Best Thin and Light Laptop PCs

Acer's Aspire 5739G can be found for under $800 which is only slightly more than many budget systems. It offers a good deal more than a budget system though including 4GB of DDR3 memory instead of DDR2, a Core 2 Duo processor instead of Pentium Dual-Core and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M dedicated graphics instead of integrated graphics. The system is still best suited as a general purpose system that also needs some graphics for HD video or casual PC gaming. There are a few drawbacks to the system including fewer peripheral ports such as FireWire or eSATA and a wider than average size for a 15.6-inch screen. If you have a bit more to spend, the HP Pavilion dv6-1360us is a good alternative for those that want more storage and better graphics.

ASUS has managed to pack in an amazing level of performance and features into a very small system with the N81Vp-D2. What is particularly amazing about the laptop is all of the peripheral ports that they have put on it including 5 USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire, HDMI, VGA, ExpressCard and a 8-in-1 card reader. That is as many ports as many 17-inch desktop replacements but in a 14-inch screen laptop. The Core 2 Duo T9600 plus 4GB of DDR3 give it very strong performance and the Radeon HD 4650 with 1GB allow it to be a very portable gaming platform. The biggest drawback is that the system has less than average battery life. If battery life is important as is performance, than the Apple MacBook Pro 15 is a more expensive alternative.

If gaming is the primary purpose of the laptop, than the Alienware M15x is clearly the performance system to get. It uses the new Intel Core i7-720QM quad core mobile processor to give it an outstanding level of performance unrivaled by previous Core 2 Duo based laptops. Graphics are also quite strong with a very colorful and high resolution (1600x900) 15.6-inch LCD panel. 3D performance is quite good thanks to the GeForce GT 240M graphics. Of course, if these base specs aren't enough, they can all be upgraded to even higher performance parts for a price. However, it is very thick (1.9-inches) and heavy (9 pounds). Those on a more modest budget can find a decent alternative in the CyberPower Xplorer X9-7900.

When someone needs a laptop for professional graphics work, it needs to provide a bright, high color display. This is where the Dell Studio XPS 16 with its LED backlit 16-inch display panel really excel. It provides some of the best brightness and color possible in the laptop display. While the more expensive 1920x1080 display provides a better experience, the lower 1366x768 display is still quite good. Like most new laptop displays, it features a glossy coating that produces a lot of reflections. Performance and features are also quite good with Core 2 Duo processors and DDR3 memory. Battery life is a bit lower than average. Those looking for a media focused laptop should check out the Sony VAIO NW with its Blu-ray drive for under $1000.

There are a wide range of ultrathin laptops available now, but none of them come equipped with a DVD burner standard. The Lenovo ThinkPad T400s is able to manage an extremely thin .8-inch thickness and under 4 pound weight while providing some outstanding performance. It uses an Intel Core 2 Duo SP9600 low-voltage processor with 2GB of DDR3 memory. Rather than a traditional hard drive, it uses a 128GB solid state drive for lower power consumption and improved performance. Don't expect to be using this to be doing much 3D graphics or gaming though as it uses an Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics. Prices are also quite high. For a bit less money and a tad more bulk, the Apple MacBook Pro 15 makes a very stylish alternative.

There are lots of companies claiming long battery life for their laptops, but their numbers of often inflated compared to real world usage. Apple has managed to achieve an incredibly long battery life that pretty much matches their 7 hour running time claim. This is especially amazing considering that it comes with some fairly high performance parts inside of it. There is a stipulation here though that this running time is achieved while running Mac OS X. Those running Windows via Boot Camp will have roughly half the running time on the same battery. If you are looking to spend a bit less and aren't as concerned with performance, check out the Gateway EC5802u which can run for six to seven hours on a charge.

Business users have a very different set of needs from those of consumers. They generally put their laptops through more abuse because of frequent travel and use. Lenovo has been a leader in business class laptops for good reason. Their new ThinkPad T500 offers up a very sturdy design that business users can trust. It also features probably the best keyboard around for a laptop system. Performance is good thanks to the use of Core 2 Duo processors and DDR3 memory. It also uses a hybrid graphics system that can use an integrated graphics processor or an ATI Radeon HD 3650 depending upon what performance is required. The best part is that Lenovo sells the system with an XP downgrade that many corporations will greatly appreciate.