Gear Patrol

When it comes to choosing the right laptop, everyone seeks three necessities: a sleek profile, high performance, and most importantly, portability. A weighty — or worse, bulky — portable computer can take a heavy toll on the body and make daily commuting a pain in the ass; yet everyone from business buffs to college grads wants a machine powerful enough to meet computing needs. We’re fortunate to bask in a beautiful balance of both virtues thanks to the latest leaps in laptop engineering. From convertibles to high-end subnotebooks, we sifted through the market to find the best laptops weighing in at under four pounds. Just remember, they’ll probably make you look fat in comparison.

It wasn’t so long ago that 10-key calculators and instant messenger were the most exciting things happening to technology. But nowadays, tech moves fast — new computer segments are born and buried quicker with each passing year. Don’t let that scare you away from the good ole desktop, though. All-in-ones have more to offer than ever: effective touchscreens with the UI to back them up (Windows 8), high-def displays that can easily double as TV screens (thanks to HDMI and built-in TV tuners), and slimmer profiles for fitting just about anywhere.

Sure, it’s tough explaining to grandma where to put the floppy disc, but we’ll leave that to you. Before choosing which one is right for you, though, figure out just what it is you need. Whether that means sexy looks, entertainment nirvana or a gamer’s sweaty-palmed fantasy, our five picks for the best all-in-one desktops are awaiting below to help out.

The all-in-one desktop market has belonged to Apple since we booted up our first Mac to hunt rabbits and die of dysentery on the Oregon Trail. Despite advances from its Windows-based competitors, the iMac has kept users captivated, thanks in large part to its high-density pixel resolution and minimalist design. Taking aim squarely at Cupertino’s…

The design of Dell’s new XPS 15z laptop ($999+) may seem familiar to Mac fans, but it’s still a welcome offering to P.C. users overwhelmed by cheap plastic. Touted by Dell as the “thinnest 15.6-inch laptop in existence”, the XPS 15z measures a willowy 0.97 in. thick while still packing plenty of firepower under its…

A horde of tablets may want your casual digital attention like Hasselhoff wants a cheeseburger, but for those who still require a laptop for more than the occasional Youtube stream, Dell’s new Precision M4600 & M6600 workstations should be the beezneez. In their most ferocious forms, both models can sport an Intel Core i7 Quad…

Love the idea of a tablet, but can’t bear to part with your keyboard? Well, Dell has heard your plea and developed the “convertible” Inspiron Duo ($550) netbook in the hopes of bringing you the best of both worlds.

The Dell Adamo XPS currently holds the record as the world’s thinnest laptop by a landslide. Squeaking in at 9.99mm or (.4 inches thick), design wise this aluminum alloy sheathed computer is simply stunning to behold, and to enhance its allure even opens in a manner James Bond would approve of. Instead of the normal…

Even though Dell’s surprising anorexic marvel, the Adamo XPS may have garnered much of the company’s recent media attention, we were pleasantly surprised to learn today about the Vostro V13. Built off of the production lessons learned from the aforementioned razor thin Adamo XPS, the Vostro V13 is still a svelte machine at .65 inches…

Steve Jobs’s finger may consistently rest on the cool-factor pulse of the world, but that doesn’t mean he’s the only one who gets it. In a break from the traditional corporate cookie-cutter workhorse laptops that built the Dell Computer empire, the Latitude Z represents the convergence of several nascent technologies built with portability in mind….