Top 10 laptops of April

The rapid increase in new Netbook has resulted in some stores selling off older models for a song. In some cases, you can score a decent Netbook from a major brand for under S$500 (US$368.13). At this price point, Intel's original intent for Netbooks as a laptop companion is becoming more realistic. After all, for the price of an ultraportable (which usually don't come with a powerful platform), you can buy a midsized dual-core budget laptop with a discrete graphics card for the home and a Netbook for travel. But don't be too hasty in rushing out to grab a Netbook now, as we expect new platforms and models to be announced by Intel at the upcoming Computex Taipei 2009 tradeshow in June.

Note: Results are based on readership as well as data collected from retail outlets (Active Notebooks, ALIF and MC2)

	1.	Acer Aspire One AOA150 (Intel Atom N270 Processor 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10 The good: Secondary SD slot expands primary storage; slim and light form factor; inexpensive. The bad: Limited 8GB SSD; poor battery life; no Bluetooth. The bottom line: The Acer Aspire One may not be as feature-packed as the Eee PC 901, but the keyboard is certainly much better and could tip the scales in its favor. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Acer Aspire 4937G (Core 2 Duo P8400 Processor 2.26GHz, 4GB RAM) Outlook Granted at S$1,850 (US$1,362.07) it's a little pricey, but this Aspire offers a competent entertainment experience with the latest Nvidia GeForce G105M graphics and generous 500GB storage. See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Acer Extensa 5630 (Pentium Dual Core T3400 Processor 2.16GHz, 3GB RAM) Outlook Despite a price tag that rivals some Netbooks, the Extensa 5630 not only offers a full dual-core computing platform, but also comes with the latest Intel Centrino 2 chipset. See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Acer Aspire 2930Z (Pentium Dual-Core T3200 Processor 2.0GHz, 1GB RAM) Outlook Possibly one of the cheapest 12.1-inch laptops in the market, this model is equipped with an integrated DVD burner on the latest Centrino 2 platform. With its multimedia entertainment focus, this Aspire even comes with the second generation Dolby Home Theater sound quality. See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Asus Eee PC 1000HE (Intel Atom N280 Processor 1.66GHz, 1GB RAM)   CNET Asia rating: 7.3 out of 10 The good: Excellent battery life; improved keyboard; competitively priced. The bad: Slightly faster Intel Atom CPU fails to impress; other Netbook makers have shown more innovation. The bottom line: Asus practically invented the Netbook market, and the Eee PC 1000HE is an overdue overhaul that offers a new CPU and great battery life but misses some of the competition's bells and whistles. Review | See full specs | Rate this