Top 10 laptops of September

With Windows 7 upgrade programs in place for machines which sport Vista selected versions of the OS, the fact that the upcoming Microsoft operating system is launching this month did not seem to impact laptop buyers much. However, Netbooks and budget machines that come with Windows XP or Vista Home Basic will not have a free upgrade kit to Windows 7. So if you are eyeing such a machine, wait till later this month when almost all laptops will have the new operating system preinstalled.

Note: Results are based on readership as well as data collected from retail outlets (Digital Asia, Juzz1, Notebook.com MC2 and Portable World). Notebook are sorted in alphabetical order and not by popularity or sales figures.


Click here for a feature comparison table (1-5).

	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.	Acer Aspire One 751 (Intel Atom Z520 Processor 1.33GHz, 1GB RAM)   Outlook One of the first Atom-based machines to come with a generous 11.6-inch display, it not only started a trend for minilaptops with a larger screen, but also comes with a full keyboard for a good typing experience. See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Asus Eee PC 1005HA (Intel Atom N280 Processor 1.66GHz, 1GB RAM)       CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10 The good: Sleek, attractive design; lower price; amazing battery. The bad: Thicker and heavier than the previous model; still near the upper end of the Netbook price range. The bottom line: Asus hits nearly all the marks in the 1005HA, the latest version of its iconic Eee PC, highlighted by a 6 hour-plus battery life. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	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

	6.	eMachine D725 (Pentium Core Duo T4300 Processor 2.1GHz, 2GB RAM)   Outlook A thin-and-light at a price that even equals the Netbook's low cost, the eMachine is Acer's budget series that offers a basic machine for the entry-level user. See full specs | Rate this
	7.	Fujitsu LifeBook S6421 (Core 2 Duo P8600 Processor 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM)   Outlook Thanks to the SlimEdge bezel, this model sports a 13.3-inch display in a 12-inch form factor. But despite its petite frame, it possesses strong security features along with an impressive battery life. See full specs | Rate this
	8.	HP ProBook 4410 (Core 2 Duo T5870 Processor 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM)   Outlook With its attractive chassis in a choice of black or red shades, the new HP ProBook series departs from the normally staid business laptop design, yet remains surprisingly affordable. Coupled with strong business features like fingerprint sensor and proprietary security software, this is one machine which is gaining traction even among mainstream consumers. See full specs | Rate this
	9.	Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 (Intel Atom N280 Processor 1.66GHz, 1GB RAM)   Outlook An upgrade to the IdeaPad S10, this model is one of the few Netbooks to sport an ExpressCard slot as well as a One-Key recovery system. In addition, the alternative Linux interface bypasses Windows to allow for quick emails and surfing. See full specs | Rate this
	10.	ThinkPad T400 (Core 2 Duo Processor P9400 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM)   Outlook A solid thin-and-light with strong security features and spill-resistant keyboard. Its chassis is protected by a metal roll-cage that keeps the internal components from damage during a drop. See full specs | Rate this