Notebook Reviews

The redesigned HP ProBook 5330m is meant to be a stylish rethinking of business laptops. We've heard that before. In the case of this ProBook, it hits the basics but is not really that much of a reinvention.

Budget shoppers had best look elsewhere than the 14-inch Toshiba Satellite L745D-S4220. A low-end processor and middling speed aren't worth the $499 asking price, and we've seen many laptops in the same range that offer more.

If you're looking for a lot of screen real estate and enough power for work and play, the HP Pavilion dv7-6b55dx is a good place to start.

HP's versatile EliteBook 8560w shows that a mobile workstation can be rugged and a solid performer and still look good.

The Asus Zenbook UX31E is an excellent-looking Windows Ultrabook laptop that matches the MacBook Air step for step with an even better price. Fans of great audio, high-resolution screens and lots of ports will be happy; keyboard/touch pad aficionados will be disappointed.

More of a proof-of-concept than anything else, the glasses-free 15-inch 3D display on the Toshiba Qosmio F755 can be impressive when paired with the right content.

The Dell XPS 14z is a nicely designed, well-built 14-inch laptop, but the XPS "z" design works better on the 15-inch version, leaving this model feeling chunky.

There have been plenty of 11-inch AMD-powered ultraportables this year, but HP's Pavilion dm1z was the first, and this updated version puts it back in the lead in this crowded category.

As long as your performance needs don't go far beyond basic productivity tasks, the Toshiba Satellite P775-S7320 is a decent big-screen laptop.

Asus updates the Eee PC line with AMD's excellent ultraportable CPU, making for a powerful, portable package, but the field is getting crowded in this category.

As one of the few high-end boutique gaming PC makers serious about laptops, Origin offers nearly any set of components you'd want in the overclockable, have-it-your-way EON17-S.

HP's Envy line has always been a reliable high-end PC laptop line, and this new redesign adds some useful features, such as a volume wheel, while keeping the upscale look and feel.

A MacBook Pro is a significant investment, especially when adding in optional upgrades. Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between.

This year's 11-inch MacBook Air improves on last year's model in several significant ways and is by far the fastest ultraportable you're likely to find, though some users will consider the limited flash storage space to be a hindrance.

Alienware again pushes the boundaries of laptop performance (and price) with high-end parts and a great-for-gaming 18-inch screen.

The 2011 Dell Vostro V131 succeeds at being an affordable and powerful update to the 13-inch small-business laptop, adding much-needed battery life and processing boosts. At its lower-priced configurations, it's worth a look for budget shoppers.

The Asus U31SD-A1 is a compact 13-inch laptop that should appeal to back-to-school shoppers, especially with its impressive combination of graphics and battery life, despite some cut corners.

The 3D-enabled Toshiba Satellite P755-3DV20 is one of the more affordable 3D-enabled laptops, but it lacks the horsepower we've seen in more-robust 3D gaming laptops.

The Lenovo Essential G570 is a surprisingly good deal for a 15-inch Core i5 laptop, but offers few frills.

As long as the price stays around $599, the Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 should be a strong consideration for anyone looking for a very good all-around 13-inch laptop, although it's hardly a showstopper.

For a full set of features in a Core i5 laptop in the $600 range, it's extremely hard to beat the Samsung QX411-W01UB, which stands out for its great keyboard and impressive extras.

Sony's revamped Vaio S series laptops have slimmed down, but still offer plenty of high-end features, creating an affordable alternative to the attractive-but-expensive Vaio Z.

The more affordable and better-performing Sony Vaio YB35KX/B is a modest improvement on the last YB model we reviewed, adding up to a full-featured but cramped 11-inch laptop that'll cost a lot less than an ultrabook.

Dell's XPS 17 3D is for those who want a powerful media and gaming 17-inch laptop, but in a more aesthetically upscale package than offered by Dell's Alienware brand. The stereoscopic 3D is gimmicky, but a certain breed of PC gamer will love it.

Sony makes some of the best-looking multimedia laptops out there, and the 3D Vaio F215FX is no exception. But you'll have to be willing to pay extra for that sharp design.