In recent years, the major players in the laptop arena (Sony, Toshiba, HP, IBM, etc,) started to produce more and more portable laptop computer, weighing less than 2.8 and thus offers much as 9 hours of playback. Often portability would come at the expense of losing functionality in favor of a smaller footprint and longer battery life.

Thanks to advancements such as new low-voltage processors from Intel, and some ingenious engineering, in most cases, this is no longer theCase (although there are some notable exceptions). You can now an ultraportable laptop computer running at a weight of slightly more than 3 kg (or less), and reserves with tremendous functionality to Windows Vista, and perhaps more importantly, keep extra long battery life - as long 9h in some cases.

There is always a wide range of ultra portable computers, so that some reservations are in order. For example, we will look only to laptops with a screen between11 and 13.5 inches - smaller and we are in the field of handheld computers. We also want to be a maximum weight of 2.5 kilograms or 5.5 pounds, to impose - theres no point in an ultraportable if you wear a brace back to it.

The following is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should prove a good cross part of the market.

Apple Macbook from € 1119 / £ 749

Since counter Apple Computer "from PowerPC to Intel processors in 2006They were increasly pushed their way into the traditional PC market, and nevermoreso since the release of Boot Camp - a free program from Apple that gives you the ability to install and run Microsoft Windows operating systems on Apple hardware.

The recently updated Intel Core 2 Duo powered MacBooks offer a lot for its price point. From € 1119 / £ 749, the ultra-thin, ultra bright widescreen wonders (such as Apple put it) packs in many high spec components that are not often seeneven in high specification laptops, such as the built-in iSight webcam, remote control, gigabit Ethernet. and FireWire-400.

Unspurprisingly want the cheapest model on offer, you can, at € 200 cheaper than the next best model, missed a super multi-drive - the fantasy jack of all trades, CD / DVD burner, an additional 512 MB of RAM and 20 GB of disk space among others.

Although the graphics processor, the MacBook is far from ideal, it is sufficient for most purposesincluding video playback, and even Windows Vista Aero Glass interface is, of course, reminded that there are ultra-portable computers are not designed to meet the needs of modern players, and probably never will.

Pros:
Can host either MacOS X or Windows XP to play / Vista
Starting at just € 1119 / £ 749 you get a lot of bang-for-your-buck
Significantly more stylish than your average brick

Cons:
Can only be purchased online or at an Apple store, the few and farbetween. Although in recent months, more and more high street stores are Apple computers.
If you are a Windows user, you can find the one-button mouse, which irretating.
At 2.3 kilograms, it is at the very upper limit of the ultraportability
Poor integrated graphics 64MB of memory sharing

Score: 3 / 5

Sony VAIO VGN-TX from € 1999

Wild claims and high prices, well the Sony VAIO TX series of ultraportable notebooks. With a screen size of 11.1Customs and with such a high-end features like a carbon fiber chassis, weighing in at nearly undetectectably 2.7 pounds and a battery life of up to 7.5hr per load, it is not surprising that the VAIO TX series, there are in the most expensive of all, with prices starting from € 1999th

If there is an ultimate portable laptop, it would be the Sony VAIO TX. With battery life up to 7.5hr alone it should receive such a title, but the diminutive that its size, its more than ample memory of 1 GB of RAMand 80 GB hard drive, the Sony VAIO TX really the most portable of the ultra portables.

Apart from that, is not all sunshine and lollipops. The TX series has in its efforts to reduce the space a little lost in the process of usability. Although by definition, an ultraportable computer should be small, in this reviewers opinion, the TX series was perhaps a little too far, at least with the screen. Wide-screen with a size of only 11.1 inches diagonally and a resolution of madhigh as 1366 x 768, then one has the feeling that using it even this small display on a regular basis would need either a magnifying glass or prescription glasses. In addition to the resolution dispraportionate the size of the display is, I have a feeling that might do the trackpad with a little more in the way of size. For such a small screen is the control of the cursor turn into a nightmare at times.

Pros:
Truly in a class by itself
Carbon Fiber Chassis
High-specification in a smallPackage
Super Multi Drive

Cons:
Native resolution of the display is incredibly high for such a small screen
Trackpad is too small or inaccurate for the native resolution
Expensive

Score: 4 / 5

Dell XPS M1210 from € 1,299

Certainly not the nicest of the Ultra Mobile, far from it infact, the Dell XPS M1210 series makes up for the chunky look of the packaging in many functions. With 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, 1.6 GHzIntel Core 2 Duo processor and integrated DVD + / - RW standard, the Dell XPS M1210 probably the best value for money of all the ultra-portable computer.

It has its weaknesses, but apart from looking like a plastic brick, and weighing from 1.93KG. Thats definitely with minimal offerings, its by far not the best fighter in the ultra-portable box. However, if the price is an issue which packets with this machine a lot in a very small space at a very reasonable price.

Pros:
Possiblythe best value for money

Cons:
Surely, the ugliest of the group

Score: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Q35 from € 1450

By far my favorite of all the ultraportables, the Samsung Q35 offers not only great functionality at a reasonable price, but also a very stylish way - both in silver and red. Unlike some other pretenders to the throne, ultra-portable, the Q35 provides not only decent battery life (over 5 hours), a high performance processor (1.8GHz Intel Core) 2 Duo), bags of storage (1.25 GB of RAM, 100GB hard drive, but also packs in an internal super multi drive and a 6-in-1 memory card reader, while still remain ultralight only 1,89 KG and even a very reasonable price. It also includes a splash / waterproof keyboard, which is everyone who fears wiped from a buried Beverage desperate to die before their laptop, apreciate experienced.

The Samsung Q35 is the successor to the Q30, an older and a little lighterModel that lacked some important features such as an integrated optical drive, and whose memory was a skinny now 512 MB and 40 GB respectively.

Available in silver and red, the Q35 is an ultra-portable notebook, yes, especially compared to the rather clunky and inspired design of the Dell XPS M1210, which now sports de facto standard for wireless communication protocols: 802.11b / g and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR.

Pros:
Stylish in silver and red models
Decent battery lifeLife
Super Multi Drive
Low price point
6-in-1 card reader
WLAN 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

Cons:
Hard to find a replacement or increased capacity battery
Windows XP (a free upgrade to Vista Home Premium)

Score: 5 / 5

Comments? Discuss here

Sean Nicholls has with computers over 6yrs. A student of software systems at the National College of Ireland, Sean has an extensive knowledge about computersSystems and computer programming.

For further reading, please visit http://www.seannicholls.com/

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Tags: Laptops, Ultraportable