This mid-sized widescreen has plenty of power and a sizable, speedy hard disk, and it's backed by a three-year warranty.

It's very difficult to criticise the Lenovo ThinkPad X301 without sounding like a nitpicker. This is a fantastic and well-engineered notebook that has plenty of features and looks very attractive. The only substantial issues are the high price tag, the lower than average battery life and the problematic latch.

Although there's a notable premium on the solid-state hard drive and ultra-portables don't often come cheap anyway, this is a good little buy. It's got enough power to handle the most basic tasks and its implementation of flash memory should please those wanting to be on the cutting edge.

The VAIO is an excellent option for anyone after an ultraportable with good performance, solid battery life and an excellent design.

They've finally done it — the Sony VAIO VGN-Z16GN/B is a great mix of power and style for those who can swallow the $2999 price tag. Users will just have to make sure they treat it carefully, especially when dealing with the screen.

The U400 is a good size for travellers, has plenty of connectivity and good speed, and it's also well priced, but its battery life is short.

Although the Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 is not the most stylish or powerful machine, it does offer some good battery life and should take a few knocks without any trouble. However, for the premium price it is short on ports and other features, a disappointment despite the advantages of its rugged design.

Exceptional battery life and a compact design make the nc2400 a great option for those willing to sacrifice some performance.

If you consider battery life and light weight the most important laptop criteria, give the LifeBook P7010 a close look. You could probably live with this 1.5-kilogram unit's less-than-perfect keyboard and screen.

It looks great and has fast specifications for an ultraportable laptop. It's a good thing it comes with a second, larger battery though, because its small battery produced a very low run-time in our tests. Nevertheless, if it's a lightweight powerhouse that you want, this one is ideal.

The Sony Vaio SZ15GP/B is a great entry level unit for people who want to get mobile but don't need a monster laptop.

Alienware takes a nice step out of the high-power desktop world into the ultraportable market with the Sentia m3200