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Laptops
Ten out of 10 gift recipients agree: a shiny new laptop greatly enhances any holiday. You might be surprised to find that there are a number of decent laptops that fit within your holiday gift budget. We've rounded up some of our favorite laptops for gift-giving this season, from sleek ultraportables to game-friendly desktop replacements. In the mix you'll also find some of our favorite laptop accessories to give anyone who already has a laptop they love.
Editors' top pick
The bottom line: Apple's rightfully popular 13-inch MacBook gets a decent incremental upgrade, but we're still looking forward to the next version.
The bottom line: Alienware's flagship gaming laptop, the Area-51 m9750, has plenty of appeal for high-end gamers, but the alien head aesthetic seems dated, and newer components are right around the corner.
The bottom line: Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro gets a solid under-the-hood upgrade for better performance and longer battery life, allowing the MacBook Pro to put enough distance between itself and the lower-end MacBook to justify its higher price.
The bottom line: Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.
The bottom line: Only the high price and sluggish performance detract from Sony's inch-thick flagship laptop, the VAIO TZ, which impresses with smart design and fantastic battery life.
The bottom line: Toshiba's much-anticipated Portege R500 may be the best ultraportable laptop available right now, but mobile broadband is conspicuously absent.
The bottom line: Though its design isn't groundbreaking, the media-friendly Fujitsu LifeBook A6030 offers home users a thorough feature set, gorgeous display, and strong performance at a competitive price.
The bottom line: This 14-inch mainstream model--Gateway's first take on the new Intel Santa Rosa platform--is a solid performer for home or office.
The bottom line: The HP Pavilion dv2500t delivers an eye-catching case, a strong set of features, and solid performance at a lower price than competing systems. We recommend it for home or school use.
The bottom line: The 17-inch Toshiba Satellite P205-S6287 desktop replacement laptop backs up its good looks with a competitive mix of components for the price. We just wish its battery life were longer.
The bottom line: The CODi Sling-Pak is expensive, but it's also a well-constructed, stylish, and comfortable bag for carrying a 14.1-inch (or smaller) laptop.
The bottom line: If you can afford its high price, you'll be pleased by the Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse's comfort, features, and extremely portable design.
The bottom line: The Kensington Contour Cargo Messenger laptop case is one of the most comfortable, and useful, laptop messenger bags we've used, though it's not exactly sophisticated-looking.
The bottom line: The Vaja Messenger Slim, specifically made for 13- and 15-inch MacBooks, is a beautifully constructed laptop bag, but leaves little room for accessories.
Thanks,
The CNET TV Team
