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  NOTEBOOKS

MALIBAL Veda series

EDITORS RATING
8.2
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.53 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, 12.6 lbs, 18.4 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Powerful desktop gaming performance; excellent service, support, and pricing policies.

THE BAD

Poor speaker performance; fingerprint magnet; small keyboard and touch pad for a gigantic notebook.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you're ready to give up your gaming desktop once and for all, consider replacing it with the Malibal Veda series laptop.

REVIEWED: 02-Oct-2009 01:29 PM PDT
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Asus UL30A-A1 (Core 2 Duo Su7300 1.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Vista Home Premium)

EDITORS RATING
8.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (1300 MHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, 3.7 lbs, 13.3 in TFT

THE GOOD

Strong battery life; reasonable price; slim design.

THE BAD

Some keyboard flex; touchy touch pad; feels a bit cheap.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you're in the market for an affordable thin-and-light, the Asus UL30A-A1 provides great value and a solid Core 2 Duo CULV processor in an attractive package.

REVIEWED: 30-Sep-2009 02:46 PM PDT
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HP Mini 311

EDITORS RATING
8.1
SPECS

DDR3 SDRAM, 160 GB

THE GOOD

Nvidia Ion graphics adds HD video and basic gaming functionality; reasonably priced; high-def display.

THE BAD

Annoying touch pad; streaming Flash video support for new Nvidia Ion graphics is spotty; $20 extra for a white lid, seriously?

THE BOTTOM LINE

HP's Mini 311 adds a larger, high-definition display and advanced graphics to a basic Netbook, while keeping the price very appealing. Once it starts shipping with Windows 7, this could become our favorite Netbook.

REVIEWED: 08-Oct-2009 11:09 AM PDT
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Apple MacBook Fall 2009 (Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Nvidia GeForce 9400M)

EDITORS RATING
8.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 2048 MB DDR3 SDRAM, 250 GB, Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard, 4.7 lbs, 13.3 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Sleek unibody design; LED display; big multitouch trackpad; long battery life.

THE BAD

Loses FireWire; no SD card slot; nonremovable battery.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Apple's latest version of the popular $999 white MacBook gets an upscale makeover, while keeping the price the same. It's a strong alternative to the more expensive Pro line, if you can live without extras such as an SD card slot.

REVIEWED: 22-Oct-2009 01:28 PM PDT
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Sony Vaio X (VPC-X115KX/N Signature Collection, gold)

EDITORS RATING
7.9
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Atom (2 GHz), 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 128 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 1.6 lbs, 11.1 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star, RoHS

THE GOOD

Amazingly thin and light; great battery life with extended battery; faster than other Netbooks; big 128GB solid-state hard drive.

THE BAD

Underpowered for such an expensive system; default battery is short-lived.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Sony's bold experiment--a high-end luxury system with essentially Netbook components--makes an enviable coffee shop conversation piece, but one that includes some serious sticker shock.

REVIEWED: 02-Nov-2009 01:08 PM PST
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Toshiba Satellite T135-S1310 (red)

EDITORS RATING
7.8
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Pentium (1300 MHz), DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 13.3 in

THE GOOD

Dual-core CULV processor; Windows 7 preinstalled; very good battery life.

THE BAD

Weak speakers; uncomfortable touch pad.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Toshiba's slick entry into the thin-and-light laptop world is timed for Windows 7, but if you're going to get one, make sure it's the dual-core T135-S1310, and not its single-core cousin.

REVIEWED: 22-Oct-2009 11:05 AM PDT
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Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q850

EDITORS RATING
7.8
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core i7 (1.60 GHz), 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 64 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 18.4 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Top-of-the-line components, including Intel Core i7; second solid-state hard drive; massive 18-inch 1080p display.

THE BAD

Expensive; tiny touch pad; surprisingly cramped keyboard; mute button beeps loudly when pressed.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Toshiba revives its Qosmio gaming line with the high-end X505. It has everything from Blu-ray to an Intel Core i7 CPU, but it also carries a premium price.

REVIEWED: 19-Oct-2009 03:02 PM PDT
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Lenovo ThinkPad T400s (MultiTouch)

EDITORS RATING
7.8
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.53 GHz), 4096 MB DDR II SDRAM, 128 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, 3.9 lbs, TFT

THE GOOD

Excellent quality and construction; thoughtful keyboard layout; inventive touch-screen features.

THE BAD

Expensive; touch-screen features have limited real-world usefulness for most.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A revamped version of Lenovo's slim ThinkPad T400s adds an innovative touch-screen package to the first Windows 7 laptop we've reviewed.

REVIEWED: 14-Sep-2009 09:01 PM PDT
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Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980

EDITORS RATING
7.7
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 GHz), 4 GB DDR II SDRAM, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 7.2 lbs, 16 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Large screen, great speakers; excellent battery life.

THE BAD

Heavy; massive battery; no Bluetooth.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Good design and some really nice-sounding speakers round out the Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980, a very affordable mainstream laptop with excellent battery life for its size.

REVIEWED: 04-Nov-2009 11:57 AM PST
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HP Envy 13

EDITORS RATING
7.7
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.13 GHz), 3072 MB DDR II SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 3.8 lbs, 15.4 in TFT

THE GOOD

Slick, modern design; big touch pad; bright display; premium support services.

THE BAD

Very expensive; heavier than it looks; no backlit keyboard; limited ports and connections.

THE BOTTOM LINE

HP's upscale Envy 13 looks and feels like an expensive status symbol, with performance and features that impress us--but its high price makes it a tough sell over the similar-looking MacBook Pro.

REVIEWED: 29-Sep-2009 09:00 PM PDT
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Nokia Booklet 3G (black)

EDITORS RATING
7.6
SPECS

Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 120 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Starter, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 2.8 lbs, 10.1 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Excellent design; great battery life; seamless 3G connection.

THE BAD

Slower CPU leads to frustratingly sluggish performance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Nokia's entry in the crowded Netbook field shows that the company's hardware know-how translates to computer design, but a poor choice of CPU should give you pause.

REVIEWED: 10-Nov-2009 03:48 PM PST
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Toshiba Satellite T135-S1309

EDITORS RATING
7.6
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Pentium (1.3 GHz), 3 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 13.3 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Affordable thin-and-light; strong battery life.

THE BAD

Tinny speakers; no Bluetooth.

THE BOTTOM LINE

For a budget Windows 7 thin-and-light that won't need to recharge often, you could do a lot worse than the Toshiba Satellite T135-S1309.

REVIEWED: 06-Nov-2009 11:26 AM PST
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Lenovo ThinkPad SL510

EDITORS RATING
7.5
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.53 GHz), 3072 MB DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 5.3 lbs, 15.6 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star, RoHS

THE GOOD

Solid construction; matte 16x9 screen; flexible configurations and pricing.

THE BAD

Bland, boxy design; somewhat bulky frame.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Lenovo's Windows 7 upgrade to the ThinkPad SL500 keeps the price affordable, and features a consumer-friendly 16:9 display.

REVIEWED: 16-Oct-2009 02:48 PM PDT
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Samsung Go N310 (sunset orange)

EDITORS RATING
7.5
SPECS

Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 2.9 lbs, 10.1 in TFT active matrix, EPEAT Gold, EPEAT gold

THE GOOD

Unique, rugged design; excellent battery life.

THE BAD

High-end Netbook price, without the high-end extras.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Samsung brings a different look to a generic Netbook build with the N310, but is there any good reason this costs almost $500?

REVIEWED: 03-Sep-2009 02:55 PM PDT
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Yukyung Viliv S7 (Atom Z515 1.2GHz, 1GB RAM, 16GB SSD, XP Home)

EDITORS RATING
7.3
SPECS

Intel ATOM (1200 MHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 16 GB, 1.76 lbs

THE GOOD

Touch screen plus full keyboard; excellent battery life.

THE BAD

Mediocre CPU performance; too many keyboard and touch pad compromises; high price tag compared with other Atom-powered devices.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Viliv S7's small size and Netbook-tablet hybrid design are appealing, but its high price is illogical in a world of inexpensive portables.

REVIEWED: 23-Sep-2009 04:32 PM PDT
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Yukyung Viliv S7 (Atom Z520 1.33GHz, 1GB RAM, 32GB SSD, XP Home)

EDITORS RATING
7.3
SPECS

Intel ATOM (1.33 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 32 GB, 1.76 lbs

THE GOOD

Touch screen plus full keyboard; excellent battery life.

THE BAD

Mediocre CPU performance; too many keyboard and touch pad compromises; high price tag compared with other Atom-powered devices.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Viliv S7's small size and Netbook-tablet hybrid design are appealing, but its high price is illogical in a world of inexpensive portables.

REVIEWED: 23-Sep-2009 04:32 PM PDT
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Yukyung Viliv S7 (Atom Z520 1.33GHz, 1GB RAM, 32GB SSD, XP Home, 3G)

EDITORS RATING
7.3
SPECS

Intel ATOM (1.33 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 32 GB, 1.76 lbs

THE GOOD

Touch screen plus full keyboard; excellent battery life.

THE BAD

Mediocre CPU performance; too many keyboard and touch pad compromises; high price tag compared with other Atom-powered devices.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Viliv S7's small size and Netbook-tablet hybrid design are appealing, but its high price is illogical in a world of inexpensive portables.

REVIEWED: 23-Sep-2009 04:32 PM PDT
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Gateway LT3103u

EDITORS RATING
7.2
SPECS

Athlon 64 (1.2 GHz), 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, 3 lbs, 11.6 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Feels faster than an Intel Atom Netbook, but keeps the price low; high-def display.

THE BAD

Uninspiring battery life; terrible mouse buttons; no Bluetooth.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The 11-inch, AMD-powered Gateway LT3103u does well on price and performance, but drops the ball on battery life when compared with the competition.

REVIEWED: 27-Aug-2009 09:16 AM PDT
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Dell Inspiron i1545-4374PBU

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Pentium (2.16 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 5.7 lbs, 15.6 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star

THE GOOD

Good configuration and performance for the money; simple, straightforward design.

THE BAD

Minimal port assortment; glossy plastic build.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Dell Inspiron i1545-4374PBU is a good, if basic, laptop with a strong price-to-performance ratio.

REVIEWED: 06-Nov-2009 04:20 PM PST
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Dell Inspiron 14 (Intel Core 2 Duo T6600)

EDITORS RATING
7.0
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.13 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English, 14.0

THE GOOD

Solid mainstream value; decent keyboard and touchpad; 15 months antivirus subscription included.

THE BAD

Not as many configuration options as some other Dell laptops; weak battery.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Dell's middle-of-the-road Inspiron 14 offers a decent low-cost mainstream Core 2 Duo package, but we would have liked better battery life and more graphics options.

REVIEWED: 23-Sep-2009 03:26 PM PDT
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Hannspree Hannsnote (pearl black)

EDITORS RATING
6.9
SPECS
THE GOOD

Bluetooth; 802.11n Wi-Fi; comfortable keyboard and touch pad; rare matte screen.

THE BAD

Thicker than many Netbooks; undistinguished design.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Hannspree Hannsnote doesn't set the Netbook world on fire, but it's a surprisingly usable and well-featured mini-laptop at a competitive price from a new manufacturer.

REVIEWED: 26-Aug-2009 10:35 AM PDT
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Toshiba Satellite T135-S1300

EDITORS RATING
6.8
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS

Intel Pentium (1300 MHz), 3072 MB DDR3 SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 13.3 in TFT

THE GOOD

Lightweight body, Windows 7 preinstalled, very good battery life.

THE BAD

Underperforming single-core CPU, weak speakers.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Toshiba's slick entry into the thin-and-light laptop world is timed for Windows 7, but the Satellite T135-S1300 isn't as multimedia-savvy as it seems to be at first glance.

REVIEWED: 09-Oct-2009 11:37 AM PDT
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Gateway NV5207u

EDITORS RATING
6.3
SPECS

AMD Athlon 64 X2 (2.1 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 6.8 lbs, 15.6 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Nice display; very good feature set, design.

THE BAD

A couple strange design choices; weak processor.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Gateway NV5207u is certainly above average for the money, but its processor is a dog.

REVIEWED: 05-Nov-2009 09:04 AM PST
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iBuyPower Battalion 101 M865TU

EDITORS RATING
6.2
SPECS

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.9 GHz), 4096 MB DDR3 SDRAM, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 15.0 in TFT

THE GOOD

Affordable; good gaming performance for the price.

THE BAD

Bland design; poor battery life; display not 1080p.

THE BOTTOM LINE

While its aesthetics leave something to be desired, the iBuyPower Battalion M865TU gaming laptop is a decent cocktail of no-frills performance and price.

REVIEWED: 11-Sep-2009 11:14 AM PDT
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Toshiba Satellite L455-S5975

EDITORS RATING
5.3
SPECS

Intel Celeron (2.2 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 15.6 in TFT active matrix

THE GOOD

Ridiculously affordable; large screen.

THE BAD

Slow, older CPU; no Webcam; terrible battery life.

THE BOTTOM LINE

While it's hard to argue with a $330 laptop, the old-fashioned-looking L455-S5975 cuts some serious corners to get you a package that will suit only basic users.

REVIEWED: 02-Nov-2009 09:14 AM PST
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