The design is impeccable, the build superb and the screen extraordinary, but the price is a huge barrier. We ponder the icon that is the Macbook Pro 17in

A stunning screen, generous specification and good performance combine with superb results for the Dell XPS 16

It’s not the most powerful, but its games performance and features help the Toshiba A350 stand out in the price bracket for mid-price laptops

Dell's previous 13.3in XPS - the M1330 - was a delightful portable, but the XPS 13 makes it look scruffy by comparison.

Looks and feels great, but a hefty price – once you’ve tweaked its specs – means that rivals offer better value

MSI's Prestige laptop comes with a whole bunch of goodies: how does a wireless mouse, 4GB USB key, leather carrybag and leather stitched lid sound, for starters? And that's before you look under the lid.

As we open the box it hits us, the unmistakable wafting scent of a pine forest, floating on the summer breeze and carrying away our troubles . . .

In a world filled with gorgeous Sony, Apple and even Dell laptops, a sober, matte black machine aimed at consumers has to be truly special to turn heads. The IdeaPad Y430 is a well-built Centrino 2 machine that lacks nothing in the way of features, speed or value

Great looks, superb build quality and a world beating software package. It would threaten the A list if it were just a little cheaper.

Is Apple good at design? Usabilty? Both or neither? Also, where has all the Firewire gone? Alex Kidman has been testing Apple's new Macbook and gives his first impressions.

Designed to sit between the low-end Inspiron and high-end XPS families, it comes in 15in and 17in flavours and its target audience could be pretty much anyone: few laptops are as customisable as this.

Despite some odd feature choices, this is an affordable powerhouse of a laptop. A great value mid-range Centrino 2 laptop, as long as you're not worried about battery life.

A Blu-ray drive is just about the only justification for the Sony’s high price; it’s poor value overall.

A great desktop replacement thanks to the huge screen and dual 200GB hard disks, but its price is too high.

Awesome power and features at a Reasonable price – but keep it plugged in.

Well built, fast and with a great screen, the Dell also has superb battery life.

It’s the most expensive laptop we’ve looked at yet. David Hollingworth ponders if you get the right amount of bang for your buck.

Disappointing ergonomics, but the blend of power and battery life makes it very good value.

This notebook is the winner of our Light Laptops roundup. It's solid in every area rather than outstanding in one, and very attractively priced.

If you’re looking for a well-featured, great-value desktop replacement, the A7S fits the bill. Plenty of grunt, a 200GB drive and great features - Asus is looking better and better.