The JoyBook 8000 marks the first attempt by BenQ to enter what some might argue is a crowded notebook market. BenQ's stance on the JoyBook is different from other notebook manufacturers though, as it won't be selling the JoyBook as 'just another notebook', but will instead market it totally as a digital lifestyle product.

It's a sign of the times when Compaq's Aero 8000 runs Windows CE in a box bigger than a Sharp PC-A250 (reviewed issue 23, p86) running Windows 98. So what's the big idea? Windows CE uses no moving parts, while software in ROM means immediate start-up times, high reliability, and long battery life all highly desirable qualities in a portable.

Fastest Notebook

It’s not cheap, but it’s powerful and cleverly constructed to make the most of the components.

We’ve examined the data from more than 8000 readers to reveal exactly what sort of reliability, customer service and satisfaction you can expect in 2007.

A workgroup laser with a good turn of speed and low running costs, but we expect better quality at this price.

The first Dothan notebook to roll off the rank, we were interested to see exactly how much real-world gain Intel is offering in its revised Centrino platform.

We see a lot of notebooks at PC Authority, but like the BenQ JoyBook 8000 (page 37), the Portege 2010 was an immediate crowd pleaser when it was removed from it's shipping materials, garnering lots of "oohs" and "aahs" from techies and non-techies alike.

Make no mistake, this is one heavyweight of a notebook. The 3.3kg of the Satellite 2800 accounts for some of this, but otherwise it applies to some of the exceptional features found on this model.

A world first on the desktop, Phenom is good but a long way from outstanding.

Can triple-cores give AMD a much-needed edge over Intel? The new Phenom X3 8000 series isn't going to blow away hardcore gamers, but it's an intriguing option if you're not wedded to Intel.

High performance with a matching price tag.

We see a lot of notebooks at PC Authortiy, but like the BenQ Joybook 8000, the Portege 2010 was an immediate crowd pleaser.

The generic sounding French town of Eu is undergoing an identity crisis. It thinks by changing it's name, it can accomplish the impossible: an improved Google search ranking.

Samsung followed the trend for brighter, lighter and thinner by unveiling their new range of LED TVs for 2009.

The A700 has excellent image quality, but is let down by design quirks and the high price.

Superb build quality and performance make this a worthwhile upgrade for serious amateurs.

GeForce 8800 can speed up brute force attacks by a factor of 25.

Despite some welcome additions and good components, this Acer notebook is left wanting.

As a reviewer, there is no greater thrill than being privy to a product that you know will either revolutionise or turn the world upside down. The first Palm Pilot, USB devices, and the Canon 1Ds.