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Toshiba Satellite T135-S1300: single-core CPU inside.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

We have a bit of a beef with a trend that's currently happening in full-size (by that we mean 13-inch and above) thin-and-light laptops, the machines that as of late have shaved thickness at the expense of optical drives and often processor power. While the battery life on thin-and-lights generally exceeds expectations, the compromise that's often been used is incorporating a single-core ultra-low-voltage processor, which provides marginally better performance than the Atom processor on any Netbook.

Unfortunately, thin-and-lights are more expensive than Netbooks--often by several hundred dollars at the least--and other than increased screen size, they run the risk of not showing much extra value when going single-core. Even worse, it's hard for consumers to tell when their thin-and-light has a single-core or dual-core CPU inside. Thin-and-light laptops may look similar, but they're not all made the same. It's a deceptive world out there, especially since many thin-and-lights trade performance for a stylishly thin chassis, all while marketing a mainstream look that suggests performance equal to other notebooks.

The $599 Toshiba T135-S1300 is part of Toshiba's new T100 line of optical-drive-free thin-and-lights, losing thickness in exchange for a portable design competitive with products such as the Asus UL30A-A1 and the Acer Timeline 3810T. It's set to debut on October 22, when Windows 7 launches its way onto retail shelves and into PCs everywhere.

Unfortunately, while the design tries hard, it simply doesn't provide the power that its Windows 7-running, HDMI-port-toting countenance suggests. This is not a multimedia machine on a budget: rather, it's a slim but underpowered single-core 13.3-inch laptop.

That's not to say we aren't excited about Toshiba's long-term decision to slim down its laptops and enter the world of thin-and-lights, and in other configurations, the T100 series could provide better value. But right now, we were left a little in the cold.

Read the rest of our review of the Toshiba Satellite T135-S1300.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Whether CULV thin-and-light laptops will ever fully find a spot between the Netbook world and the full-featured laptop world, they are most definitely a category that's growing every day. Dropping an optical drive and throwing a low-voltage processor alongside a long-lasting battery is the trend of 2009, although the low-voltage laptops we've seen so far have often sacrificed either build quality, performance, or value-for-dollar.

It's relieving to say, therefore, that the 13-inch Asus UL30A-A1 is a thin-and-light that we'd gladly carry around in our bag for a long time to come. With a sturdy frame, a decently-performing new Core 2 Duo CULV processor as opposed to the disappointing single-core Core 2 Solo CULVs we've seen, and really good battery life, it's close to a complete package for a sub-$1,000 laptop that doesn't resort to an Atom processor.

While we've seen similar-looking products here before, including the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 and the MSI X340, we liked the overall performance on the UL30A-A1 better.

And as far as its closest competitor goes, the Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T, the Asus UL30A-A1 had equal or better performance, better battery life, and costs $100 less than the 3810T did at launch. This is a thin-and-light that does everything we had hoped thin-and-lights would do, and it costs nowhere near what a MacBook Air or a Dell Adamo does.

Read the full review of the Asus UL30A-A1.

Thin, light, nicely designed: the IdeaPad U350.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

While it's hard for us to put design over performance when looking at a laptop, products such as the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 make it a little easier. As another entry to the growing field of affordable CULV thin-and-lights, the compact and really great-looking U350 is Lenovo's MacBook in terms of design. Lighter than it is thin, the Pentium U2700 processor-packing machine is clad in minimal silver and black and aims to keep a stylish low profile. And while the U2700 processor is both low power and low performance by Core 2 Duo standards, this thin-and-light is perfectly capable of running Windows Vista and mainstream applications.

At a starting price of $629 ($749 for our configuration), the U350 is less affordable than a 12-inch Netbook like the Lenovo IdeaPad S12, while it is not as expensive as some professional-grade thin-and-lights such as the Lenovo ThinkPad T400s. And in that sense, it's a success.

While we'd like to see this same design with a more powerful processor and better battery, it's another valid alternative to the MSI X340 and Acer Timeline 3810T for those looking for a lightweight laptop but who don't require an optical drive or significant graphics.

Read our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad U350.

The Inspiron 11z: Dell's affordable thin-and-light (or, Netbook Plus?)

(Credit: Dell)

While much was made of Dell killing off its Mini 12 Netbook recently, one question raised was: what might fill that 11-to-12-inch void in the future? That question is answered, in part, with today's announcement of the Dell Inspiron 11z, an 11.6-inch thin-and-light weighing only 3 pounds. How thin? At its thickest point: 1.02 inches, according to Dell's specs. This is Dell's first real entry into thin-and-light, a category that's been gaining momentum recently (the Acer Aspire Timeline 3810T, MSI X340, and Lenovo IdeaPad U350 to name a few).

Inside, there's no Atom processor, but instead a single-core 1.2 GHz Intel ULV Celeron 723. Equipped with a three-cell battery, Dell promises long battery life in a chassis that's "24 percent smaller than 14-inch laptops" (but this is an 11.6-inch laptop, so how is that fair?). Unfortunately, that "long battery life" equates to 3 hours in the press release, but we'll remain optimistic. The keyboard is 92 percent standard-size, close to a regular laptop experience (although sometimes we've found that small differences in ergonomics can be disorienting). Like a Netbook and most thin-and-lights, the 11z has no optical drive.

One of the best features is the price: Dell's Web site lists the Inspiron 11z as $399, the same cost as a Netbook.

So, you might ask, why get this over a Netbook? For one, it runs Windows Vista SP1 Home Premium--while Windows 7 is just around the corner, this OS qualifies for a free upgrade. And the 11z also breaks through the XP Netbook barrier of RAM/hard drive space, with 2GB and 250GB respectively. Other notable features include HDMI-out and a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. The Inspiron 11z comes in Obsidian black with silver tones.

Full specs below, as well as more product shots after the break. ... Read more

Is Ion finally almost here?

We feel like we've been waiting a long time for this, but Netbooks running Atom processors alongside Nvidia's Ion GPU are finally coming to the America...soon.

Reports from Liliputing.com claim that the Samsung N510, an 11.6-inch Netbook, is on its way next month. Included in the N510 will be HDMI out and an "ability to handle Blu-ray," though we're not sure how that will apply in a laptop without an optical drive. We're still waiting for the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Ion version to arrive--we reviewed the non-Nvidia Atom version of the IdeaPad S12, and found that we really missed the idea of an added graphical boost to what was otherwise a standard Netbook affair.

On the other hand, those Nvidia processors better hurry up--CULV thin-and-lights are spreading with costs in nearly the same range, and new Intel Atom processors with greater power are coming out sometime in the next year. While beefing up the graphics and HD capabilities of a Netbook is a fine idea--especially since the Ion in theory should have the power of a GeForce 9400M (the graphics in the 13-inch MacBook Pro)--the price and release date need to be right in order for this to not get lost in the shuffle. Price is reported to be $599, which is roughly a hundred-dollar upgrade from the highest-end Netbooks we've encountered. This also puts it square against the lower tier of budget mainstream laptops. $599 also gets you a Core 2 Duo Gateway NV5807u, albeit without the same level of graphics.

Our biggest questions at this point: will Ion Netbooks be more competitively priced? Will the Ion significantly drain battery life compared to existing Netbooks and thin-and-lights? And just how good are they as gaming machines? Stay tuned.

So, sound off: for the cost, would you rather have a graphically-boosted Netbook, a thin-and-light, or a budget laptop with a better core processor?

(Source: Liliputing via Engadget)

The T400s: it may not look exciting, but it sure feels nice to use.

(Credit: Lenovo)

Although Lenovo has been reinventing itself as of late with its IdeaPad and Netbook lines, it's still a company known for boxy, business-end ThinkPads. There's no shame there: the ThinkPad was revolutionary in its time, and the iconic (if plain) design defined the modern business laptop. It also put Lenovo on the map after taking the brand over from IBM.

Despite having similar looks to its predecessor, the new 14-inch T400s is markedly thinner and lighter than the original T400, creating a highly portable machine that still packs a full-powered Core 2 Duo processor under the hood, unlike the ultrathin X301, which uses an ultralow-voltage (ULV) version.

Lenovo claims that the T400s can withstand a truck running over it (or so the company has advertised in some viral videos). While we haven't run over our test unit, we can say that it feels great in a backpack, is thinner than it looks, and if it weren't for its lack of discrete graphics, it could be one of the best all-around mainstream laptops we've encountered.

One major drawback, though, is price; starting at $1,599, it's about twice the price of other ThinkPads, and makes MacBooks seem like budget laptops by comparison: the $1,199 13-inch MacBook Pro has superior graphics and a few more ports for a lot less. Of course, the T400s does include Lenovo's suite of business and security-minded software and hardware--which is a must for many business buyers (and often rules out consumer-level laptops from consideration).

Read the rest of our review.

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s

When Samsung announced the X360 earlier this year, we were jealous. Here was a 2.8-pound laptop with a 13.3-inch display, 1.2 inches at its thickest, that we were sure we'd never see in the United States. But with Samsung's entry into the U.S. laptop market, we now have a chance to get our hands on this MacBook Air competitor.

(Credit: Samsung)

Samsung is offering two fixed configurations of the X360: the $1,899 version has a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9300 processor and a 120GB hard drive, while the $2,499 version bumps it up to a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9400 processor and a 128GB solid-state drive. Both models include integrated Intel X4500 graphics, 4GB of 1,066MHz RAM, and an LED-backlit WXGA display.

Like the MacBook Air, the X360 lacks a built-in optical drive. But unlike the Air, the X360 is stocked with connections. In addition to 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth, the X360 includes an Ethernet port plus an ExpressCard slot, three USB 2.0 ports, VGA- and HDMI-out, headphone and microphone jacks, a seven-in-one memory card reader, and a connector for a docking station.

Even with all that, it's still amazingly thin and lightweight; when we picked it up, we could hardly believe we were holding a fully functioning computer. If the X360's six-cell battery provides the 10 hours of battery life that Samsung claims, it'll be a winner for frequent-flyers who like to travel light.

Though it's certainly eye-catching, the X360 isn't the only laptop in Samsung's X series. The 14.1-inch X460 offers a slightly larger 14.1-inch screen, discrete graphics, and an optical drive in a 4.0-pound package. As with the X360, there will be two configurations of the X460: a $1,699 version includes a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor and a 250GB hard drive, while a $1,799 version is built on a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor and 320GB hard drive. Both models include 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9200M GS graphics, 4GB of 1,066MHz RAM, and a built-in DVD burner; the X460's ports and connections match those of the X360.

Both the X360 and X460 will be available by mid-November at such online retailers as NewEgg, Buy.com, CDW, and Amazon.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Every once in a while, a technology company will develop a product outside of its traditional product line, just to meet consumer demands. (For an example, see Intel's Dual-Core Pentium chip.)

So it is with the new Toshiba Satellite E105, which, at least appearance-wise, sticks out among Satellites. The laptop's light color and flat edges make it look like an NR or CR series Sony Vaio. And its backlit keyboard certainly calls to mind the MacBook Pro. But Toshiba has added a few elements--such as a two-year warranty and 5.5-hour battery life--to make the Satellite E105 stand apart from the pack.

The laptop features a 14.1-inch WXGA display, which nicely balances usability and portability. (In fact, the Satellite E105's weight starts at just 5 pounds.) Inside the case you'll find the latest Centrino 2 components, including a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, Intel GMA 4500M HD integrated graphics, and Intel's 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi. In a nice touch, Toshiba equips the Satellite E105 with 4GB of RAM and 64-bit Windows Vista to take advantage of it. There are also some welcome high-end connections, including S/PDIF, HDMI, and eSATA, and all the USB ports incorporate Toshiba's Sleep and Charge feature.

With pricing around $1,250, the Satellite E105 is aggressively aimed at home users who want a solid all-around laptop with plenty of battery life and a lengthy warranty. Expect to see it go on sale later this month.