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Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)

Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the Alienware M15x, Synology Disk Station DS409slim, and the Sonos ZonePlayer S5.

CNET Reviews staff
1 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Alienware M15x (Intel Core i7 720QM, 250GB HDD, 3GB)

Here's our weekly roundup of the new products CNET reviewers liked best.

Alienware M15x (Intel Core i7 720QM, 250GB HDD, 3GB)

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: Amazingly powerful for a 15-inch laptop; highly configurable; adds 16:9 display.

The bad: Configuration options can get expensive; far from portable.

The bottom line: Alienware's big and bulky 15-inch M15x pulls out most of the stops, thanks to a superpowered CPU.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $1,449.00 - $1,849.99

2 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Synology Disk Station DS409slim

Synology Disk Station DS409slim

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The Synology Disk Station DS409slim offers fast performance, a robust Web interface, and a generous feature set in a compact, aesthetically pleasant, and practical design.

The bad: The Synology Disk Station DS409slim doesn't come with any storage and is not easy enough for novice home users to use. Its Surveillance Station requires additional license fees to support more than one IP camera and its Download Station's software doesn't fully support Web sites that require authentication.

The bottom line: The Synology Disk Station DS409slim makes an excellent NAS server for both home and small business applications, and it fits especially well in offices with limited space.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $385.78 - $428.99

337884262440IPOD2.jpg
3 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Sonos ZonePlayer S5

Sonos ZonePlayer S5

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: Single-speaker streaming-audio system; controlled from any iPhone or iPod Touch using a free app; impressive sound from a compact, single housing; elegant design; cuts down on cord clutter; streams Internet-based radio and audio services, plus your own digital music collection from any Mac, PC, or NAS drive; simple setup, particularly if you already own a Sonos system; expandable to up to 31 additional rooms (with the purchase of additional ZonePlayers).

The bad: While the S5 can wirelessly interact with other Sonos products, you'll need a hard-wired connection or the $99 wireless bridge accessory if it's your only Sonos component; somewhat expensive, especially if you don't already own an iPod Touch or iPhone; not much stereo separation.

The bottom line: The ZonePlayer S5 shrinks the Sonos streaming-music experience down to a compact single-speaker system with great sound, which you can control from any iPhone or iPod Touch.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $399.00

4 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Callpod Fueltank UNO

Callpod Fueltank UNO

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The Callpod Fueltank UNO is easy to use, portable, and supports many devices. It's also compact and can be charged via a USB port.

The bad: You can't sync devices with the Callpod Fueltank UNO attached; its adapters are expensive.

The bottom line: The Callpod Fueltank UNO is a great alternative to form-fitting battery packs. It's well made and provides a solid charging solution for mobile devices.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $49.95

5 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Logitech Harmony 700

Logitech Harmony 700

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: Powerful universal remote with great ergonomics; color LCD screen surrounded by five contextual buttons; most keys are backlit; Web programmable via Windows or Mac PCs; excellent button layout and overall design; supports custom sequences/macros; includes rechargeable batteries.

The bad: No RF compatibility; lacks touch screen and charging cradle found on more-expensive Harmony models; only controls six devices; somewhat of a budget feel; screen needs to be viewed head on.

The bottom line: The Logitech Harmony 700 delivers the bulk of the Harmony One's excellent feature set and ergonomics at a lower price point.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $119.45 - $164.07

6 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: Audi's new navigation system has the most beautiful maps in the business, and route guidance functions are excellent. The suspension technology in the 2010 A5 Cabriolet makes the car fun in the corners.

The bad: The convertible top ruins the styling of the A5, and the engine feels a little weak, not providing the power to exploit the handling.

The bottom line: With its high-tech cabin, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet is a comfortable cruiser, but it is not powerful enough to drive like a sports car.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $44,100.00

7 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Zvox Z-Base 575

Zvox Z-Base 575

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: Excellent pedestal design makes it disappear on your TV stand; dynamic sound and powerful bass on movies; can fill a large room with sound; two analog audio inputs; adjustable controls for treble, bass, and stereo width; dual built-in subwoofers; subwoofer output allows you to add a separate sub to the system; can support HDTVs up to 140 pounds.

The bad: Both audio inputs are always active, so sound gets mixed with devices that are constantly running, like DVRs; no digital audio inputs; doesn't compare to separate speakers for music; remote's button layout is uninspired.

The bottom line:The Zvox Z-Base 575 sound bar gets loud and delivers deep bass from its unique pedestal design, but it's expensive and has a bare-bones feature package.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $699.00 - $699.99

337710012440IN4.jpg
8 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: The TomTom Car Kit for iPhone features a more accurate GPS receiver than the one built into the iPhone, a louder speaker for spoken directions, and a built in Bluetooth hands-free speakerphone, addressing many of the issues inherent with navigating with a smartphone. An included 12-volt charger keeps the iPhone powered on long trips. The EasyPort mount is extremely flexible, easy to affix to the dash or windshield, and easy to position.

The bad: The TomTom navigation app for iPhone is not included with the Car Kit, almost doubling the cost. The Car Kit can't be used with most iPhone cases. Calls and turn-by-turn directions can't be sent through the auxiliary audio output.

The bottom line: The TomTom Car Kit for iPhone lets you consolidate the number of devices carried around by elevating iPhone navigation to a standalone navigation device level. It's pricey, but TomTom gives users a fair amount of functionality for the money.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $119.95

9 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Sony Vaio L117FX (Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium)

Sony Vaio L117FX (Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium)

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: Strong performance among Windows-based all-in-ones; picture-in-picture support; wall-mountable; Blu-ray drive and TV tuner make it a relatively complete home media hub; touch input.

The bad: The 27-inch iMac costs $300 less; lower-cost HP all-in-one has comparable digital media features.

The bottom line: Earlier this year Sony was the unquestioned king of all-in-ones designed for home entertainment. The new Vaio L117FX retains and improves on many of the features we liked about older models, but revamped all-in-ones from its competition make the new Vaio seem a touch overpriced.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $1,939.00 - $1,999.99

10 of 10 Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, Nvidia GeForce 9400M, Fall 2009)

Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, Nvidia GeForce 9400M, Fall 2009)

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: Boasts Apple's always-appealing industrial design, a high-resolution display, and the best performance among all-in-ones in its price range.

The bad: Small screen for its price (despite its high resolution); not as home entertainment-friendly as other all-in-ones.

The bottom line: Despite its good looks and a few useful new features, Apple's new iMac is all about business. You can find a larger screen for less, not to mention all kinds of digital entertainment features, but no other all-in-one at this price can boast similar performance. If you need a modestly priced all-in-one for getting work done, we'd recommend no other system.

Read CNET's full review
Price range: $1,168.99 - $1,199.00

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