The moshi iGlaze hardshell MacBook Air cover is my new favorite MacBook Air case.

While moshi isn’t a household name, the iGlaze is a great case and the company makes many cases for Apple and other notebooks.

The moshi iGlaze hardshell MacBook Air cover looks really nice, adds almost no weight or thickness and protects the soft aluminum that Apple uses to encase their computers. You’re less likely to get dings and scratches with one of these elegant cases covering your MacBook Air.

While you’re using your MacBook Air you’ll hardly notice the moshi iGlaze. That’s likely the biggest compliment I’ll ever give a case that stays on your computer while you use it. You want it to disappear so you can enjoy computing on the Air.

I use a similar style of case on my MacBook Pro. I liked the Speck SeeThru shell case, but I now wish moshi made one for my MacBook Pro also.  I’d gladly switch. The moshi case looks and feels better than Speck’s case because it elegantly disappears for the user.

I experienced one issue with Speck’s case. The sharp front edge irritated my wrists as I typed on my MacBook Pro. I don’t experience this on the moshi iGlaze case.

There’s good news for those who buy the latest MacBook Pro when Apple launches it, most likely sometime soon. That won’t help those of us with older MacBooks if Apple changes the case design like we expect them to.

The case fits snugly and covers all the corners, the top and the bottom. The cutouts give you access to all the ports and the back includes an opening so your computer’s vent stays unobstructed.

The cover allows the Apple logo to shine through while your computer’s powered on thanks to the translucent material. You can also get a clear, white or black case all three of which lets the Apple logo shine through.

The bottom covers the rubber feet on your Air with rubber disks so you still get the non-skid feet.

I really like the moshi iGlaze. It’s not intended as a rugged protective case so don’t drop your MacBook Air assuming its protected. It keeps your computer safe from scratches and light dings. If you carry your computer around the office or throw it in a bag for transport most of the time, then you don’t need much more protection that the iGlaze offers.

They offer the three colors mentioned above for both the 11 and 13 inch MacBook Air. The 11″ iGlaze case costs $55 and the 13″ costs $60 directly from Moshi.

moshi iGlaze MacBook Air Hardshell Case Review: My New Favorite is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

WaterField Designs came out with a new Apple MacBook Air case called CitySlicker. This urban MacBook Air case offers a nice custom distressed leather flap in one of four colors that covers the top of their signature ballistic nylon fabric.

The case doesn’t just look nice, with that old-world frontier look, it protects the MacBook Air with three layers. High-grade neoprene and padded inner linings combine with an added impact-resistant plastic covered by the nylon outer layer to keep the MacBook Air’s soft aluminum safe in transport.

The flap covers a four accessory pockets. The pockets house things like pens, an iPhone or Android smartphone, your magic mouse or cables. They’re made of a stretchy mesh material. A back pocket with the same stretchy mess has a locking zipper that lets you store thin items or objects like papers thin books or a magazine or two.

Like most of WaterField Designs cases, you can get just the case and carry it around under your arm. You can also add the rings and include your own shoulder strap or pick from their two different straps. You can also add a handle to the mix to carry it like a briefcase.

The bag comes in one of four colors – black, chocolate, grizzly or camel. The cost of the cases and options are as follows:

• 11″ MacBook Air Case alone $129 and with handle $139
• 13″ MacBook Air Case alone $139 and with handle $149
• Add D-Rings for straps for $5
• With D-Rings and the simple strap add $12
• For the D-Rings and the padded Suspension Should Strap add $22

If you order now, you will get one starting May 28, 2012. This company makes great cases, so the CitySlicker likely won’t disappoint you.

WaterField Designs CitySlicker Case for Protects MacBook Air With Distressed Leather is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Apple notebooks have a high starting price compared to the average consumer notebook, but the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air often go on sale.

Dealnews tracks the price of Apple notebooks like the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, sharing great deals on Apple products.

By tracking deals on the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, we can tell you when the best time to buy a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air is.

Unlike the savings on the iPad and the iPhone, Apple Notebooks see significant discounts faster, and with bigger savings.

Best Time to Buy a MacBook Pro

Dealnews uses the 15.4 inch MacBook Pro with a starting price of $1,799 as the example, but I expect that similar savings apply to the rest of the MacBook Pro line.

Shoppers who wait just 2 days after Apple releases new models can find deals of nearly $50 off at sites like MacMall and Amazon.com. Waiting 3 months results in access to deals that approach $300 off the MacBook Pro.

Apple users should always look for a good deal before buying a MacBook Pro, as there are countless deals available on these notebooks throughout the year, not just on Black Friday.

Best Time to Buy a MacBook Air

The 11-inch Macbook Air is the cheapest notebook sold by Apple, but that doesn’t mean shoppers shouldn’t look for deals. Just one day after release shoppers can expect to save $49 dollars on the MacBook Air, and four months later, prices can drop to $149 below retail.

Dealnews tracked the 11-inch Macbook Air, but in my experience the 13-inch Macbook Air receives similar discounts.

How long will you wait to save on a new computer?

Best Times To Buy a MacBook Pro and MacBook Air is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Apple will release a 15″ MacBook Air in April that will kill off the MacBook Pro, according to an unnamed accessory maker.

We’ve heard about a larger MacBook Air before, but that rumor claimed it might be a 14″ model. This rumor says that Apple will add a third size to the wildly popular MacBook Air lineup with a larger 15″ screen.

As usual Apple will not confirm the rumor, but according earlier reports OEM suppliers said parts were in the works for a larger MacBook Air. Now an unnamed dock maker claims to know one will come next month.

It doesn’t take a genius to guess that we might see an update in the MacBook lineup this spring. Apple often refreshes their lineup early in the year and then later in the summer. Throw in the sales figures of the Air and you can understand why Apple may want to expand the lineup to hit a new segment of the consumer market that previously avoided the thinner machine due to limited screen size.

This rumor includes three assumptions that all must be true for it to prove accurate.

1. A new MacBook will show up in April.
2. The new MacBook will be a 15″ Air
3. The new 15″ Air will kill off the 15″ MacBook Pro

We dealt with the first assumption above. If Apple follows past practices, then they will likely release a new MacBook this spring. Why not April?

Lets turn to the second assumption.

When Apple updated the MacBook Air in late 2010, sales soared. The form factor became wildly popular, probably for two reasons. First, the $999 price drew people to the machine but Apple had the low-end MacBook at that price point. The ultra thin form factor added to the popularity. Great battery life and the fast SSD sealed the deal because you now have a high-quality ultra-mobile laptop at a reasonable price.

Releasing a 15″ model would not surprise anyone. Why not capitalize on the form factor’s popularity with a third model to grab another segment of the notebook market?

It makes sense, but one alternate view could explain the rumors. Maybe Apple will redesign the MacBook Pro to look more like the Air. That seems more likely.

People love the Air’s form factor, but too many people still need a powerful laptop for gaming, content creation in the video, photo and audio sectors, and for those with needing more storage space than the maximum storage of 256GB available on current MacBook Airs. These people will never settle for integrated graphics or small SSDs. However, if Apple could find a way to make the MacBook Pro look sleeker, more Air-like, while retaining the power of the Pro, then they will.

Wether Apple plans to redesign the 15″ MacBook Pro to look more like a MacBook Air or they plan to release a 15″ MacBook Air, the third assumption doesn’t hold up. I don’t think Apple will leave their creative professionals behind by dropping the MacBook Pro like they did the white MacBook.

The white MacBook died because the Air offered more power at the same price. Even a 15″ Air won’t do all a 15″ Pro will do, so it won’t go anywhere anytime soon.

Source: ElectricPig

Why a 15″ MacBook Air Won’t Kill the MacBook Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

We’ve heard about a larger MacBook Air for months, but the rumors have centered around a 15-inch Macbook Air that replaces the MacBook Pro.

Now,  DigiTimes is reporting that Apple is working on a 14-inch MacBook Air model. The rumor comes from the usual un-named source in Apple’s supply chain, but it makes sense if you look at screen size demands.

DigiTimes suggests that the new 14 inch MacBook Air could help Apple break into the Chinese notebook market, where the 14-inch notebook is preferred. Global demand for 14 inch notebooks is between 20-25%, but in Asia the demand jumps up to 35-40%.

In the U.S. many consumers prefer the 15-inch notebook screen size, even with poor resolutions, but anecdotally I’ve seen an increase in interest for 14 inch notebooks. The 13-inch screen size size is still to small for some users, but they will look at 14-inch notebooks like the Dell XPS 14z, HP Dm4 and others.

During CES 2012 we say the screen sizes on Ultrabooks start to grow, a trend that could lead to more 14-inch and 15-inch thin and light notebooks towards the middle of 2012.

Based on the DigiTimes report it isn’t clear if Apple would only launch the 14-inch MacBook Air in China, or if it would be a global product. I would be surprised if Apple launched this notebook exclusively in China, because there is demand for 14-inch notebooks in the U.S.

I’m interested in a 14-inch MacBook Air with a higher resolution display. I love the 13-inch MacBook Air, but adding a little more screen and perhaps 1080P resolution would get e in line for an upgrade.

Do you want a bigger MacBook Air?

Via BGR

Is Apple Planning a 14-inch MacBook Air? is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Apple will soon introduce a new MacBook Air refresh with new technology and possibly a larger display, according to speculation from AppleInsider. Apple is possibly readying their Asian supply chains to ship a new MacBook Air. AppleInsider cited a report about supplier Quanta Computer, which manufactures the MacBook Air for Apple. The manufacturer will see shipments increase thanks to a new MacBook Air model coming soon.

Reports surfaced earlier saying that Apple would introduce a new 15″ MacBook Air or would redesign the MacBook Pro to match the Air form factor, with the former being the most likely. Users still want larger capacity storage in a mobile computer for video and photo editing on the go. Until SSD storage can match the capacities of optical storage, we will still see the thicker MacBook Pro models. Expensive solid state storage would make a MacBook Pro with a 500GB drive impossible to sell at the sub $2,000 point.

History and Competition

The Ultrabook market heated up when Apple introduced the newly redesigned MacBook Air in November 2010 and then refreshed the line last summer putting faster processors and the new high-speed Thunderbolt port in the ultra-thin notebook. Copycat manufacturers began introducing similar products, including ASUS, Acer and HP.

The current lineup of MacBook Air notebooks start at $999 for the lowest cost 11″ MacBook Air and $1,299 for the entry level 13.3″ model. The Air model likely killed off the old white MacBook, which Apple quit selling last year.

Refresh Wishes

The MacBook Air sells so well that Apple may push the line into a larger variety of sizes to stay ahead of influx of Windows-based ultra-portable notebooks now available. Here’s what I think Apple should include to stay ahead of the competition.

First, in addition to faster processors and other internals, I really hope to see the larger 15″ display. I love my 13″ MacBook Air and my 15″ MacBook Pro. If I could, I would replace both with a new 15″ MacBook Pro/Air that has the same form factor of the MacBook Air, but powered by a beautiful larger screen.

Second, I’d love to see a 1080p resolution with a matte finish as an option on a 15″ model. The 1440×900 resolution of the 13″ MacBook Air gives me decent screen real estate for working with text, but higher resolution with crisper text would be awesome. Also, I hate glossy displays. The glossy Apple displays are better than most, but a matte display would not reflect sunlight when I sit near the window at my favorite WiFi hotspot.

Third, I’d rather have a slightly thicker and heavier computer with longer battery life, along the lines of the iPad’s 10-11 hours. If I could go 8-10 hours without ever worrying about plugging in, the MacBook Air would be even more ultra-portable than it is now. I can get about 5 hours now, but sometimes I need an hour or two more to get though a full day of mobile computing.

Fourth, Apple stepped backward replacing the NVIDIA GeForce 320M video chip in my 2010 MacBook Air with Intel integrated graphics in the 2011 models released last summer. That surprised me. I hope the newer models give us discrete graphics.

Finally, I want a larger capacity SSD that doesn’t cost more than the rest of the computer combined. We hoped that the SSD and success of the MacBook Air would bring SSD prices down, but that hasn’t really happened. If Apple and other best-selling manufacturers would put pressure on OEMs by telling them they will shift to SSD away from optical hard drives, maybe prices would start to come down.

Source: Digitimes via AppleInsider

MacBook Air Refresh Coming Soon, What We Want From Apple is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The MacBook Air is a very portable notebook, but that comes with some tradeoffs in terms of processing power.

You won’t bump into this wall while doing basic office tasks, but if you want to edit video the system will show signs of weakness.

During CES 2012 I used my MacBook Air to edit tons of 720P and 1080P HD video content. While the machine was able to handle the work, it was hot, it was loud and it didn’t like to do much else.

So imagine my surprise when I saw that Adobe’s Dave Helmly was going to try to edit 4K video on the MacBook Air. 4K video is about 4,000 pixels, compared to HD which tops out at 1,080 pixels.

In order to do this Helmly relies on the ThunderBolt connection that is built into the MacBook Air, and is making its way to a number fo PCs. This high speed connection allows users who need more power to connect powerful peripherals and accessories to the MacBook Air for more power. This will curt down the mobility of the notebook, but it allows users to keep their work on a single notebook.

Editing 4K video on the MacBook Air with Thunderbolt Accessories

Dave Helmly started out with a MacBook Air rocking a 1.8Ghz Intel Core i7 processor and 4GB of RAM. This system is running Windows 7 64 in Boot Camp. To this he added,

• a Red Rocket Card
• Sonnet ThunderBolt Chassis
• UltraStudio 3D playback peripheral

As you can see in the demonstration video, the MacBook Air can hardly render the video at the start, but once he enables the ThunderBolt accessories the Macbook Air is able to function as a mobile video editing station.

This $5,000 add on makes 4K editing possible on a MacBook Air.

Sure, you need a desk or a car to keep the Thunderbolt peripherals in, but if you want mobility during the day and processing power in your hotel room while on location this shows a promising look at the future.

Did I mention you’ll need to spend upwards of $6,000 on top of your MacBook Air purchase price to do this?

Via 9to5Mac

ThunderBolt Peripherals Turn MacBook Air into Video Editing Beast is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

XtremeMac announced a new line of MacBook sleeves last week at CES 2012 including the Professional, Vintage and Sport Sleeves for both the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air. Your 11″ Air or 17″ MacBook Pro will have to get covered and protected by something else.

The Professional Sleeve covers your MacBook with a black nylon fabric. The zippered sleeve closes to hold your computer and a pocket on the side holds all of your accessories. This sleeve will fit best for people who carry their computer around by itself on occasion but also throw it into another backpack or larger computer bag for protection.

The Vintage Sleeve goes retro with a khaki heavy-weight waxed canvas material accented in brown leather. The case closes with a snap down flap to cover the computer. The pull-tab makes it easy to retrieve from a backpack or bag. You can also carry it around from the looped tab. You’re not going to put a lot of extra accessories inside, so this fits best for this who just carry their computer around by itself.

The Sport Sleeve fits snugly with a slim zippered case offering extreme protection. The interior foam lining keeps your computer safe from short drops and dings or from jostling about as you move around. The black case with textured orange accents looks pretty cool. Like the Vintage Sleeve, it doesn’t have room for extras.

You could carry your MacBook Air or Pro in one of these cases by itself or as added protection in a regular backpack or brief case.

You will be able to get these three new sleeve cases for your MacBook sometime during the Spring of 2012. XtremeMac hasn’t named the price yet.

XtremeMac makes some nice Apple product accessories for the iPad and iPhone too.

XtremeMac Introduces 3 New Cases for MacBook Air and Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Week 4 of NaNoWriMo is about to begin. The home stretch is upon some of us, while others of us are still behind… Anyway, at this point you’re probably either happy with your primary writing computer or are hating it for not being what you need.

Maybe your laptop is too heavy to carry around or too slow to deal with a huge novel file or all the tabs you keep open in Firefox. Is that netbook screen proving too tiny for comfortable editing? That keyboard too shitty for words?

I feel your pain. Trying to find the right computer for writing has consumed much of my writing life. Ever since I started reviewing laptops I’ve become aware of the vast choices available and been exposed to some of the best and most heinous machines in existence.

There is a good laptop for every need. Below are some of my recent favorites. If you don’t see one that fits your needs, let me know what you’re looking for in the comments. You should also check out our Notebook Gift Guide for more favorites.

Ultraportables

These very thin and light laptops fall into two basic categories: affordable ultraportables that don’t cost much and make good companion laptops and traditional ultraportables that are powerful enough to be your only computer and have hefty price tags.

Having a laptop dedicated to just writing is nice, and for that I look to the affordable models. However, if you need a new notebook and have the budget, why not go for one you can carry around everywhere on top of everything else?

HP Pavilion dm1

My top affordable ultraportable right now is the dm1. It has an AMD Fusion processor inside, which means that it performs better than a netbook but won’t be happy with too many heavy duty tasks.

The 11.6 inch display is big enough to fit a good amount of text on screen so both writing and editing will be comfortable. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is just light enough to carry around all day if you pack light. It’ll last you that long as well.

One nice bonus is the inclusion of Beats Audio, so when you fire up the playlist your music will sound rich, full, and motivating.

Starts at $399 at HP.com.

Ultrabooks

Recently the Windows PC world has decided to join Apple in making super slim and light laptops called Ultrabooks. Right now we’re really liking the Toshiba Portege z835 and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s. Both are very light and thin, weighing a little more or a little less than a netbook, depending on the configuration, but both bearing 13.3-inch displays.

The Portege has an ultra low voltage Intel Core i5 processor inside, which can handle mainstream tasks easily. If you do something very resource-intensive like edit videos or rock Photoshop for more than just cropping and minor adjustments, then you may be more comfortable with the IdeaPad and the Core i7 CPU inside. But for normal use, the Portege should be plenty of oomph.

Another hallmark of ultrabooks is long battery life. The Toshiba claims 9 hours, the Lenovo 8. We’re still testing them, but it’s been my experience that you can shave about 2 hours off the claimed battery life to calculate what you’d get under normal usage.

Both have comfortable keyboards, but the Portege has an extra that may appeal to those who don’t touch type: backlit keys.

The Toshiba Portege z835 is available for $799 at Best Buy, which is a good price for something this thin and speedy. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is hovering around $1,000 – $1,200 right now, but will likely come down as the holiday season gets in full swing.

Samsung Series 9

If a 13.3 inch screen is too big for you, check out this sleek little guy from Samsung. The 11.6-inch Series 9 comes with a Core i3 processor and either a 64GB or 128GB SSD. This ensures you’ll get speedy performance, though if you’re a heavy multitasker it may not be quite powerful enough for your needs.

The Series 9 is made from a strong metal called duralumin that is sturdy but light. The keyboard offers decent tactile feedback and the touchpad won’t get in your way. Due to the size you won’t get a lot of ports. You will get a nice 5 hours of battery life.

This sweet number costs quite a bit of money. However, it comes with a 3 year warranty out of the box, so it’ll be with you that long, at least. If you like the look but need more power, there’s a 13-inch version with better specs.

$1,049 and up at Samsung.com.

Business Notebooks

Don’t skip over this section just because you’re not a corporate type. So-called business laptops are often better for consumers than the stuff you’ll find on the shelf at Best Buy. They’re sturdy, have good keyboards and touchpads, come with a ton of ports, give you robust security options out of the box, and often have useful pre-loaded software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1

If there’s one thing writers should know about Lenovo’s business laptops it’s that they have the best keyboards around. Even though it looks different from the Lenovo keyboards of old, the new style found on the ThinkPad X1 is just as easy and comfortable to type on as it is attractive. It offers strong tactile feedback, good travel, and just enough dip in the center to keep fingers on the right keys.

The X1 isn’t quite an ultraportable as it weighs 3.8 pounds. Not too heavy, but not super light. It’s also pretty thin, measuring just 0.8 inches thick.

Performance-wise, this is a workhorse machine that can handle Scrivener, MS Office, Firefox, iTunes, and way more without breaking a sweat. Well, not heavy duty games, but you’re here to write, not play WOW.

The only downside to this notebook is a short battery life: around 4 hours of real life usage. You can get an optional battery slice for $150 that will make it last twice as long. However, it adds weight and thickness.

Configurable at Lenovo.com, the ThinkPad X1 starts at $1,199.

HP Probook 5330m

HP has produced some really worthwhile business laptops lately. The ProBook 5330m looks pretty slick for a corporate type thanks to the brushed aluminum casing.

The backlit keyboard is really comfortable to type on and even has a trackpoint, so you can manipulate the mouse without having to move your hands from the keyboard. Inside you’ve got guts powerful enough for mainstream tasks and even some heavy duty stuff.

If you’re concerned about security, this laptop has some heavy-duty options for you. You can register your face for facial login, any of your fingers for one-swipe login, plus add a password. On top of that, you can set it so that not only do you need one or more of these logins, but also a registered Bluetooth device nearby, such as a phone.

It starts at $799 at HP.com.

Mainstream Notebook

Sony VAIO SE

This is another laptop that isn’t an ultraportable, but is designed with portability in mind. It has a 15-inch screen but doesn’t have a 15-inch bulk. For a laptop with this size screen it’s very thin and light, measuring just under an inch thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, making it reasonably mobile.

The screen is not only big, it also has a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), so you can fit a lot of text on one screen or keep all the different little windows and panels in Scrivener open and still have enough room for your text. It’s also useful for looking at two different windows side by side.

The keyboard is comfortable, though doesn’t have the really strong tactile feedback of a Lenovo. Inside there’s a processor powerful to handle everything up to light video and photo editing and heavy multitasking.

Since it’s such a big system, it probably won’t last more than 5 hours on a charge. However, you can pick up a battery slice that covers and integrates with the bottom of the notebook. This adds some thickness and raises the entire notebook to 5.8 pounds. It’ll get you to 9 hours, though.

It starts at $999 at the Sony store.

MacBooks

You may have noticed a distinct lack of MacBook in any of the categories above. That’s because they deserve their own section.

Many writers swear by their MacBooks and say they can’t write without them. If you’re contemplating a new one or making the switch over from the PC, which should you pick?

MacBook Pro

Don’t be fooled by the “Pro” in the name. The 13-inch model is a pretty basic mainstream laptop at this point, though it is plenty powerful enough for most people.

Thanks to the aluminum casing it’s heavy enough that you will notice it if you carry it around a lot. But it’s not so heavy as to be prohibitive.

The flat keys are well-spaced but don’t dip enough for my tastes. Still, they have a snappy return. And the touchpad is one of the best I’ve ever used, hands-down.

If portability isn’t a concern and you just want a solid, powerful laptop, consider the 15-inch model. Again, because it’s all aluminum it’s going to be on the heavy side. But you’ll get a good keyboard, and nice big screen for editing and writing, and good performance for all your other tasks.

Starts at $1,199 at Apple.com.

MacBook Air

If portability is your main concern then you’re probably eying the MacBook Air. It is wonderfully thin and light and has the same good keyboard and excellent touchpad as the Pro line. You won’t get very many ports, but you will get most of the important ones.

The 11.6-inch model makes a good, but expensive, companion computer. It’s not going to deliver stunning performance, but it’s more powerful than a netbook or even an affordable ultraportable.

The 13.3-inch model is good enough to be a primary computer as it has a good processor and at least a 128GB SSD inside.

You’re going to pay for that power, though. It’s a Mac, so you knew that.

Starts at $999 at Apple.com.

These suggestions represent some of my favorite computers, but I’d love to hear what computers my fellow NaNoWriMo writers are using to get their daily wordcount. Tell us what you love or hate about your computer. What’s your ideal writing machine?

Looking for more tech suggestions for writers? Check out the NaNoWriMo tag over on GottaBeMobile.

NaNoWriMo: Best Notebooks For Writers is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Notebooks are an expensive item to add to a holiday wishlist, but for recipients who need a laptop for school or for a small business, this can be a very practical gift. It’s perfect for gift giving from a group of family members.

This year’s gift guide includes the best notebooks, netbooks and ultrabooks we reviewed in 2011 to simplify your holiday shopping and gift giving.

Because everyone has different needs and budgets, we’ve included everything from mainstream and entertainment notebooks to business and ultraportable models, aplusnd the ultimate gaming notebook. Prices start at $269 and go up over $1,000.

You can be sure that any of these notebooks will make an amazing gift this holiday season.

Mainstream Notebooks

Mainstream notebooks will meet most of your needs, and do so with some style. They’re great gifts for users who need solid performance and a decent multimedia experience but don’t need something ultra slim or ultra powerful. With these picks you can get a better experience than the typical budget notebook without spending significantly more.

Sony VAIO SE

Big screen without the bulk.

Looking for a laptop with a decent-sized display that is still reasonably portable? Sony’s got you covered with the VAIO SE. This notebook has a beautiful 15.5-inch display yet the case is only 0.9 inches thick and weighs just 4.4 pounds.

Even though it has a slim profile, this machine still has room for a Blu-ray drive and plenty of ports, including HDMI, memory card, and USB 3.0.

The 15-inch display features a full HD resolution, rich colors, and deep blacks. Add in a full-size keyboard and number pad plus a generous touchpad and you have a great laptop for both work and entertainment.

The base price includes a powerful Intel Core i5 processor and AMD Radeon graphics. Configure it on Sony’s website for more options, including a Core i7 CPU and solid state drives with storage up to 1TB (yes, terabyte).

Pertinent Specs: 15.5-inch display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 2.4-GHz 2nd gen Intel Core i5-2430M processor, 4GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics, 512MB VRAM, 500GB hard drive, CD/DVD drive

$999 and up @ SonyStyle.com

Gateway ID Series

Looks and power in an affordable, portable package.

The Gateway ID 47 packs a 14″ display in the frame of a 13″ notebook, giving you bigger display without filling up a backpack. While the notebook is smaller, it still includes a DVD Super Multi Drive and full complement of ports, which means you won’t need to add a stocking of adapters to your gift bag.

The Gateway ID 47 is attractively priced for students and home users who need the power to do basic student tasks as well as come video editing and photo touch ups. The battery lasts long enough to get you through a day of classes, and with a small package, you can carry the charger if you need to do some power intensive work.

Gateway sets the ID 47 apart from the rest of the Gateway fare with nice looks and good build quality, pictures don’t do this notebook justice. For $679 you get a very good looking notebook.

This notebook is a top pick for students and mobile users who care about style, but are budget conscious.

Pertinent Specs: 14-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, 500GB hard drive, webcam, Super Multi DVD drive, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 3000 graphics

Read our Gateway ID47 Hands On Review

$679 @ Amazon

Multimedia Notebooks

These laptops prioritize entertainment features such as HD displays, Blu-ray players, or amazing speaker quality. Multimedia notebooks tend to have powerful processors and graphics cards, so they can handle almost anything else users throw at them as well.

Sony VAIO E series

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Give a notebook with an extra dash of flair this holiday. The VAIO E series features a distinctive diamond texture and comes in four colors — black, white, blue, and pink — that extend over the whole case, not just the lid. Available in 14, 15.5, and 17.3-inch sizes, there’s an E Series for every need.

Featuring bright, LED-backlit displays with colors that pop, island-style keyboards with great travel and tactile feedback, and multi-touch touchpads, the VAIO E doesn’t forgo the practical considerations for the sake of good looks. It will also last you all day on a charge — the 14-inch version promises over 8 hours, and the 17-incher has an impressive 5+ hour rating.

Inside you can choose from Intel Core i3 (for a basic user) or Core i5 (for a mainstream user) processors. If the giftee plays games or does light to medium video editing, add on Nvidia’s GeForce dedicated graphics. If they like watching movies, you can upgrade to a Blu-ray drive.

Since these aren’t the most portable laptops, they’re a good gift for people who don’t need to carry it everywhere they go. It’s great for media lovers, especially if they’ve cut the cable cord.

Pertinent Specs: 14, 15.5, or 17.3-inch displays, Intel Core i3-2330M and Core i5-2430M processors, 1366 x 768 resolution, 4-8GB of RAM, 320-750Gb hard drive,  Blu-ray drive, Intel HD Graphics 3000 or NVIDIA GeForce 410M graphics

$469 and up @ Sony.com

Dell XPS 15

The ultimate multimedia machine.

The XPS 15 is the perfect notebook for the serious multimedia lover on your list. It’s not a thin, light, or particularly good-looking machine. But the audio quality will blow you away and it’s performance chops make it a great choice for watching HD videos and playing games. And if they have a 3D TV in the house, the XPS 15 will output 3D content via HDMI.

The 6.1 pound weight and wide 15.0 x 10.4 x 1.5 inch footprint means that this laptop will likely spend most of it’s time on a desk. That’s fine, as it can serve as the media center for a small room such as a studio apartment or dorm. The JBL speakers and Waves MaxxAudio 3 sound enhancement software deliver audio quality far above anything you’ll hear on most laptops. Not only do you get good volume, but a round, layered sound whether you’re listening to R&B, rock, classical, or watching Blu-ray movies.

The only drawback on the media side is that the 15.6-inch display only has a 1366 x 768 resolution at the base price and not a full HD one. You can upgrade to a 1920×1080 panel if you really love the person…

I’d recommend this for students who’ll do most of their work in the dorm room. The keyboard is sturdy and offers good feedback, and the large touchpad makes pulling off multi-touch gestures easy. You’ll get great performance with an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, and dedicated Nvidia graphics, but if you’re shopping for a power user who’ll need a laptop that can handle video editing, heavy-duty calculations, or resource-intensive programs, upgrade to a quad-core Core i7 CPU.

Pertinent Specs: 15.6-inch display, 1366 x 768 or 1920 x 1080 resolution, 2nd gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, 500GB hard drive or 256GB SSD, webcam, Blu-ray drive, 4-8GB RAM, Nvidia GeFore GT graphics

$799 and up @ Dell.com

Ultraportables and Ultrabooks

When portability and long battery life matter, ultraportables or ultrabooks are good machines to consider. While these notebooks often carry a price premium, you get long battery life and sub 3 pound weight without giving up power. Our top picks are light enough you might have to make sure you put it in the box after you’ve wrapped it up.

Samsung Series 9

A MacBook Air challenger with flair.

Months before ultrabooks came on the scene, Samsung created an ultrathin ultraportable that is both powerful and beautiful. The Series 9 is made from black duralumin — a metal previously only used in aircraft construction — with a sweet curve at the edges to give the notebook some welcome flair.

The 13.3-inch display is super bright and offers popping colors and deep blacks, equally suited to surfing on the web, writing documents, or watching HD video. A large touchpad and comfortable island-style keyboard round out the look.

This laptop isn’t just about aesthetics, though. Inside you can choose from Intel’s powerful Core i5 or i7 processors plus speedy 128GB or 256GB solid state drives. The integrated battery should last you around 6 hours at least.

With the level of performance these configurations offer, the Series 9 is powerful enough to be your only notebook. It’s a great gift for road warriors and frequent travelers, people who need to carry their laptop everywhere, and grad students who need something light that can handle everything they throw at it.

Pertinent Specs: 13.3-inch display 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD, webcam, 4GB RAM, Intel HD 3000 Graphics

$1,649 @ Samsung.com

MacBook Air

Still setting the standard for portable power and looks.

Apple’s MacBook Air notebooks start at $999 and bring the same solid design and great industrial looks that we expect. The 11 inch Macbook Air has a full size keyboard, but a smaller mouse pad than the 13″ Macbook Air.

Unlike most of the other notebooks in this gift guide, the MacBook Air notebooks bring high resolution displays. This means that the notebook can show more on the screen at once. The 11-inch model has the same screen resolution as many 14-inch and 15-inch notebooks, and the 13-inch MacBook Air has a 1440 x 900 resolution that makes side by side work easy, and even enjoyable.

One primary concern here is storage space. The entry level MacBook Air only offers 64GB of storage, so there’s not a lot of room for pictures and video. You can get up to a 256GB of storage, but it comes at a price and may only be available online.

If you are purchasing the gift for a student, don’t forget that Apple offers student discount pricing, and there will be some Black Friday Deals.

The Macbook Air is a good gift for travelers, students who need power and portability and fans of OS X.

Pertinent Specs: 11-inch or 13-inch display, 1366 x 768 and 1440 x 900 resolution, 1.6Ghz to 1.8Ghz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, 2-4GB RAM, 64Gb to 256GB storage, Intel HD 3000 graphics.

Read our MacBook Air 11-Inch Review

$999 and up @ Apple

Toshiba Portege z835

An ultra-light Windows Ultrabook with looks and power.

Toshiba delivers big time on this hot new notebook. Not only do you get an incredibly thin and light notebook (lighter than the MacBook Air), but you also spend $400 less than the entry level MacBook Air 13-inch.

The Toshiba z835-p330 is a Best Buy exclusive this holiday shopping season, and has all the features a a student or light traveler could want. The internals offer enough power for web and office work, but can also handle the occasional video editing and photo touchups. From an entertainment aspect, you can play some casual games and enjoy some movies and TV shows on the super thin, but quality display.

This is one of the lightest full powered notebooks you can buy for under $900, making it a great gift. As an added bonus, your recipient will never expect a computer when they unwrap the package thanks to the thin  box and light weight.

This model is aimed at consumers, so creative professionals and those doing lots of video work will enjoy the MacBook Air as a gift much more.

One concern is the robustness of the screen, which has a lot of flex in it. You can go hands on at you local Best Buy to see this yourself.

Pertinent Specs: 13-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, 1.4GHz Intel Core i3 2nd gen processor, 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD, Intel HD 3000 graphics

Read our Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 Review

$899 @ BestBuy this November

Netbooks and Affordable Ultraportables

Consumers looking for a lightweight laptop that offered decent performance have traditionally had to spend a large chunk of change for the privilege. Not so with netbooks and their cousins, the affordable ultraportables. Netbooks keep is small with 10-inch screens, mostly, and inexpensive processors for basic tasks. Affordable ultraportables go bigger, usually sporting 11.6-inch displays and more processor power for not much more money.

Samsung NC110

A budget netbook that’s just right for basic tasks.

Netbooks make great gifts for people who don’t need high-level performance but do need to be productive with their small, portable machine. The Samsung NC110 has a single-core Intel Atom processor inside, so it’s not going to serve well as a main computer. It can handle basic tasks, making it a great companion for writers, young students, and non-business travelers.

To go with it’s low price, the NC110 is basic, yet functional. The design is attractive though it lacks flair, the keyboard and touchpad are comfortable, and it comes with the standard array of ports. The 10-inch matte display actually works out in the sun. And audio quality is decent for a netbook.

It will last over 7 hours on a charge with normal usage, which should translate to all day for most people.

Pertinent Specs: 10.1-inch display, 1024 x 600 resolution, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N455 single-core processor, 250GB hard drive, webcam, 1GB RAM , and Intel GMA 3150 graphics

$269 @ B&H

HP Pavilion dm1

Affordable, meet ultraportable.

The HP Pavilion dm1 sports an AMD Fusion APU and a generous 4GB of RAM, making it an excellent choice for someone who puts a medium workload on their laptop. If you want anything more than basic image editing and want to play games more intense than Bejeweled Blitz, this isn’t the laptop for you. But if you need multitasking power as you switch between a browser with multiple tabs, an office program and your music player, the dm1 is the way to go.

At 3.3 pounds this notebook won’t weigh you down much. The 11.6-inch HD display is large enough to view windows side by side. The wide viewing angles and bright colors make it great for watching video.

This notebook is a great gift for students (high school or college), frequent travelers, writers, independent mobile workers, and anyone looking for a machine that won’t choke at the sight of 6 open tabs in Firefox.

Available on HP.com with multiple configuration options, I suggest you pay the extra $30 and upgrade to the AMD E-450 APU as well as springing for the 4GB RAM option. Both hard drives and speedy solid state drives are available.

Pertinent Specs: 11.6-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, AMD dual-core E-300 or E-450 APU processor, 500-640GB hard drive or 160GB SSD, webcam, 2-8GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD (integrated) graphics

Read Our Hands-On With The New HP Pavilion dm1

$399 and up @ HP.com

Business Notebooks

If you are buying for a small business owner, euntrepanuer, or a user that needs a laptop that can handle a busy on-the-go life, check out these business notebooks. Built to last longer than consumer notebooks, they tend to have better construction and better built in warranties that make up for the higher cost.  These notebooks bring consumer features like backlit keys and premium audio to the mix as well.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s

This isn’t The Man’s old ThinkPad.

The ThinkPad Edge notebook isn’t your average business notebook. Designed with small businesses and entrepreneurs in mind, the Edge e420S brings the style and features typically found in a consumer notebook together with the durability of the ThinkPad brand, and does so without a huge price premium.

This is an important distinction, because many small business owners will use this notebook for work and play. For work, there is a webcam and fingerprint reader as well as security software. For play, the notebook has Dolby Home Theater v4 audio that delivers an amazing sound for music and dialogue enhancement for movies and an improved graphics chip that will handle casual games and editing a promo video for the company website.

Unfortunately there is no matte screen option to help with outdoor viewing.

Pertinent Specs: 14-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor (capable of 2.9GHz in TurboBoost), 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Intel HD 3000 graphics.

Read our Thinkpad Edge E420s Review

$739 @ Lenovo

HP ProBook 5330m

Great looks and Beats Audio. Are you sure this is a business notebook?

The HP Probook 5330m changes what you think about a business notebook, and represents a best of both world’s approach.

Starting on the outside, this notebook has great looks thanks to a brushed aluminum style cover that carries over to the palmrest. The bottom of the notebook is covered in a soft touch rubber material that adds to the look and feel of the notebook.

Inside you’ll find an easy to type on backlit keyboard with an island style layout. The included fingerprint reader adds to security, but we’re sure the ability to lock and unlock with your Bluetooth phone will add a futuristic feel to securing your personal and business notebooks.

One more reason to consider the Probook 5330m is the inclusion of Beats Audio. Beats delivers a premium audio solution that takes the typical notebook sound experience and cranks it up to 11. Wether you listen on headphones or over the built in speakers you’ll get good sounding audio.

Pertinent Specs: 13.3-inch display, 1366 x 768 resolution, up to an Intel Core i5 2nd gen processor, up to 8GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Intel HD 3000 graphics

$799 @ HP

Desktop Replacement

When it comes to power, you can’t beat a desktop replacement. These notebooks have a modicum of portability (you can carry them from room to room if you want to) but offer robust processing power, full-size keyboards, and all the ports you could ask for. They make great gaming rigs and multimedia editing stations.

Alienware M17x

No compromise power and gaming performance, for those who can afford it.

The Alienware M17x has a powerfully bold look, that houses an equally powerful set of components. This is a gaming notebook, for gamers. When your gamer opens up this notebook, be prepared for some screams of excitement, and that’s before he or she turns the settings all the way up in their favorite game.

The Alienware notebook is slimmed down for 2011, but is still quite heavy, so set this one on a desk. All of the colors you see above, from the vents to the keyboard are customizable. Gamers can even light up separate zones in different colors and set the lights to pulse.

The large 17″ display can be purchase with a 1080P HD resolution, delivering eye pleasing HD visuals and a large playing surface. This is also nice for watching movies, and comes in handy if work is needed. You can put two windows side by side to write a paper while referencing source material. When the notebook is on battery power, it can switch to integrated graphics, which deliver up to 4 hours of battery life while browsing Facebook and other sites.

If you can splurge, add the Wireless HD option when customizing the notebook. This allows you to stream HD games and movies to the big screen without any lag. Perfect for playing the latest game in the living room or media room without running wires all over.

Pertinent Specs: 17-inch display with up to 1280 x 1080 resolution, Intel Core i7 2nd gen processor, 8GB RAM and up to 1.5 TB hard drive, high end AMD and Nvidia graphics options

Read our Alienware M17x Review 

$1,499 and up @ Alienware

additional contributions by K. T. Bradford

Read All Of Our Gift Guides Over At GottaBeMobile

Notebook Gift Guide: The Best Notebooks, Netbooks and Ultrabooks to Give in 2011 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.