The addition of an HD-DVD-ROM puts this new P200 in a whole new class, and the implementation of the latest Centrino platform gives it a touch more power and battery life, too.

It may call itself a gemstone, but the 5920G (302G20N) more closely resembles a diamond in the rough. Those who are willing to chip away at the ugly exterior will be pleased by what they find inside.

Sturdy, speedy and yet simple, the F3Sv has some perks, but mainly it just gets the job done. The TV tuner is a nice addition and so is the DVI port. If you're after a unit that will run a wide array of applications without too much pizzazz, the F3Sv is a good choice.

We don't feel that SideShow is the be all and end all of what this LG R200 has to offer, but it is a handy device if you set it up well. Beyond that the R200 is an incredibly portable unit with good battery life and enough grunt to get you by.

The MSI MegaBook EX600 is a solid, but far from outstanding unit. It will handle most basic tasks with ease, but will struggle with more demanding applications.

While it might not quite resurrect a dying breed, the A9 (PTS52A-00V00F) proves that big old-fashioned business notebooks still have a worthy place in the ultra-mobile world. Worth investing in.

A formidable notebook choice with a classy design. Although it's aimed at the casual user in both price and performance, we still feel that an extra $100 can get you a more powerful Intel-based machine.

The VAIO VGN-CR13G is a reasonably solid, if unspectacular, notebook that features a lovely design and reasonable specifications. A decent choice if you are after an all-purpose machine.

A worthy alternative to Toshiba's flagship G40, the Qosmio F40 is a well built and useful entertainment machine.

Although we are unable to fully test this product right now, the concept of a notebook with 3G and GPS built-in is a promising sign for the convergence of mobile technology. However, the inclusion of e-SATA and HDMI already puts up a few gold stars for the ASUS U3S.

The BenQ Joybook S32 (BV13) offers a slight improvement over the previous S32 iteration. Its overall performance was predictably solid for a notebook in this price range. It will neither wow, nor disappoint.

The clean-slate design and trialware-free desktop are immediate pleasures that are soon accompanied by solid performance and some surprising media centre-style capabilities.