Top 10 laptops of August

The good: Intel Atom CPU; 10.2-inch screen; keyboard.

The bad: Weight; lack of 3G.

The bottom line: The Eee PC 1000H is a fabulous machine. It precariously straddles the line between Netbook and ultraportable, but it's well-equipped, well-designed and great for those who need a laptop on the move.

The good: Excellent battery life; spiffy performance; multitouch touchpad; solid-state storage; Draft-N wireless radio and Bluetooth; built-in CPU overclocking/underclocking application.

The bad: Keyboard still hard to use; a little more hefty than the Eee PC 900; glossy finish attracts fingerprints.

The bottom line: With an excellent battery life and spiffy performance, the Eee PC 901 has matured into an exceptional Netbook capable of all-day computing.

Outlook
The B1200 is a performance portable targeted at users who need a system primarily for work. As such, it eschews extras like Altec Lansing speakers and a mini-remote control, leaving only a Webcam and touch-sensitive multimedia control bar for video or music playback. In return, this 12.1-inch system puts in a water-resistant keyboard so the occasional spill does not spell disaster.

Outlook
In order to save cost, a last-generation Pentium Dual-Core processor is used instead of Core 2 Duo, while Bluetooth and Webcam are missing from the Lenovo 3000 G400. However, unlike other budget portables this laptop comes with the One-Key Rescue System, which allows you to backup and restore data on the notebook with a touch of a button. A great feature to have especially when the laptop crashes or is infected with a virus.

The good: Large screen; excellent keyboard; value for money.

The bad: Average battery life; no integrated 3G.

The bottom line: The MSI Wind is arguably the best Netbook on the market. It's stylish, it's easy to type on, and it's quick. The wireless connectivity could have been better and the standard battery life is relatively poor, but these are issues you can get around. With that in mind, this device comes highly recommended.