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Best thin and light laptops

(Oct 03, 2008)

Dan Ackerman Dan Ackerman
Senior Editor
Michelle Thatcher Michelle Thatcher
Senior Associate Editor
Perfect for globe-trotting business types or campus-trotting students, thin-and-light laptops hit the sweet spot of portability, performance, and features. Be prepared to pay a bit of a premium for performance, but if you ask us, 13 inches is the new mainstream.

Lenovo ThinkPad X300

The ThinkPad X300 breaks new ground by packing a broad display, full-size keyboard, and nearly every feature a mobile user needs into a sleek, lightweight case.

Price: $1,889.00 (check prices)

Review date: Feb 22, 2008

  • 4 stars

      Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)

Excellent

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Apple MacBook

Apple's rightfully popular 13-inch MacBook gets a decent incremental upgrade, but we're still looking forward to the next version.

Price: $1,799.89 (check prices)

Review date: Jun 14, 2007

  • 4 stars

      Overall score: 8.2 (4.0 stars)

Excellent

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Dell XPS M1330

Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.

Price: Sorry, pricing not available

Review date: Jun 26, 2007

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.9 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Apple MacBook Air (80GB)

The design is revolutionary, but Apple's MacBook Air will appeal to a smaller, more specialized audience than the standard MacBook, thanks to a stripped-down set of connections and features.

Price: $1,239.00 - $1,799.99 (check prices)

Review date: Jan 25, 2008

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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Dell Vostro 1310

Small-business owners who would otherwise buy a consumer laptop should consider the full-featured, 13.3-inch Dell Vostro 1310.

Price: $1,132.00 (check prices)

Review date: Apr 17, 2008

  • 3h stars

      Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)

Very good

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