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• CNET Editor rating:
  2.5 stars Average

  Overall score: 5.8 (2.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 17 reviews

The Bottom Line: At $199, the Acer C7 is an attractive proposition for anyone looking for a supercheap portable laptop, but the Chrome OS and short battery life mean you'll have to accept a lot of compromises. Read review

Specs: Intel, Celeron ( Dual-Core ), 2 GB, 320 GB, Google Chrome OS, 11.6 in, 1366 x 768, ( HD ), None, 3 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.9 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 13 reviews

The Bottom Line: Dell has revamped its rotating Duo laptop concept into the much-improved XPS 12, but like most convertibles, it makes a better laptop than tablet. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 3317U / 2.6 GHz, 4 GB, 128 GB, Microsoft Windows 8, 12.5 in, 1920 x 1080, Intel HD 4000, 3.35 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.6 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: For basics on a budget, the Lenovo G580 gets the job done. Just don't skimp on the configuration. Read review

Specs: Intel Core i5 i5-3210M / 2.5 GHz ( 3.1 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 8 GB (max), 500 GB - Serial ATA-300, Windows 8, 15.6 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), Intel HD Graphics 4000, DVD-Writer, 5.7 lbs, 3 MB, Dark brown glossy

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: Samsung's midprice Series 5 UltraTouch looks and feels like a more expensive machine, but keeps it simple by skipping the complex hybrid mechanics of so many new Windows 8 systems. Read review

Specs: 3rd Gen Core i5, Intel i5-3317U / 1.7 GHz ( 2.6 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 8 GB (max), 500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm, Windows 8 64-bit Edition, 13.3 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), None, Intel HD Graphics 4000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology, 3.7 lbs, L3 cache, 3 MB, Titan silver

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The VivoBook S500CA offers a big-screened touch-screen Windows 8 laptop for a bargain price -- and without many extras. Read review

Specs: 3rd Gen Core i5, Intel i5-3317U / 1.7 GHz ( 2.6 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 6 GB / 6 GB (max), 500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm, Windows 8 64-bit Edition, 15.6 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), None, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4.6 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 9 reviews

The Bottom Line: While the 13-inch MacBook Pro remains a well-built laptop, it's fallen behind the MacBook Air and Retina Display MacBook Pro in design, lacks higher-end upgrades, and feels too expensive compared with the competition. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 2.5 GHz ( Dual-Core ), ( 3.1 GHz ), 4 GB, / 8 GB (max), 500 GB - 5400 rpm, - Serial ATA-300, Apple Mac OS X Mountain Lion, 13.3 in, 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ), Intel HD Graphics 4000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 5.0, DVD±RW (±R DL), 4.5 lbs, L3 cache, 3 MB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 is a good gateway to the Windows 8 experience with a responsive touch screen in a traditional laptop body. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5, 4 GB, 500 GB, Microsoft Windows 8, 14 in, 1366 X 768

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: In a sea of hard-to-distinguish Atom-powered Windows 8 tablets, the Asus VivoTab Smart ME400 stands out a bit thanks to clever accessories. Read review

Specs: Intel Atom Z2760 / 1.8 GHz ( Dual-Core ), 2 GB, Windows 8, 10.1 in IPS, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), PowerVR SGX545, None, 24 oz, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: The HP Envy x2’s capacity to be a full Windows 8 tablet or dock with a keyboard works as well as advertised, provided you’re willing to live with slower performance at a high price. You’re paying for style. Read review

Specs: Intel Atom Z2760 / 1.8 GHz ( Dual-Core ), 2 GB, 64 GB - Serial ATA-300, Windows 8, 11.6 in IPS, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), Intel HD Graphics, None, 3.1 lbs, L2 cache, 1 MB, Brushed aluminum

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: Lenovo's latest ThinkPad slims down, but not as much as the X1 Carbon -- and it skips the touch screen. Read review

Specs: Intel, Core i5 i5-3337U / 1.8 GHz ( 2.7 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 12 GB (max), 320 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 7200 rpm, Microsoft Windows 8, English, 14 in, 1600 x 900, ( HD+ ), None, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 3.6 lbs, 3 MB, Graphite black

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.1 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: With a Core i7 CPU, discrete graphics, and a full HD screen, the Asus Zenbook UX23VD is pretty close to being the ultrabook that has it all, but you'll pay for all those features. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i7 3517UM / 1.7 GHz, Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB, 500 GB - 7200 rpm, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 13.3 in, IPS, 1920 x 1080 ( Full HD ), None, NVIDIA GeForce GT 620M, 3.2 lbs, Silver aluminum

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The ultrabook-like HP Envy Sleekbook 6 is the sharpest-looking $599 laptop you're likely to find, although you'll pay a performance premium. Read review

Specs: AMD A series A6-4455M / 2.1 GHz ( 2.6 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 16 GB (max), 500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 15.6 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), AMD Radeon HD 7500G Shared video memory (UMA), 4.6 lbs, L2 cache, 1 MB, Brushed aluminum in midnight black with a red soft-touch base

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: Slightly less conservative-feeling than the average ThinkPad, the well-made ThinkPad Twist offers one of the better tablet modes from the first wave of Windows 8 convertibles. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5, i5-3317U / 1.7 GHz ( 2.6 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB, 500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 7200 rpm, Microsoft Windows 8, English / MUI, 12.5 in IPS, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), Intel HD Graphics 4000, None, 3.5 lbs, 3 MB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: We have yet to see a truly great gaming laptop built from the ground up with Windows 8 in mind, but the 17-inch Toshiba Qosmio X875 can be configured into a powerful, reasonably priced mainstream gaming machine. Read review

Specs: Intel Core i7 i7-3630QM / 2.4 GHz ( 3.4 GHz ) ( Quad-Core ), 16 GB / 16 GB (max), 1 TB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm, Windows 8, 17.3 in, 1920 x 1080 ( Full HD ), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, BD-RE, 3 GB GDDR5 SDRAM, 7.5 lbs, L3 cache, 6 MB, Black widow styling in diamond-textured aluminum, black keyboard

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: This near-ultrabook packs in processing and graphics power, along with an optical drive, at a reasonable price. The only real knock against the Pavilion m6 is that some of HP's higher-end systems hardly cost more. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 2.5 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB - 5400 rpm, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 15.6 in, AMD Radeon HD 7670M, 1 GB, 5.3 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 is a great laptop alternative that's unfortunately too bulky to completely replace your tablet. Read review

Specs: ARM, Tegra 3 1.4 GHz, 2 GB / 2 GB (max), Microsoft Windows RT, 11.6 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), None, Ultra-Low Power GeForce, 2.8 lbs, L2 cache, 1 MB, Silver gray

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you ignore the ultrabook branding and instead think of this as a somewhat slim midsize, mainstream laptop, the 14-inch Samsung Series 5 is a fine example of the form. Read review

Specs: Intel i5-2467M / 1.6 GHz ( 2.3 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 2nd Gen Core i5, 4 GB, 500 GB - Serial ATA-300, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 14 in TFT active matrix, Intel HD Graphics 3000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology, DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM, 4 lbs, L3 cache, 3 MB, Silver

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.1 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T walks the line between ultrabook-level laptop and tablet, but doesn’t truly excel at either. Read review

Specs: 3rd Gen Core i5, Intel i5-3317U / 1.7 GHz ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 4 GB (max), 128 GB - Serial ATA-300, Windows 8 64-bit Edition, 11.6 in, 1920 x 1080 ( Full HD ), None, Intel HD Graphics 4000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology, 30.2 oz, L3 cache, 3 MB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.2 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: The budget-friendly Lenovo IdeaPad Z400 Touch is a bulky, heavy commodity touch-screen laptop that doesn’t stand out from the pack. Read review

Specs: Intel Core i5 i5-3230M / 2.6 GHz ( 3.2 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 6 GB / 16 GB (max), 1 TB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm, Windows 8 64-bit Edition, 14 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), DVD-Writer, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 5.3 lbs, 3 MB, Dark chocolate

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: If you like the idea of having a touch screen on your Windows 8 laptop, the Sony Vaio T13 Touch isn't a bad way to go. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 3317U / 1.7 GHz, ( 2.6 GHz ) ( Dual-Core ), 6 GB, / 8 GB (max), 500 GB - 5400 rpm, - Serial ATA-300, Microsoft Windows 8, 13.3 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), Intel HD Graphics 4000, None, 3.8 lbs, 3 MB, Silver mist

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The Sony Vaio Fit 14 is an all-around excellent laptop for the money that will satisfy the basic demands of everyday use for many people and look good doing it. Read review

Specs: Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 i5-3337U, 8 GB, 750 GB - 5400 rpm, Microsoft Windows 8, 1600 x 900, Intel Graphics HD 4000, 4.85 lbs, 3 MB

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The business-oriented Lenovo ThinkPad X1 adds must-have features for 2013, and remains a very impressive business-oriented ultrabook with strong crossover appeal. Read review

Specs: Intel Core i5, 4 GB, 128 GB, Microsoft Windows 8, 14 in, 1600 x 900, Intel HD 4000, 3 MB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.1 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: Asus makes some of the most full-featured ultrabooks available, but this stripped-down Zenbook UX32A version is missing those extras and faces tough competition in its price range. Read review

Specs: 2nd Gen Core i3, Intel i3-2367M / 1.4 GHz ( Dual-Core ), 4 GB / 4 GB (max), 320 GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, 13.3 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), None, Intel HD Graphics 3000, 3.2 lbs, Silver

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.9 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The HP Pavilion Chromebook 14 advances the argument for Chrome as a low-cost mainstream computing environment, but the laptop's most noteworthy feature is a slightly bigger screen. Read review

Specs: Intel Celeron 847 / 1.1 GHz ( Dual-Core ), 2 GB / 4 GB (max), 16 GB, Google Chrome OS, 14 in, 1366 x 768 ( HD ), Intel HD Graphics, None, 4 lbs, L3 cache, 2 MB