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This story was printed from CNET Asia.
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How many of us can differentiate the sound quality of an audio system using gold-plated oxygen-free cables vs. penny-store versions? Or have eyes fast enough to catch that little motion blur in an action movie? For those living in small houses or who don't need a high-end home entertainment setup, these portables can serve up an excellent movie and gaming experience while allowing you to surf your favorite Internet sites.
When shopping for a suitable laptop, forget about going through the brochure and searching for the word "entertainment" in it. A proper multimedia machine should have, at the minimum, a high-resolution display of at least 720p and an above-average audio system. A discrete graphics card is a must, along with a powerful processor and Blu-ray optical drive. For the pick of the litter, here are five systems that can sit as comfortably in your living room as in your study.
The good: Big, 18-inch, 16:9 screen; surprisingly good battery life.
The bad: No Blu-ray drive for some configurations; touch controls not responsive.
The bottom line: With a true 1080p display, the 18-inch Acer Aspire 8930 is a capable HD content playback machine, but we'd spend a bit more for a Blu-ray-equipped version.
Outlook
In terms of entertainment features, the Asus W90 has everything, even the kitchen sink. From a full-HD panel to high-end graphics performance and 5.1-channel audio, this model even comes with the ExpressGate feature that allows almost instant booting into a Linux environment for surfing and checking emails.
The good: Dell embraces the 16:9 aspect ratio display; upscale design with leather trim; backlit keyboard and edge-to-edge screen glass.
The bad: The 1080p display costs extra; unimpressive battery life; new Studio XPS brand may get lost between the Inspiron, Studio and XPS lines.
The bottom line: Dell's new 16:9 Studio XPS 16 adds upscale extras such as a leather trim and backlit keyboard to a fairly standard set of components without jacking up the price (too much).
The good: Attractive, polished design; big 16:9 screen is perfect for HD video content; includes Blu-ray drive and media remote.
The bad: Overly glossy and fingerprint-prone; merely average battery life.
The bottom line: HP already makes some of the best multimedia laptops, and trading up to a true 16:9 18-inch display makes for an impressive semi-portable home theater in the form of the HP HDX18.
First take
Before you get any ideas, the latest Sony flagship desktop replacement is not for everyone. Sure, its powerful graphics card allows for gaming, while the generous full-HD screen coupled with Blu-ray drive make for an excellent movie experience...
