Giving a laptop as a gift during the holiday season usually means that someone has been really good, or you’r picking up a needed laptop at holiday pricing. Whatever your reasons, we’ve narrowed it down to some of our favorite laptops and netbooks to help you pick a gift that will bring smiles all year long.

Thanks for checking out the Notebooks.com Gift Guide 2010 series. We want you to have a great holiday season so we have pulled together a collection of gift guides that make it easier to shop for everyone you know. These gifts have been hand picked by the staff at Notebooks.com and have been deemed worthy of giving to someone you care about.

Netbooks and Laptops under 12″

HP Mini 210 – Starts at $329, $419 for dual core

The HP Mini 210 is one of our top picks for a netbook this holiday season because it offers a very portable package with numerous refinements over the last generation model including a screen that can tilt all the way back and the option for a dual core atom processor. The Mini 210 comes in five different color options that will allow you to personalize the netbook to your recipient’s favorite colors. We recommend upgrading to the 250GB 7200RPM hard drive for an extra $10.

Specs: Intel Atom N455 1.66 GHz, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, 10.1″ display

Samsung NF310 - $399

The Samsung NF310 is a new addition to the Samsung line of netbooks which brings a new fin-like design and a dual core atom processor. You may want to vet this one with your gift recipient as not everyone will be a fan of the new design. With the dual core processor the NF310 will be able to handle flash video like Hulu and Netflix out of the box.

Specs: Intel Atom N550 1.5GHz, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive 10.1″ display with 1366 x 768 resolution.

Acer Aspire One 721 - $409

The Acer Aspire One 721 is a slightly larger netbook that uses am AMD Athlon II Neo processor and ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics to deliver a multimedia experience you won’t find on most netbooks. There’s also an HDMI port to connect the netbook to your HDTV.

Specs: AMD Neo II 1.7GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, ATI Radeon GPU with 384MB dedicated video RAM

Alienware M11x - $744

If you’re looking for a portable gaming machine, check out this 11″ gaming laptop from Alienware that comes with a Core 2 Duo processor and the options to upgrade to fast Intel Core i series processors and a 1GB NVIDIA GT335M GeForce GPU for gaming on the go.

Specs: Intel Core2Duo or Core i Series, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, 11.6″ display with a 1366 x 768 resolution

Acer Timeline X 1830T - $599

This 11.6″ laptop is also packing a powerful processor (Intel Core i3 or Core i5) into a small package that’s light and quite portable. This one isn’t designed for gaming like the Alienware, but it will handle the needs of demanding users that want to do more than browse the web.

Specs: 1.2GHz Intel Core i3, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard drive and 11.6″ 1266 x 768 resolution display.

13″ Notebooks

Toshiba R705 – $749

Looking for an Ultraportable with enough power to get your work done and a price that’s on the nice list? Well, the R705 is exactly what you’re looking for. This laptop earned our Editor’s Choice award for delivering an incredible user experience for around $800. It also comes with a battery that lasts around 5 hours and Intel WiDi which allows you to wirelessly stream HD content to your HDTV with a $99 NetGear Adapter.

Specs: 2.26GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAm, 500GB hard drive, 13.3″ 1366 x 768 display and a 6 cell battery.

MacBook - $933.99

Looking for an entry level Apple notebook, try out the 13″ MacBook which is powerful enough to meet the needs of home users and students alike. The built in iLife apps like iPhoto, iMovie and Garageband add to the value and will have you sharing your memories or creating music right out of the box.

Specs: 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 320M GPU and 10 hour battery

MacBook Air 13 - $1299 ($1249 with student discount)

The latest Apple laptop is the incredibly thin MacBook Air which is a site to behold and perfect for your always on the move gift recipient, though you will need to dig deep to get this as a gift. The High-Res 13.3″ display offers a lot of room to work and the system is ready to go almost as fast as you can turn it on. We recommend bumping up to 4GB of RAM for an extra $100 if you can manage it since you can’t upgrade that later. Here’s our review of the MacBook Air 13.

Specs: 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 128GB SSD, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics and a 7 hour battery

Laptops Between 14-15.6″

Sony VAIO EB Series – $599

The Sony VAIO EB is a real steal at this price and offers a stellar user experience in a stylish package. When we reviewed the VAIO EB VPC-EB33FM/BJ recently we were surprised that it came with a Intel Core i processor and the Sony style for $600. It also has WiMax if that is something your gift recipient is interested in.

Specs: Intel Dual Core P6100 2.0 GHz processor, 320GB hard drive, 2GB RAM and a 15.5″ display

HP dv6 – from $549

The HP dv6 was refreshed earlier this year with a new metal alloy lid and a focus on the look and feel of the device. This has led to a notebook that provides a more durable experience than you’ll typically find on a consumer grade laptop. The dv6 is one of our favorite 15″ laptops. Check out our review of the AMD quad core powered HP dv6z.

Specs: 2.4GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive and a 15.6″ display

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14 - $623

The Lenovo Edge 14 may be designed with a small business user in mind, but the laptop is also a great fit for a student or mobile home user. The 14″ form factor provides a nice size screen for working on without bulking up to the full 15.5″ display that comes on many consumer laptops and adds to their weight. Key features like a spill resistant keyboard and other durability enhancements add to the value. You can check out our review of the Edge 14 as well as the Edge 13 and Edge 15 laptops.

Specs: 2.4Ghz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, fingerprint reader and 14″ display.

MacBook Pro 15 – $1,705 ($1699 with student discount)

The 15″ MacBook Pro is another expensive laptop, but if you are trying to find a gift for a budding multimedia enthusiast or as a gift to the creative freelancer on your list the MacBook Pro has enough power to meet their needs. We recommend finding out where they will be doing their work to see if they want the optional anti-glare screen.

Specs: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive and a 15.4″ display

Laptops 16″ or Larger:

Dell Inspiron 17R – $549

For users who won’t be mobile often and want a large screen at an attractive price, look at the Inspiron 17R from Dell which provides a 17.3″ display and a Core i3 processor for under $550. This large display offers a higher resolution screen that is great for watching movies or working on two documents at the same time.

Specs: 2.4Ghz Intel Core i3 processor, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard drive and a 17.3″ display

HP ENVY 17 3D – $1,599

If you have a gamer on your list that wouldn’t want the small screen of the Alienware M11x, take a gander at this 17.3″ 3D display that cames all wrapped up in a stylish package. The ENVY 173D is ready for gaming or working on multimedia files and the built in 3D technology means you can relax and watch the latest 3D movies or game in 3D.

Specs: 1.6Ghz Quad Core Intel Core i7 processor, 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5850 Graphics, 6GB RAM, 500GB Hard drive and a 17.3″ diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920×1080)

Sony VAIO EC – from $749 ($999 with Intel Core i5)

The Sony VAIO EC series laptop is a desktop replacement computer that weighs in around 8 pounds, but it has a nice look, comfortable keyboard and a 1600 x 900 17.3″display that is great for work and play. We recently reviewed the dual core VAIO EC and found it to be capable for your average home user. If you are getting this for a power user we recommend bumping up to the Core i3 or Core i5 processor.

Specs: Intel Dual Core P6100 2.0 GHz processor, 320GB hard drive, 2GB RAM and a 17.3″ display

Holiday Gift Guide: Laptops and Netbooks is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The HP ENVY 17 3D, a large and in charge addition to the HP ENVY line of notebooks is finally available for purchase. The HP ENVY 17 3D delivers a 3D experience on the go with glasses.  The ENVY 17 3D was first announced back in August alongside the HP ENVY 14 Beats.

The new HP ENVY 17 3D comes with an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics and numerous hard drive choices as well as the 17.3″ Ultra Brightview display running a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The notebook, like the rest of the ENVY line comes with Beats audio. The ENVY 17 3D has a claimed battery life of 2.5 hours on the standard battery or 3.75 hours with the optional 9-cell.

You can see a video of the ENVY 17 3D shot at the product announcement below:

The ENVY 17 3D starts at $1,599 and is up for order today. You can win one of the new ENVY 17 3D notebooks by checking out the HP ENVY 17 3d giveaway at gdgt. All you need to do is have a gdgt account connected to Facebook or Twitter and add the ENVY 17 3D to your “want” list.

HP also released the Wireless TV Connect device which allows users to wirelessly stream 1080P HD content from almost any HDMI equipped notebook to a HDTV. Wireless TV Connect is $199.

HP ENVY 17 3D Specs:

• An Intel Core i7 quad core processor with Turbo Boost Technology
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• A smooth, edge-to-edge 17.3″ (diagonal) 1080p Full HD screen with super-sharp 1920 x 1080 resolution
• Shutter glasses for 3D viewing
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics with 1GB of ultrafast DDR5 VRAM and DirectX 11 support for best 3D game performance
• A slot-loading Blu-ray ROM drive for high-def Blu-ray viewing and traditional read/write on DVDs and CDs⁵
• 6GB DDR3 system memory (expandable to 8GB)
• A dual hard drive up to 2TB (or optional Solid State drive flash module
• HP ProtectSmart, which detects if your laptop is dropped and automatically locks the hard drive to prevent data loss
• An island-style, backlit keyboard with numeric keypad and oversized clickpad
• A 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery (up to 2.5 hours), or upgrade to a 9-cell (up to 3.75 hours)
• Intel Wireless-N Wi-Fiwith Bluetooth
• Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• An HDMI 1.3c port for connecting a monitor or HD TV
• A Mini-Display port for connecting a super HD display
• Three USB 2.0 ports (one is shared with the high-speed eSATA combo port)
• A 5-in-1 digital media card reader

HP ENVY 17 3D Now Available and a Chance to Win is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Léo Apotheker is the new CEO and President of HP. At a meeting of the Board of Directors of HP on Thursday September 30th the group announced the election of Apotheker who brings over 20 years of experience from SAP to the company.

While Apotheker was with SAP he helped the company achieve 18 consecutive months of double-digit software sales growth. He has also been awarded the French Légion d’honneur in 2007 in recognition of his business leadership and contribution to the French economy and served on the board of over 20 public and private companies include a term as the President and CEO of Oracle.

If Oracle sounds familiar it’s because that’s where the former CEO of HP, Marc Hurd, started working after an abrupt exit from HP in early August. Originally HP filed a lawsuit to prevent Hurd from joining Oracle, but dropped it just last week.

Apotheker joins HP at a time where the company needs a strong leader with a clear vision for the company. Despite a big announcement at CES last year we’ve yet to see the real HP slate and with the purchase of Palm it seems that HP should be poised to enter the growing tablet marketplace; but so far all we’ve seen are some leaked videos and blacked out images and another announcement for a HP tablet named the PalmPad in 2011

Let’s hope Apotheker settles in quick so HP can make progress on their slate tablet and that he will support the recent direction of HP consumer notebooks, including the HP ENVY series and latest Pavilion upgrades, which we like.

HP Names Léo Apotheker as CEO and President is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

HP announced ten new printers today at an event in New York with many industry firsts including the HP Photosmart eStation all in one printer that comes with a detachable 7″ Android powered tablet. The HP Photosmart eStation is an All in one printer that can print, fax and scan; it retails or $399.

The HP eStation was formerly known as the HP Zeen, and in addition to controlling your printer functions and running numerous printing related apps the eStation’s tablet can surf the web, connect to Facebook, check your email and read eBooks from Barnes and Noble.

The HP Photosmart eStation’s tablet is running Android 2.1 so many users will find navigation a breeze, but there is no access to the Android Market so we’ll have to wait and see how easy it is to install other apps. Liliputing has more info on what powers the HP eStation Tablet.

You can check out a hands on with the HP Photosmart eStation All in One from Laptop Magazine below.

HP also announced a collection of other printers including the HP ENVY 100 e-All-in-one slim line printer that mirros the look of the HP ENVY notebooks and, according to HP , is the first PVC-free printer. It is expected to be available starting next month for $249.

For a full rundown of the printers unveiled today check out the HP Innovation Summit page.

HP Unveils PhotoSmart eStation Printer w/ Android Tablet and More is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The HP Envy 17 is an entertainment powerhouse that now offers a 3D display. 3D is all the rage right now and HP is getting in on the game with the 17-inch Envy. It will not ship until the holiday season, but when it does it will come packed with a lot of power behind the 17-inch 3D face. To enjoy it a user will be able to fire up the samples videos that will come pre-loaded on the system.

At a recent demo, Xavier Lanier, our publisher, got a look at the new machine and said that the clip of this year’s NBA all-star game looked great on the screen.”

To view the 3D content buyers will get a pair of 3D glasses and additional pairs will be available for about $100, although the final price hasn’t been set.

There will be a Blu-ray player which supports 3D movies. Right now there are not a lot of them out Blu-ray, but by Christmas this should change with all the recent Hollywood releases finally becoming available.

To power all of this entertainment glitz, the Envy 17 will have an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor and an AMD ATI Graphics chip. HP has not yet released details of the graphics processor.

The visuals are not the only important part of enjoying a great 3D flick. To enhance the experience HP will still have Beats-audio, which is a high end audio system available on the Envy line of HP notebooks. It is not branded with the Dolby name, but like the Pavilion notebooks there will be Dolby decoding providing that surround sound experience when watching a video.

The final specs, options and price will be released later. The current line of HP Envy 17 Notebooks starts at around $1,400.

HP Envy 17 Goes 3D is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Today HP announced a new version of the popular HP ENVY line of notebooks, the HP ENVY 14 BEATS Edition. While The ENVY 14 BEATS Edition is similar to the original HP ENVY 14, which also has Beats audio, but takes the Beats branding and experience to the next level with a black case, red backlit keys and a pair of Beats by Dre Solo headphones.

The ENVY 14 Beats Edition is wrapped in a black aluminum covering with the signature black and red Beats styling; which is carried over to the red backlit keyboard and three specially designed wallpapers. Inside the machine is powered by Beats Audio which is designed to provide a aural experience the way that the artist intended it through Beats headphones or external speakers.

Powering the ENVY 14 Beats edition is a 2.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 switchable GPU with 1GB DDR3 RAM and a 640GB hard drive. Users will also find a slot-loading Dual Layer DVD RW drive and a HP TrueVision Webcam. The 14.5″ display offers a 1366×768 resolution on the standard screen, no word on whether the ENVY 14 Beats Edition will gain the 1600 x 900 HP Radiance display that is an option on the standard HP ENVY 14.

Alongside the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition will sit a pair of Beats Solo by Dr. Dre headphones designed for optimal performance with the Beats audio found inside the new HP ENVY 17 3D and the rest of the HP ENVY line. These headphones retail for $199.99 and also connect to your iPhone or other smartphone to complete calls with the built-in mic.

THE HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition is rated to last 6 hours with the standard 8 cell battery, but can be extended to 13 hours with the optional HP Slim Fit Extended Life battery. The Slim fit battery snaps onto the bottom of the notebook adding to the thickness of the sleek machine, but not jutting out the back as many extended batteries do.

The HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition, and the HP ENVY 17, also come with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premier Elements 8 to kick-start your creativity out of the box.

The HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition starts at $1,249, $250 more than the standard ENVY 14, but you gain a pair of $200 headphones, faster processor and the Beats branding. You can purchase the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition starting today.

HP Envy 14 Beats Edition Detailed Specifications:

HP ENVY 14 BEATS Edition Announced W/ BEATS Styling & Headphones is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

This week was a big week for notebooks with numerous reviews going up, a new Intel Atom dual core processor was announced and a in depth look at how the HP IndyCar team uses HP notebooks like the EliteBook and Envy series to go for the Pole position. If you like computers an you like speed you need to check out this insider look at IndyCar racing.

The other big focus this week has been on ergonomics. As geeks and cube dwellers have known for a long time the way we do our work can lead to pain in many places if we aren’t properly equipped. This week we took a look at how to make your dorm room ergonomic without breaking the bank  and I shared my first attempt at a DIY standing desk. Soon we’ll have some WorkFit units from Ergotron in house to review that make it easy to alternate between sitting and standing — there’s a chance to win one in the DIY desk post

Highlights from Notebooks.com:

• Google’s Call Phone Service in Gmail is Good Enough – Google adds voice calling to Gmail and we test it out.
• Lenovo IdeaPad V460 Review: Business on the Outside, Graphics Inside – Take a look at a business notebook with switchable graphics under $1,000.
• How to Disable Facebook Places – Hate the new places feature, Check out permanently with this guide.
• Virgin Mobile to Offer $40 a month Unlimited Mobile Broadband – At $20 cheaper than contract price from competitors this is a tempting mobile offering.
• Acer Aspire 5745PG Hands On and First Impressions (Video) – Take a first look at this multitouch entertainment notebook.
• Kensington Announced New iPhone Batteries, Docks and  Car Mounts – New certified iPhone 4 accessories to keep you charged and more.
• Gateway ID49C07U Hands On and First Impressions - A look a the Gateway ID49 with backlit mousepad.

Highlights from GottaBeMobile.com:

• From Joke to Giant: How Tablets Became Titans – A look at how the tablet industry turned around in 6 months.
• Unlimited Monster Strikes Again…This time it’s Skype – Yet again the unlimited is limited, can we get some clarity?
• Pocketbook: eReader to Feature Wacom Digitizer – The potential is there for an ereader that delights margin note takers.
• N-Trig to supply touchscreen for Google Chrome tablet – Instead of Wacom, N-trig looks to be the supplier for a Google tablet.

Highlights from our Friends in Tech:

• The Netbook Revolution is Over. So What Did You Win? - LaptopMag – The netbook changed the computing landscape but where’s your free t-shirt?
• New Smartphones Arriving Faster, But With More Bugs - JKonTheRun - A look at the state of Smartphone newcomers.
• Awesome Drop lets you drag/drop files to Android, no wires needed - Mobiputing – Simple way to transfer files wirelessly to your Android phone.

Notebooks.com Week in Review August 27th is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The HP Envy 15 comes in a box that looks like something you’re more likely to find at a boutique  than a computer retailer. Here are some photos that show what the Envy 15′s packaging looks like and what’s inside the box.

As configured, the HP Envy 15 is the most powerful five pound notebook on the market.   As you can see in the image below, this envy 15 comes with an Intel Core i7-720QM processor, dual 160GB solid state drives, 16GB of DDR3 RAM and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 graphics with 1GB of deicated graphics memory.

The above picture is the label on the outer box, which is what the Envy 15 ships in.

Inside the shipping carton is a much nicer box that looks more like a jumbo jewelry box. The HP and Envy logos are embossed in silver.

With the top of the box removed you can see the Envy 15 wrapped in a plush protective sleeve. On the right is the Envy 15′s quick-start guide.

With the sleeve removed you can see that the Envy 15′s laser-etched design.

Beneath the quick start guide is an SD card slot.

As you can see, the Envy 15′s packaging is pretty refined. The SD card has the Envy logo and is placed in its own special holder. We’re used to seeing most HP Notebooks’ accessories all thrown in one big compartment.

Removing the plastic layer that holds the Envy 15 and the SD card reveals the bulk of the accessories, wrapped in plastic. On the left is the external Blu-ray Disc drive. In the middle is a documentation packet, including warranty information. On the right is the AC adapter.

Removing the second plastic layer reveals the extended slice battery.

Here you can see the top of the extended battery. It has the same footprint as the bottom of the notebook.

This is the bottom of the Envy 15. It has a very clean design. You can see a couple of vents, the primary six-cell battery. There are several slots on the bottom and top enge for teh slice battery to hook into. The copper square in the middle is where the slice battery actually interfaces with the Envy 15.

The is is the right edge of the Envy 15 without the extended battery attached.

This is the same edge with the slice battery attached. You can see the small black line below the base of the machine. While it does add significant thickness and weight, HP’s done a very good job of making the battery look good, unlike the bulky batteries we often see hanging off the rear of notebooks.

Here’s a closer look at the extended battery with the Envy 15 flipped upside down.

The ports are labeled on the bottom of the machine just in case you don’t know what each of them are for. Of course having them on the bottom of the computer makes them impossible to see when you’re actually using it.

The Envy 15 is pretty symmetrical, except for all of the ports being thrown off to one side. The SD card slot is on the front edge, between the speaker grills and beneath the touchpad.

HP Envy 15 Unboxed (photo gallery) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.