Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)

Apple MacBook Pro Fall 2011

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: Incremental updates to the CPU help keep the MacBook Pro line a step above the now-mainstream MacBook Air. The trackpad and gesture controls are still the best of any current laptop.

The bad: Unless you need an optical drive, the MacBook Air may be a better fit for most, and the Pro still lacks things we'd like to see, such as HDMI, Blu-ray, and USB 3.0.

The bottom line: A MacBook Pro is a significant investment, especially when adding in optional upgrades. Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $2,143.99

2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The 2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S exhibits excellent driving dynamics owing to its active suspension, and outrageous acceleration with a dual-clutch transmission and direct-injection engine. The premium Burmester audio system delivers finely detailed music reproduction.

The bad: Voice command is not standard, and for close to $200K, we would expect more-advanced cabin electronics.

The bottom line: With a powerful yet efficient engine and high-tech suspension, the pricey 2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S delivers near-supercar performance, but the cabin electronics fall short of cutting-edge.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $173,200

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet has several business-oriented features that should bring a smile to the IT crowd, along with digital pen support and a beautiful screen.

The bad: The tablet is relatively thick and heavy, with unnecessary navigation buttons and uninspired Android interface optimizations.

The bottom line: If your IT department could design a tablet, the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet would be it.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $428.18

Motorola Atrix 2

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The Motorola Atrix 2 has a sharp and colorful 4.3-inch qHD display, a dual-core 1GHz processor, HSPA+ support, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture, a front-facing camera, Webtop functionality, and it ships with Android 2.3.

The bad: The Motorola Atrix 2 no longer has the fingerprint sensor, and there's a slight shutter lag that will not please camera enthusiasts.

The bottom line: For the price, the Motorola Atrix 2 is an amazingly feature-packed high-performance Android phone for AT&T customers.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $99.99

Asus Zenbook UX31E-DH52

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The Asus Zenbook UX31E boasts sleek, pristine design; excellent-sounding speakers; a higher-resolution screen than the MacBook Air; and a better price for nearly identical specs.

The bad: The keyboard and touch pad are weak points; there are equally thin laptops out there with better battery life.

The bottom line: The Asus Zenbook UX31E is an excellent-looking Windows Ultrabook laptop that matches the MacBook Air step for step with an even better price. Fans of great audio, high-resolution screens and lots of ports will be happy; keyboard/touch pad aficionados will be disappointed.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $1,095.18

Dell XPS 14z

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The high-end Dell XPS 14z is an attractive, powerful 14-inch laptop built into a 13-inch body, with plenty of configuration options, including decent graphics.

The bad: Even with the approximate footprint of a 13-inch laptop, this still feels thick and heavy, especially compared with the new generation of Ultrabooks.

The bottom line: The Dell XPS 14z is a nicely designed, well-built 14-inch laptop, but the XPS "z" design works better on the 15-inch version, leaving this model feeling chunky.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $1,299

LG Enlighten

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: The LG Enlighten has a great keyboard, ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has plenty of features, like a 3.2-megapixel camera, 3G with EV-DO Rev. A, Wi-Fi, 3G Mobile Hotspot capability, and more. It's also very affordable.

The bad: The LG Enlighten is bulky and can be a bit sluggish.

The bottom line: The LG Enlighten is a great beginner smartphone for Verizon Wireless customers who want a physical keyboard.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $0.00

Monoprice 8247

Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5

The good: The Monoprice 8247 is one of the least expensive 5.1 speaker systems we've ever seen. The system includes four small two-way satellite speakers with swivel wall-mounts, a center channel, and a compact powered 8-inch subwoofer. Most importantly, it actually sounds pretty good, as long as you're not expecting miracles.

The bad: The plastic speaker cabinets don't compare to the nicer finishes on more expensive systems. And if you can spend more money, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 and Pioneer SP-PK21BS are better in just about every way.

The bottom line: The Monoprice 8247 does the impossible by offering a competent 5.1 speaker system for less than $100, setting a new standard for ultrabudget speakers.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $84.10

HTC Hero S

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The HTC Hero S offers world roaming capabilities and an attractive, compact design. The Android Gingerbread device also features a 5-megapixel camera and the latest version of HTC Sense.

The bad: Camera and call quality could be better. For the same price, the competition offers a faster processor and more internal memory.

The bottom line: The HTC Hero S is an attractive and capable Android smartphone for U.S. Cellular customers, but the Motorola Electrify offers more bang for your buck.

Read CNET's full review

Available soon from U.S. Cellular. Please visit U.S. Cellular for additional models.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Editors' rating: 4 out of 5

The good: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150's lens, shooting options, and fast performance offer great shooting flexibility.

The bad: The FZ150's JPEG photos can look overprocessed when viewed at large sizes.

The bottom line: Hobbyists and enthusiasts who want a megazoom camera with a lot of control over final results should strongly consider the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150.

Read CNET's full review

Starting at: $429