Top 10 laptops of August

With Intel Developer Forum and the new Core i7 chips just around the corner, some consumers may be holding onto their wallets and waiting to see what the next-generation machine will be like. That is a mistake.

As we have always recommended, buying a notebook should be about current needs and not a race for the latest technology. It's true that initial reports of the Core i7 chips are impressive. However, do note that the first systems will come at a massive premium for a significant but not necessarily mind-blowing performance boost over current offerings. Moreover, the budget and midrange notebook prices are unlikely to drop since the first Core i7 laptops are meant for premium desktop replacements. So keep that in mind if you are holding off on an essential portable purchase while waiting for the next-generation Intel platform.

Note: Results are based on readership as well as data collected from retail outlets (Notebook.com, Microware, PA Mart and Portable World). Notebook are sorted by alphabetical order and not by popularity or sales figures.


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	1.	Acer Aspire 4736G (Core 2 Duo P8600 Processor 2.4GHz, 3GB RAM) Outlook Based on the new Gemstone design, this attractive 14.1-inch laptop offers a high-resolution 1,366 x 768 display as well as the latest Nvidia GeForce G105M graphics chipset. See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Acer Aspire 5738Z (Pentium Dual-Core T4200 Processor 2.0GHz, 3GB RAM) Outlook The high-resolution, 15.6-inch display has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which allows widescreen movies to be viewed without irritating black borders. Some configurations come with Blu-ray optical drives to take advantage of its excellent panel. See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Asus N81Vg (Core 2 Duo P8700 Processor 2.53GHz, 2GB RAM) Outlook With a powerful mix of Core 2 Duo performance and Nvidia GeForce G120M graphics card, this thin-and-light is more than capable for most entertainment needs and all but the most demanding games. See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Compaq Presario CQ40 (Core 2 Duo P7350 processor 2.0GHz; 2GB RAM) Outlook Built for the budget crowd, the 14.1-inch Compaq Presario CQ40 is based on the Centrino 2 chipset with Intel's latest integrated graphics processor. The higher-end variant, the CQ45, costs a little more but will net you a discrete video card in the form of an Nvidia GeForce 9200M GS chip. See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Dell Inspiron 14 (Core Duo T6400 Processor 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM) Outlook The Dell Inspiron 14 is great for those hampered by a tight budget but who still want a competent and power-efficient thin-and-light with a decent design. See full specs | Rate this