Sony VAIO VGN-G11VN/TC

Business notebooks don't normally marry desirability and practicality so well. The hardware itself is stunning, and has clearly been designed with a great deal of attention to detail. Performance is also more than adequate, and battery life is just incredible - among the best we've ever seen from a laptop, whatever the size. And yet the G11 manages to squeeze in all of the features you'll need for business. What stops it getting an all-out recommendation is the very high price: given the uninspiring screen of our pre-production model, it isn't yet clear whether you get what you pay for. The Dell D420 is considerably heavier, but offers integrated HSDPA, that three-year warranty and costs almost £500 less. But if you prize battery life and portability above all else, the G11 is a brilliant option.

Author: Dave Stevenson