(Oct 03, 2008)
Dan Ackerman
Senior Editor
Michelle Thatcher
Senior Associate Editor
Perfect for globe-trotting business types or campus-trotting students, thin-and-light laptops hit the sweet spot of portability, performance, and features. Be prepared to pay a bit of a premium for performance, but if you ask us, 13 inches is the new mainstream.
Lenovo ThinkPad X300
The ThinkPad X300 breaks new ground by packing a broad display, full-size keyboard, and nearly every feature a mobile user needs into a sleek, lightweight case.
Price: $1,896.10 (check prices)
Review date: Feb 22, 2008
Excellent
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Apple MacBook
Apple's rightfully popular 13-inch MacBook gets a decent incremental upgrade, but we're still looking forward to the next version.
Price: $1,799.89 (check prices)
Review date: Jun 14, 2007
Excellent
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Dell XPS M1330
Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.
Price: Sorry, pricing not available
Review date: Jun 26, 2007
Very good
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Apple MacBook Air (80GB)
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.
Price: $1,629.18 - $1,799.99 (check prices)
Review date: Jan 25, 2008
Very good
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Dell Vostro 1310
Small-business owners who would otherwise buy a consumer laptop should consider the full-featured, 13.3-inch Dell Vostro 1310.
Price: $1,232.00 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 17, 2008
Very good
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