Toshiba Satellite E205-S1980 Review

The good: Updated version of the Satellite E205 includes Nvidia Optimus graphics; WiMax-ready; slim design; Intel Wireless Display.

The bad: Weak speakers; poor battery life; expensive compared with similar offerings.

The bottom line: Toshiba's holiday update of one of our favorite laptops, the Satellite E205, adds graphics and WiMax, but its higher price and lack of other new features prevent it from being a standout at the end of 2010.

Apple MacBook Air Fall 2010 Review

The good: Amazingly slim design; great keyboard/trackpad combo; new iLife '11 software included; decent graphics performance; 16:9 display.

The bad: Pricey for an 11-inch laptop with an older processor; lacks backlit keyboard and SD card slot.

The bottom line: Apple makes the MacBook Air both smaller and less expensive, creating an excellent ultraportable, but leaving out a few features along the way.

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830T-68U118 Review

The good: Excellent specs for its size; good battery life; compact, lightweight.

The bad: No dedicated graphics; plastic body looks and feels cheap; keyboard and touch pad are substandard.

The bottom line: Acer's high-end and extremely portable 11.6-inch TimelineX 1830T-68U118 offers a great combination of processor power and features that match what you'd find on a full-size laptop.

Asus U35JC-A1 Review

The good: Great size, thin chassis, fast performance; Nvidia Optimus graphics; good battery life.

The bad: Lacks an optical drive; graphics performance is OK but not great; poor viewing angles.

The bottom line: The Asus U35Jc-A1 is a thin, but solid, 13-inch laptop with no processor compromises and Nvidia Optimus graphics, covering all the basics--except an optical drive.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d Review

The good: Includes 3D hardware; powerful CPU/GPU combo; excellent keyboard and touch pad.

The bad: Polarized eyeglass 3D system isn't very impressive.

The bottom line: One of only a handful of 3D laptops, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d skips active shutter glasses for an inferior technology, but keeps the A-list price.