Top 10 notebooks of April

April saw new entrants with the Toshiba Satellite A100, ThinkPad X60, Sony Vaio VGN-SZ18GP and Asus S6J displacing the incumbents Acer TravelMate 8204WLMi, Toshiba Qosmio G30, Acer Aspire 5500 series and HP Compaq nx6110 from the charts.

The Aspire 5500 and HP Compaq nx6110 are models based on the older Pentium M processor, a chip which is slowing showing its age in light of the Centrino Core platform. However, for casual users, these machines should still remain popular as value-for-money buys. The Acer TravelMate 8204WLMi and upcoming Qosmio G30 are powerful desktop replacements with Core Duo processors and high-end discrete graphic cards. Though they have been pushed off the charts with lighter and slimmer models, we expect them to return during the upcoming PC Show, especially since the Qosmio is due to debut with the next-generation HD DVD optical drive.

The Toshiba Satellite A100 and Asus S6J are striking for their exteriors. The unconventional sunlight copper color of the former and luxurious coach leather chassis of the latter give a fashionable touch to technology. But for those who believe that functionality trumps beauty, the ThinkPad X60, which received our Editors' Choice accolade for its great performance and security features, and the Sony Vaio VGN-SZ18GP with its Hybrid Graphic System appear to have caught the eye of readers.

Note: Results are based on notebook readership for the month.

	1.	Fujitsu LifeBook P7120 (Pentium M Processor ULV 753 1.2GHz, 1GB RAM)          CNET Asia rating: 8.5 out of 10 The good:  Very portable; long battery life; economy mode conserves battery; good speaker position; wide range of display brightness; strong security features; fanless design. The bad:  No ExpressCard slot; integrated graphics chipset; no Gigabit ethernet. The bottom line: For users unwilling to sacrifice features and yet demand a diminutive notebook, the Fujitsu LifeBook P7120 fits the bill perfectly. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Dell Inspiron 630m (Pentium M Processor 750 1.86GHz, 512MB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.3 out of 10 The good:  Ample multimedia control buttons; bright widescreen display; power indicator on the battery; good speaker position. The bad:  Heavy and bulky; no pre-boot DVD play; integrated graphics chipset. The bottom line: The cheapest configuration is adequate only as a basic computing machine. Fortunately, Dell offers upgrades, at a price, to power users looking for a multimedia notebook. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Asus A6J (Core Duo T2500 Processor 2.0GHz, 1GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.3 out of 10 The good:  Powerful graphics performance; tough carbon fiber exterior; plays music discs without bootup; integrated Webcam; DVI port; wide array of connectivity options. The bad:  Thick and heavy; poor speaker position; no easy access USB ports; no ExpressCard slot; stiff touchpad buttons; no security features for a business notebook; poor battery life. The bottom line: The powerful performance, as well as the wealth of connectivity features, make this notebook suitable for almost any computing work. However, the lack of security features and ExpressCard slot are glaring omissions that mar an otherwise impressive business machine. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Toshiba Satellite A100 (Core Duo Processor T2400 1.83GHz, 512MB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10 The good:  Available in several colors for the fashion conscious; full set of connectivity options which includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared and Gigabit Ethernet; fingerprint security scanner; innovative dual-mode touchpad; plays CDs without booting into Windows; excellent audio output. The bad:  Speaker muffled when laptop is closed; poor battery life. The bottom line: The Toshiba Satellite A100 with its sunlight copper color is sure to turn heads. However, it's not all looks and no brains as this notebook is chock full of features for work and play. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Sony Vaio VGN-TX17GP (Pentium M ULV 1.2GHz, 512MB RAM)          CNET Asia rating: 8.1 out of 10 The good:  Extremely portable design; Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi; integrated double-layer DVD burner and instant-on player; very long battery life; excellent multimedia controls for a business machine. The bad:  Very expensive; cramped keyboard. The bottom line: Though it's pricey, the Sony Vaio VGN-TX17 delivers a great combination of business and entertainment features, long battery life, and unparalleled connectivity in an incredibly ultraportable package. Review | See full specs | Rate this