Laptops

HP Pavilion dv3-2230ea preview

The 13.3-inch Pavilion dv3-2230ea entertainment laptop could probably do with a more powerful GPU, but it compensates for this with a feature that, for the moment, makes it unique: its multi-touch display. It's also relatively portable and should prove a solid performer, offering decent value for money overall

User rating 8.0

Sony Vaio X series (VPCX11S1E/B)

We defy anyone not to be impressed by the 11.1-inch Vaio VPCX11S1E/B ultra-portable laptop. It offers netbook-esque performance and it's ludicrously expensive, but it's remarkably thin and light, and Sony's made surprisingly few compromises considering how slender it is

Editor's rating 6.5

Apple MacBook (multi-touch white 2009)

Apple has given its plastic entry-level MacBook laptop a small spec bump and a 'unibody' makeover, making it lighter and sturdier than before. The battery isn't user-replaceable now, but will last longer, while the trackpad has been upgraded to the same glass multi-touch design as the MacBook Pros'

Editor's rating 8.5

Sony Vaio VGN-AW41MF/H

The 18.4-inch Vaio VGN-AW41MF/H desktop-replacement laptop is big, beefy and beautiful. A crisper screen would help it do full justice to 1080p video played back via its Blu-ray drive, but that's a minor flaw in one of the fastest Core 2 Duo laptops we've seen

Editor's rating 8.5

MSI X600

If you like ostentatious laptops, the 15.6-inch X600 probably isn't for you. This thin-and-light laptop is about as conspicuous as a stealth bomber, but it's a gorgeous specimen nonetheless, and its ultra-low-voltage CPU delivers surprisingly good performance

Editor's rating 8.0

Asus G60J

Packing a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU, the 16-inch G60J gaming laptop rockets along at a speed that puts greased lightning to shame. It's a pity the screen isn't of a higher resolution, but the G60J is hard to fault otherwise, making light work of even the most demanding 3D games

Editor's rating 8.9

Asus UX30

Asus' designers clearly had Apple's MacBook Air in mind when they created the 13.3-inch UX30 thin-and-light laptop. It bears a steep price tag and its battery life could be better, but it's a gorgeous-looking specimen and its ultra-low-voltage processor makes it a strong performer too

Editor's rating 7.0

MSI GX723

The GX723 desktop-replacement laptop won't thrill your socks off, but it's a solid all-rounder nevertheless. Packing loads of connections, a gaming-capable GPU, and an instant overclocking feature that boosts the laptop's speed by a significant amount, it's worth considering

Editor's rating 6.8

Sony Vaio VGN-FW41E/H

You'll have to fork out a sizeable wad of cash for it, but, if you do, the 16.4-inch Vaio VGN-FW41E/H desktop-replacement laptop will reward you with a swish design, good all-round performance and a large, high-resolution screen. It's an impressive lump of laptop

Editor's rating 7.5

Sony Vaio VGN-AW31M/H

With an 18.4-inch screen, this is one serious slab of Sony technology -- and it has a price tag to match. Understated styling and a battery worth the name aren't normally to be found in desktop-replacement laptops, but the Sony Vaio AW31M/H is a versatile machine capable of more than playing Blu-ray movies

Editor's rating 8.0

Acer TravelMate Timeline 8371

You'll want to spatter your brains all over the wall if you try playing games on the 13.3-inch TravelMate Timeline 8371, but it's a good laptop in almost every other regard. With an attractive, understated design, a capable ultra-low-voltage CPU and good battery life, the 8371 has won us over

Editor's rating 7.4

Alienware M17x

The 17-inch M17x laptop is monstrously huge and insanely fast. It packs some of the most powerful laptop components currently available and makes mincemeat of the latest games, even at the highest resolutions. Only the most fanatical gamers will be willing to shell out for it though

Editor's rating 8.5

Fujitsu LifeBook S7220

The 14.1-inch LifeBook S7220 is a worthy mobile workhorse that offers decent performance, solid build quality and plenty of useful features, such as integrated mobile broadband and a good webcam. Also sporting a spill-proof, comfortable keyboard, this laptop is well-suited to life on the road

Editor's rating 7.4

Asus UX50V

The thin and light, 15.6-inch UX50V is an absolutely gorgeous-looking machine, with a stunning screen and excellent keyboard. Your mind won't be blown by this laptop's processing power, but its battery life is impressive and it will definitely inspire jealousy among your friends

Editor's rating 7.5

Acer Timeline Aspire 4810T

Those who want an Apple MacBook Air, but can't stomach the price, should check out the 14-inch Timeline Aspire 4810T. Compared to most laptops, it's incredibly thin and light, and, while it's not the best-looking or fastest machine, it's a bargain at its current price

User rating 9.0

Editor's rating 9.0

Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, summer 2009)

The latest update to Apple's premium 15-inch MacBook Pro makes only minor modifications. Nevertheless, a faster CPU, better battery and the addition of an SD card slot, together with a price cut, make it a substantial improvement on its predecessor

Editor's rating 8.2

Apple MacBook (white 2009 edition)

The last MacBook left in Apple's lineup has had a worthwhile update. It offers specs and performance on a par with the higher-end MacBook Pros but for significantly less money. It's a sturdy machine and the keyboard is excellent, but the white plastic design is starting to look dated

Editor's rating 8.0

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, summer 2009)

Apple has promoted its basic 13-inch, aluminium unibody MacBook to the Pro series, adding more features while reducing the price of the base configuration. The end result is one of the most universally useful laptops available, although there's still some features we'd like to see included

User rating 9.0

Editor's rating 8.6

HP Pavilion dv3-2055ea

Attractive, lightweight and with good connectivity, the 13.3-inch Pavilion dv3-2055ea is a well-specified laptop for a reasonable price. The dv3-2055ea's 3D graphics performance isn't quite good enough for it to be considered a true multimedia powerhouse, but it's certainly a capable all-rounder

Editor's rating 7.0

MSI GT725

If you can overlook its hideous appearance, the 17-inch GT725 is a relatively affordable and extremely capable gaming laptop. With a good screen and Blu-ray drive, it's also a sound choice for people whose priority is media-playback capability. Overall, it's a great desktop replacement

User rating 9.0

Editor's rating 8.2