Comes with two batteries ; Nice packaging and extras

Low-voltage processor doesn't give desktop replacement performance ; Touchpad surface isn't great ; Noisy fan ; Leather is either stylish or garish depending on your tastes

Add in the fact that the U2E still includes a reasonable number of ports and enough processing power to meet your mobile needs, and the U2E makes perfect sense for anyone considering a luxury ultraportable notebook. The black premium leather, metal...

DVD burner, HDMI, 32GB solid-state drive, Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11 draft-n networking

Small built-in storage capacity, the small battery won't last very long, uncomfortable touchpad, cooling fan is loud

This is a laptop for the fashion-conscious user who wants to get some work done on the road. It has good connectivity features and it is small and easy to carry, but don't expect to be able to perform taxing tasks on it.

Despite some niggling issues regarding the keyboard and a noisy fan, it's hard to ignore the value and quality on offer here. With two batteries in the box, HDMI output, 4GB RAM and an SSD for the same price as a fairly basic entry-level Sony TZ, it...

Lightweight but robust ; Stylish design ; 120GB storage ; Good feature set

Awkward keyboard ; Dull screen

Manages to pack in a lot for such a compact machine, but there are one or two niggles that may make you rethink whether it's worth your money

Lightweight, great design, nice keyboard

Can run slow, average battery life

When it comes to usability, the Asus U2E is something of mixed blessing; the keyboard takes some getting used to and if you need to rely on it every day you'll need to get accustomed to carrying the larger battery pack. That said, it is versatile...