Say what you will about tablets being the future � this is the present, and laptops ain�t
going anywhere.
I'm Molly Wood, in for Brian Cooley with a CNET Top 5: the best 5 laptops you can buy
right now. Why buy a laptop when tablets are the future of media consumption? Well,
maybe because laptops are still the future of getting some damn work done already. If
you still like typing, you don�t like grease smudges on your touch screen, and you could
use a little more horsepower than an oversized phone chip, here are the five laptops our
CNET editors have judged the best you can buy right now.
Coming in at Number 5 is the HP Pavilion dm1. The big thing we love about this guy?
Great battery life � and the AMD Fusion platform, which combines that power-efficient
performance with better graphics than you�d normally see in a budget netbook. Because
it also costs less than 500 bucks. If it weren�t for the HP bloatware � it would be love.
At Number 4, we�re going in the opposite direction, price-wise, but sticking with HP. It�s
the high-end HP Envy 17. The Envy line is HP�s premium laptop brand, and the Envy 17
is a sleek, aluminum MacBook Pro clone with a gorgeous display, high-end audio, plenty
of power and performance, and even USB 3.0, for around 15-hundred bucks. Plus, trust
me. I own the HP Envy 14 and believe me when I tell you � it�s real purty.
In at Number 3 � the 11-inch MacBook Air. The first MacBook Air came off like an
overpriced toy for annoying CEO types. The second MacBook Air came off like a must-
have. By some reports, Air sales topped 1.1 million in the first three months after launch.
The 11-inch model is the stunner, too -- unbelievably thin and light, with instant-on
performance and impressive battery life. With a thousand-dollar price tag, no SD card
slot, backlit keyboard, and a pretty outdated processor, the MacBook Air is still more
flash than value, but we dare you to use one and not fall in love.
In at number 2, you�ll want to check out the CNET Editors� Choice Toshiba
Portege R705 � but maybe don�t buy just yet! This laptop is described by
our editors as being �as close to a perfect balance of design, price, and
performance as you'll find in a Windows laptop.� So, what could make it better?
Sandy Bridge. The R800 series is coming -- hopefully very soon -- and
considering how much we love the R705, the more powerful and efficient Sandy
Bridge processors will make the new Porteges a total must-have.
And before we get to number one, I�d like to hear YOUR opinion on
whether reports of the laptop�s death are greatly exaggerated. Gartner
research reported this week that tablet sales will grow from 15 million in
2010 to 54 million in 2011 -- and that laptop sales will slow down
dramatically. But I�d like to know what you think. What are YOU more likely
to buy next year, a laptop, or a tablet? Tell us in our poll at the CNET TV
blog -- blog.cnettv.com.
Ok, now it�s time for the number one best laptop, as rated by our CNET
editors. No big surprise here � it�s the MacBook Pro, in any size you want.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is a CNET Editors� Choice, thanks to its new
high-end processor options, great graphics, and the new Thunderbolt I/O
port � and the 13-inch model may not have the graphics horsepower, but
the 2.7GHz core i7 processor is serious business and the battery life is
amazing. I know some of you were hoping for a redesign with the new
models, but come on. It�s not like they�re ugly, people.
And there you have it -- the five best laptops available right now � or, uh,
coming soon. Happy shopping! I'm Molly Wood and you can find all the CNET Top
5 videos at CNETTV.com.
