Best 5 Ultraportable Laptops

The ThinkPad X series of ultraportables have always been excellent systems. Lenovo has outdone themselves with the latest X300 model. The system is extremely thin and lightweight, yet packs in all the features one might need while on the road. It is based around the new compact Intel Core 2 Duo SL7100 processor that provides decent performance with good battery life. The system only comes with a 64GB solid sate drive that gives it strong storage performance but at a high price and lower storage space. The 13.3-inch screen provides an excellent work space and the engineers were able to cram a DVD burner into its extremely thin dimensions. Definitely a first choice provided you can afford its high price tag.

Those looking for a high performance ultraportable that will be used as a primary system but won't be extremely expensive, then the ASUS U6V-A1 has a lot to offer. It is fully loading with a new Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor that gives it strong performance. It comes with double the RAM that most ultraportables come with and an extremely large 320GB hard drive for storing data. If that isn't enough, you can always hook up an eSATA hard drive at the office or home. A dedicated graphics processor also gives it a step up on many ultraportables for both 3D graphics and high definition video. The biggest downside is the slightly below average battery life.

While the ThinkPad X300 is a spectacular ultraportable, the cost is just too much for many people to really consider. The ThinkPad SL300 offers up an affordable alternative to Lenovo's class leading notebook. It uses the new Core 2 Duo SP8400 processor to give it some incredible performance, especially considering its price. It also features a standard laptop sized hard drive packing 250GB of storage space unlike the fairly small solid state drives. It even manages to pack in a GeForce 9300M GS graphics processor. To keep costs down though, Lenovo uses a primarily plastic exterior. The SL300 is also much thicker and larger than many of the 13.3-inch laptops on the market.

Sony's VAIO VGN-Z530N/B is one of the few ultraportable laptops to fully use the new Montevino chipset from Intel. This includes the use of a new Core 2 Duo P8400 processor and 2GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 memory. This gives it some of the best performance in the class. One unique feature to the VAIO VGN-Z530N/B is the hybrid graphics. This lets the use switch between the integrated GMA X4500 or dedicated GeForce 9300M GS graphics depending upon their usage. One uses less power while the other boosts 3D and HD video. These features let the Z530 has some of the best battery life in its class. Of course, Sony does have some of the highest prices on the market.

I probably will get some flak for putting the MacBook Air fairly low on the list, but for some people this may be their system of choice. The problem is the design is very specific to one type of user. It just isn't really good for those that want it as their only computer. The system is extremely thin and very lightweight. It has very strong performance with its new small form factor Intel Core 2 Duo processor. It lacks much in terms of expansion with its single USB port design and the lack of internal optical drive. The extra cost for the solid state drive version is also not worth it as the performance difference isn't much for the 80GB hard drive version. All that said, it is a very attractive system that will appeal to many.