Lugging a laptop around was once a shoulder-wrenching experience, but you no longer have to contort your spine to stay mobile. Slimline models will have you skipping through the hotel lobby en route to that power meeting.
Laptop design has made a quantum leap recently. The boffins have miniaturised most components, and today far more power-efficient chips mean that batteries can be smaller and lighter too. Look out for dual-core laptop processors, notably Intel’s Core Duo range, which offer greater multitasking and battery longevity than older models. Faster Core 2 Duo chips are on their way but the laptops reviewed here are as quick as most users will need. The lightest of the slimline laptops weigh barely a kilo. These wafer-thin machines can handle everyday tasks with aplomb, yet won’t run out of puff before, say, the Eurostar reaches the end of the tunnel.
Small is always beautiful, but portability means compromises in performance or ergonomics. A tiny laptop dictates that the screen will be weeny, often 12in or so. Also, be wary of congested or unresponsive keyboards. Never buy on spec alone — tap that keyboard with your own fingers and also consider the type of work you will be doing. Checking e-mail may be your primary goal but you’ll hate typing long reports on elfin-sized keys. And as for 3-D gaming, broadly speaking, forget it on a lightweight laptop.
The biggest issue is how and where you will work, or play, with your swanky new machine. Many laptops boast glossy widescreens, great for photos or movies, but reflections from overhead lighting at work will make them a misery to read.
Once out on the road, internet access is often a deal-breaker. You’d need to be waving-at-cows crazy not to opt for built-in WiFi, and a few business models include 3G as well. This sends data over a mobile phone network, so you can browse the web from almost anywhere in Britain, though speed varies wildly.
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The average price of a notebook sold in the UK in 2006 has tumbled to £686, compared with £808 last year, says GFK Research. However, if you want performance, stamina and glamourpuss looks to boot, you must cough up. The skimpy models reviewed here will please your chiropractor far more than your bank manager. But they each deliver built-in WiFi, a top-notch screen, and a keyboard that Liberace would be proud to tickle. You know you want one.
The reviews
Samsung Q35 MXD T2400
Apple MacBook 2GHz Intel Core Duo
Sony Vaio VGN-TX3XP
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Lenovo ThinkPad X60 T2400
Dell Latitude D420