Welcome to CNET Top 5, where each time we meet, we count down another hot
CNET list. I'm Tom Merritt.
Dan Ackerman and team work hard putting every model of laptop through its paces
so they can find out which ones you should spend your ever-scarcer money on
If you're in the market for a laptop, notebook, Netbook, whatever you call it, we can
help you out.
Let's count down the Top 5 best laptops
At No. 5, the Asus W90 Vp-X1. It's not a looker, but desktop-quality gaming
performance and a huge amount of ports, make it feel a little lighter on your poor
back. That and the fact that you can overclock it, make it an Editors' Choice.
Coming in at No. 4, the MSI X340. Like Laura Palmer, the X340 is wrapped in plastic.
Well, the case is plastic anyway. That makes it just as pretty as the MacBook Air or
Dell Adamo, but a whole heck of a lot cheaper. Just be prepared for a little flimsiness.
Up to No. 3, the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. Maybe not as slim as the X340, but still rather
svelte. And as Dan Ackerman points out, it boasts a lot of cleverly hidden ports. It's
pricier than some in its class, but it still costs less than $500
Sliding in at No. 2, the HP Mini 2140. This is the luxury version of the Mini 1000. If
the plasticky MSI X340 turned you off, you may like the solid metal of the 2140. It
also has a full ExpressCard slot for those of you who like that sort of thing.
Before we get to No. 1, Time for another lame prize.
This is a slightly used 1GB Kingston USB drive. Handy for any laptop user. And it
could be yours.
Here's the question.
According to CNET's Senior Editor Dan Ackerman, what is the best Budget laptop?
Hint, it's about $350.
Be one of the first 10 people to answer correctly on the blog posting for this Top 5 at
blog.cnettv.com.
All right. Let's get to our No. 1. The best laptop according to Dan Ackerman and the
CNET laptop reviews team.
At No. 1, it's...The MacBook Pro. The latest laptop from Apple adds an SD card slot,
lowered the price a bit, and still features the multitouch trackpad. It's also the only
laptop you can legally run OS X, Windows, and Linux on. Plus, the new 13-inch
version is essentially a souped up MacBook with the FireWire port added back.
Well That's it for this edition of CNET Top 5.
Don't forget to tell us what the best budget laptop is for a chance to win the 1GB
Kingston USB drive. Go to blog.cnettv.com.
Thanks for watching Top 5
I'm Tom Merritt. See you next time.
