Best Laptops

The most common question we get around here is simple: "What laptop should I buy?"

Being a generally difficult person by nature, I usually respond with my own series of questions: "What size screen do you want? How much do you want to spend?" and so on. But sometimes people just want a simple suggestion, based on what I actually like. So, here is a jargon-free list of the current crop of laptops that I'm digging, either because they give you good bang for your buck, they excel in their specific category, or because they just plain rock.

Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch)

It's a hefty investment, but the combination of new high-end Intel processor options and AMD graphics makes the 15-inch MacBook Pro an all-around powerhouse, with the new Thunderbolt I/O port as an added bonus.

Price: $1,994.00 - $2,749.00 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Summer 2011)

The latest version of the 13-inch MacBook Air vastly outperforms its predecessor, and can finally be called suitable for mainstream use, instead of relegated as a niche product.

Price: $1,499.00 - $1,599.00 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

Lenovo's stylish U300s Ultrabook is one of the best-looking Windows laptops we've seen and matches Apple's MacBook Air nearly spec for spec. The entry-level version is $100 less than Apple's, but that discount vanishes on the higher-end model.

Price: $1,059.00 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Toshiba Portege R835-P70

Excellent battery life, a light weight, and great pricing make the Toshiba Portege R835 hard to beat, even in the highly competitive 13-inch laptop category.

Price: $729.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Sony Vaio SE

Sony knocks out another stylish system with the 15-inch Vaio SE, with some extra appeal for business users.

Available October 2011.

4 stars

Excellent

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