All The Pretty Laptops: 10 Cool Notebook PCs

Toshiba bills its new Satellite Pro S300 as a desktop replacement built for the mobile professional. It packs in all the essentials: a 15.4-inch screen, an Intel Centrino 2 processor, docking support for the optional Toshiba Express Port Replicator and EasyGuard fingerprint scanning technology for added security. It also includes 3 GB of memory and a 160-GB hard drive for a starting price of $1,249.

Lenovo's itty-bitty IdeaPad S10, marks the vendor's entrance into the popular ultramobile PC (UMPC) space, weighing in at just 2 pounds. It features a 10.2-inch screen, is built on Intel's Atom processor and includes a QWERTY keyboard that is 85 percent the size of a standard notebook PC keyboard. The base configuration comes with 512 MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive, and it also includes support for Wi-Fi, a built-in Web camera, two USB ports and a 4-in-1 multicard reader. It runs Microsoft Windows XP, with pricing starting at $399.

Can't decide between a laptop and a tablet PC? For those that just can't choose, Fujitsu offers its LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet PC. The unit supports Intel's Centrino 2 processor with vPro technology and features a 13.3-inch widescreen display that swivels on a hinge. The system also supports 802.11n high-speed wireless connectivity. Pricing starts at $1,769 for a base model, including 1 GB of memory and an 80 GB SATA hard drive.

Gaming enthusiasts go ga-ga for Alienware and its Area-51 m15x laptop, which features a 15.4-inch Extreme High-Definition 1200p display and boasts "the world's most powerful mobile graphics card," the Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX with 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. It is built on Intel's Core 2 Extreme processors, packing in enough oomph to power HD video and audio editing, 3-D animation and high-end PC gaming. It is available with up to 500 GB of SATA-based hard drive storage and up to 4 GB of memory. Pricing starts at $1,499.

For customers who are all about entertainment, Gateway offers its P-172X, a laptop built for movies, games and other fun applications. The notebook is based on Intel's Core 2 Duo processor and comes standard with a 1400 x 900 ultrabright 17-inch display, a 1.3 megapixel Webcam, 2 GB of memory and a 160-GB SATA hard drive. It is priced at $999.99.

It should come as little surprise that Apple's MacBook Air earns a spot on any list of cool laptops: just look at the thing. At its fattest point it comes in at about three-quarters of an inch thick and weighs just three pounds, yet still includes a 13.3-inch widescreen LED display, a full keyboard and a multi-touch trackpad. It comes standard with a 1.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, an 80GB hard drive and 2 GB of memory, plus support for 802.11n high-speed wireless connectivity. Sure it lacks an internal optical drive, but that's something the Mac faithful are content to overlook because they're just smitten with the design. Pricing starts at $1,799.

Sometimes cool means thin. Sometimes cool means fast. And for road warriors, sometimes cool means solid. That's what you get with HP's EliteBook 6930p: a solid system built to withstand business life on the go. HP likes to crow about the aircraft-inspired design, but what's likely to grab the attention of business users is the 14.1-inch widescreen display and business-rugged features such as its spill-resistant keyboard, shock-resistant hard drive and durable magnesium alloy chassis. Pricing starts at $1,179.

With its sleek look and glossy blue case, it's no wonder Dell is targeting the back-to-school crowd with its Inspiron 13 laptop. It includes a 13-inch high-definition display, and 8-in-1 media card reader and a slot-load DVD drive. Wireless networking, a Webcam and Bluetooth connectivity are optional. Pricing starts at $699.

Panasonic's Toughbook line is famous for its rugged features and durability, and the Toughbook 19 doesn't disappoint. But in addition to all the tank-like capabilities, it also comes with some nifty features, including a 10.4-inch day-readable display that swivels to transform the system into a tablet PC. The display is also a pressure-sensitive touchscreen, meaning you can use it with a stylus or your finger. Use it to take handwritten notes, mark up documents and draw pretty pictures. It is priced at $3,699.

A little bit laptop, a little bit HD movie theater, the Sony Vaio comes about as close as possible to putting the big screen right in your lap. Its 16.4-inch extra-wide display provides a 16:9 aspect ratio so you can watch movies in their original cinematic format (also big enough to view two documents side by side). It also brings 5.1-channel Dolby Sound Room technology for top-quality audio. Add an available Blu-ray Disc drive and you're ready to lower the lights and bring out the popcorn. Pricing with a Blu-ray drive starts at $1,209.99.