Sony VAIO VGN-S4XP

A clean look is assured round the sides of the S4XP, with some ports hidden behind little cover doors, such as Ethernet, modem, mini-FireWire and two USBs. There's also Bluetooth and 802.11b/g for connections without wires, and even a dual-layer DVD writer.

There are downsides to this machine. Battery life isn't fantastic and it gets warm, so regular ultraportable buyers shouldn't be swayed by the benchmark figures - IBM's X41 is a more nimble alternative. And, just like the X41, the VAIO comes with a minimal one-year return-to-base warranty. But, and admittedly in return for quite a high price, you're buying a good-looking, high-quality notebook. Anyone who wants to skate the fine line between portability and power will love this VAIO.

Author: Roger Kirkwood