Toshiba U405D-S2874

Attractive, modern design; 13-inch size strikes fine balance between portability and utility; can charge USB devices, even when off; glossy screen not too glossy; decent expandability, with eSATA port and ExpressCard slot.

Performance lags behind competition; mediocre battery life, despite extended battery.

Toshiba's thin-and-light Satellite U405 is an attractive 13-inch MacBook alternative, but its weak performance means you simply don't get enough computing power for your money.