What if you could turn back the clock to a time when there was no such thing as a netbook? Back then, your only
options were state-of-the-art ultraportables that had everything a mobile user could possibly want—fast processing speeds, full size keyboards, and a robust feature set. These little laptops were made from the finest materials and tested under the strictest guidelines, because, well, they also commanded the highest premiums—up to $2,500 when laptop sales were going well.
Fancy ultraportables are singing a different tune these days, what with all the netbooks, tablets, and CULV-equipped laptops dominating the scene and obliterating margins that use to open champagne bottles. But that doesn't mean companies aren't making them—the selection just hasn't been great. Most of them are tailored to corporate executives, and each one, after you spend a day with it, will make you cringe at the sight of a netbook.
The Sony VAIO VPC-Z116GXS ($1,800 direct, 4 stars), or simply, the Z-Series, is the most lust-worthy of them all. At 3 pounds, it weighs about as much as a 10-inch netbook, but houses a 13-inch widescreen and a 1,600-by-900 resolution that easily make a mockery out of everything in its class. Its list of features is long, and includes a Blu-ray drive, 256GB solid state drive, a backlit keyboard, and a switching graphics mechanism. Its light weight, usually an indicator of low-powered parts, is deceptive, this ultraportable actually runs on standard voltage Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors.
HP and Lenovo have been in stiff competition with one another since business ultraportables first came to the market. Their offerings this year, namely the HP Elitebook 2540p ($1,629 direct, 4 stars) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X201 ($1,625 direct, 4 stars) are 12-inch ultraportables with full size keyboards, dual pointing devices, and myriad features you won't find on a netbook. Like the Sony VPC-Z116GXS, they, too, run on standard voltage parts (with options for low voltage CPUs) and can be configured with batteries that last all day.
The Dell Adamo XPS ($2,000 street, 3.5 stars) is a different kind of ultraportable than the other three. Style and design are its obvious strengths, since there isn't a laptop quite like it. It measures approximately 0.4 inches thick and has a footprint twice the size of a netbook, but weighs as much as one. While it won't win any speed races or trump any laptop in features, it's undeniably a sweet piece of eye-candy.
So, there you have it, the standout systems in a category that delivers powerful performance in a light package. If you require a laptop that can take a punishing business life without straining your back, these are all worth a second look.
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