Top 5 desirable notebooks
Step aside, gamers and tech nerds. Sometimes it's not just about being able to achieve blazing-fast speeds or running insanely beautiful games requiring the performance equivalent of a supercomputer. Nowadays, a notebook is fast becoming a fashion accessory which needs to look good out of the office and at LAN parties.
Like supermodels, a desirable laptop is one with exceptional slenderness like the MacBook Air or the pocketability of the LifeBook U2010. Where once being a sexy laptop simply meant being available in shades other than black, silver and white, the bar has been raised by models such as the leather-clad ASUS U2E and Lenovo IdeaPad U110 with an etched top cover. Even the business-centric VAIO TZ series, though decked in professional black, has enough curves to excite jaded executives.
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Apple MacBook Air (Core 2 Duo processor 1.6GHz, 2GB, 13.3-inch TFT)
CNET Asia rating: 7.7 out of 10
The good: Incredibly thin yet surprisingly sturdy; new touchpad gesture controls very useful; remote optical drive makes living without a built-in drive much easier.
The bad: Very limited connectivity; slower than other MacBooks; SSD hard drive option is ridiculously expensive and standard hard drive is small; battery not replaceable.
The bottom line: The design is revolutionary, but Apple's MacBook Air will appeal to a smaller, more specialized audience than the standard MacBook, thanks to a stripped-down set of connections and features.
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ASUS U2E (Core 2 Duo U7500 Processor 1.06GHz, 1.5GB RAM)
CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10
The good: Leather lid and palm rest; integrated DVD writer; HDMI output.
The bad: Uncomfortable keyboard.
The bottom line: The ASUS U2E is a fantastic laptop. It's far slower than rivals such as the Sony VAIO TZ series or MacBook Air, but it's stylish, feature-rich and in many ways more desirable than many of the alternatives.
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IdeaPad U110 (Core 2 Duo L7500 Processor 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM)
CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: Gorgeous design; lightweight yet solid construction; sharp screen resolution; comfortable keyboard; ships with two batteries.
The bad: Lacks a built-in optical drive; glossy screen finish sometimes produces annoying reflections; piano finish on keyboard is prone to smudges; fixed configuration can't be customized; no 3G/HSDPA option.
The bottom line: The 11.1-inch Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is the most beautiful laptop we've seen in years, and behind those good looks is a well-appointed, fairly priced ultraportable. Despite a few minor nitpicks, we recommend the IdeaPad U110 to those who want a lightweight, eye-catching laptop for frequent travel.
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Fujitsu LifeBook U2010 (Intel Atom Z530 Processor 1.6GHZ, 1GB RAM)
Outlook
Possibly, the world's smallest convertible tablet PC, the LifeBook U series minute size allows it to be carried in the smallest handbag or even in cargo pants. The LifeBook U2010 is the third iteration in the series and the platform has been bumped up to the latest Intel Atom chipset. An interesting feature which we've not seen on other laptops is an integrated FM transmitter which streams music from the LifeBook to any FM radio in the area. With a price tag of S$1,688 (US$1,242.79), it may not come cheap. But this simply adds to the snob appeal.
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Sony VAIO VGN-TZ38GN/X (Core 2 Duo U7700 Processor 1.33GHz, 2GB RAM)
Outlook
The VAIO TZ series is Sony's premium ultraportable, and the VGN-TZ38GN/X model is the elite of the lot. While its cheaper siblings had to be contented with a standard harddisk, this model comes equipped with the latest solid-state drive (SSD) technology. Despite its diminutive size, the VAIO TZ is packed with features, from an integrated DVD writer to fingerprint sensor and TPM security chip. Priced at S$4,499 (US$3,312.40), only the highest-paid executive is likely to hold the VAIO VGN-TZ38GN/X inside a briefcase. The upcoming VAIO TT series looks even sexier, with a massive 256GB SSD (consisting of two 128GB SSDs) and Blu-ray writer under the hood.
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