RoHS Laptops

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.

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

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

The Bottom Line: Attempting to create a premium-priced version of a Netbook, Sony has added an HD display to the Vaio W. It's an attractive step-up package, but the internal components are the same as are in cheaper models.

Specs: Intel Atom (1.66 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 2.6 lbs, 10.1 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star, RoHS

The Bottom Line: The stylish design and high-end feel of the Toshiba U505-S2940 don't make up for mediocre ergonomics and performance that can be had for less in other laptops.

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.1 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 4.9 lbs, 13.3 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold, RoHS

The Bottom Line: If you're searching for a great-looking thin-and-light laptop at a good price, the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 bridges the gap between personal and professional and is worth checking out. But its design is more successful than its horsepower.

Specs: Intel Pentium (1.3 GHz), 3 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 250 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, 3.5 lbs, 13.3 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, EPA Energy Star

The Bottom Line: With its low-end single-core processor, dedicated GeForce graphics, and 16:9 display, the unquestionably sleek, entertainment-minded Asus UX50V-RX05 is a good fit for a specific user profile: the movie lover/sometime gamer.

Specs: Intel Core 2 Solo (1.4 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, 5.7 lbs, 15.6 in TFT active matrix, RoHS

The Bottom Line: Toshiba improves on last year's excellent Best Buy Blue Label laptop by slashing the price while serving up a nearly identical machine. Long battery life, a lengthy warranty, and a backlit keyboard highlight Toshiba's winning Satellite E105-S1602.

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 5.1 lbs, 14.1 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, EPA Energy Star

The Bottom Line: Although it's expensive for a 15-inch multimedia laptop, the Blu-ray and game-playing capabilities of the attractive 15.4-inch Sony Vaio NW160J make it a worthy portable entertainment system.

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.1 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 6 lbs, 15.5 in TFT active matrix, RoHS, EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Silver

The Bottom Line: It's not an ideal multimedia laptop, but the Asus N90Sv A2 is a good-looking, well-appointed desktop replacement.

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.66 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 9.3 lbs, 18.4 in TFT active matrix, RoHS

The Bottom Line: Lenovo's popular IdeaPad S10 Netbook has been slimmed down and its price reduced, making it a better Netbook--as long as you can live without ExpressCard.

Specs: Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 2.6 lbs, 10.1 in TFT active matrix, EPA Energy Star, EPEAT Gold, RoHS