Top 10 laptops of May

With PC Show 2008 hitting the scene in June, May is typically a time for the acid test of necessity. Do we really need a laptop now, or should we wait for bargains? More often than not, most consumers will hold off their purchases till the next month for some major deals.

On the other hand, based on the fact that there are still laptops being sold in May, there is a group whose needs are immediate. Unsurprisingly, models on the budget end are the ones really moving along, though the ThinkPad X300 made a surprising appearance. Touted as the MacBook Air killer, the X300 may cost a little more than the entry-level configuration of the former, but its full range of ports and integrated optical drive certainly make it a more appropriate work machine.

So which were the heavy hitters in May? We polled what readers searched for on our site, as well as sales figures from Singapore stores AAAs Com Solution and MC2 for our latest chart-busters.

	1.	Compaq Presario V3700 series (Core 2 Duo T7500 Processor 2.2GHz, 2GB RAM)   Outlook The HP Compaq Presario V3000 delivers a strong set of components and decent basic features for a competitive price. Optional addons like the HP XB 3000 expansion base further expand the functionality of this series with more connectivity ports and a better speaker setup. See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Lenovo Y410 (Core 2 Duo T7100 processor 1.8GHz; 1GB RAM)   First take After buying over IBM's PC department, Lenovo expanded its range of notebooks to reflect the needs of those who do not require the premium support of the ThinkPad series. The Lenovo 3000 C, N and V series are portables targeting small and medium business (SMB) users, while the Lenovo Y range is aimed at the consumer market. For a portable entertainment notebook, the Y410 is certainly attractive at a starting price of S$1,599 (US$1,177.27), one which only models like Acer Aspire 4710 and Dell Inspiron 1420 with far less features can compete against. First take | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	ThinkPad X300 (Core 2 Duo Processor SL7100 1.2GHz, 2GB RAM)       CNET Asia rating: 8.5 out of 10 The good: Extremely thin and light; sleekest ThinkPad yet; built-in DVD burner. The bad: Solid-state drive comes at a high premium; touchpad's location makes it easy to accidentally graze while typing. The bottom line: 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. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Acer Aspire 4920G (Core 2 Duo T7100 Processor 1.8GHz, 1GB RAM)   Outlook The Aspire 4920G may be cheap, but it's definitely not boring with its Gemstone design. Billed as a portable entertainment notebook, it sports a dedicated ATI graphics card for additional video performance. Users who frequently edit videos or produce presentations will appreciate this affordable Acer PC. See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Acer Aspire 5920G (Core 2 Duo T7300 Processor 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 6.8 out of 10 The good: High-end specifications; excellent performance; brilliant screen. The bad: Grey coloring; misplaced USB port; overall design. The bottom line: The Aspire 5920 is a candidate for the ugliest laptop of the year. It's smeared in enough grey to put British skies to shame, and has had some absolutely awful design touches. But the rest of the laptop is a very good one. It's fast, feature-packed and is excellent value for money. Review | See full specs | Rate this