The ASUS X55SV-AS081C has an excellent range of ports and networking connections and doesn't cost the world. If you can stand the drab design and can't spend more than $1800, this notebook should be seriously considered.

While it has a fast CPU and good features, such as built-in 3G connectivity, the U6Sg is let down by poor battery life. This is a major drawback for a unit that's pitched at style-conscious road warriors. If considering this unit, you should either opt for the slower CPU, or the larger, 9-cell battery.

If you're a road warrior looking for an excellent unit that has the right balance of power and portability while offering all the latest connectivity, and you have enough money, then the Toshiba Portege M700 (PPM70A-0G301G) is worth considering.

The Flybook VM's lifting screen is very useful and the unit is comfortable to use overall. It has enough power for typical office applications and even Photoshop, and its screen produced rich colours. We wish it had at least one more USB port and an SD card reader. Apart from that, we think this is a great choice for anyone after a comfortable ultraportable unit.

The Toshiba Satellite M300 (PSMD4A-023008) is a good value, feature-packed device. If you’re looking for a well-connected notebook that has plenty of storage and will work well on the road, the M300 is worth considering.

The tiny Flybook V5 is aimed squarely at the business user. It's very mobile, has 3G capability and it can function as a tablet PC. However, it's a hard-to-use laptop and it's missing some useful tablet features, such as a dedicated button for rotating the screen.

The BenQ Joybook A53-PV09 is an underperforming entry-level notebook. This laptop suffers from usability issues and a scarcity of expansion ports.

Well built and full of features, this lightweight laptop is perfect for professional users who need good speed and ease of use while on the road.

Big and with a powerful graphics card, this is a workstation notebook for users who make a living using design and content creation software.

For its sub-$700 asking price, you can't go wrong with the MSI Wind. It was responsive in our tests, and has plenty of storage and a large screen. Most importantly, its battery lasts a long time. This ultraportable is also quite comfortable to use.

As long as far better products remain on the market at similar prices, buyers should steer clear of the Pioneer DreamBook IL1. It suffers from a slow processor, small touchpad and the screen resolution is stretched in all the settings. The only thing that saves this product from being a complete flop is its phenomenally long battery life.

The NEC Versa P9210-2500DR offers great performance and excellent connectivity at a reasonable price. If you can stand the large size, heavy weight and occasional typing difficulties, then this device should make you very happy.