Six of the best Lilliputian laptops

7:00am Saturday 16th August 2008

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They started life as sizeable machines, too big for a train table, banned from standard class seats in aircraft, and potentially damaging to one's health if slung over a shoulder for too long.

By Peter Jenkinson They started life as sizeable machines, too big for a train table, banned from standard class seats in aircraft, and potentially damaging to one's health if slung over a shoulder for too long.

But the laptop has evolved. Today this portable computing device no longer requires you to engage in a weight training session simply to carry it from the home to the office. Read on for some light-weight deals on this mobile device.

Cracking Keyboard - HP 2133 - £382.45 from www.dabs.com Most people making the switch to a mini notebook will at first find their digits slightly disorientated at the size of the smaller keyboard. HP has managed to shoehorn one they claim is 92% of the normal dimensions, added 120GB of storage and 2GB memory, and given a two-fingered salute to the others.

Screen Tricks - VYE Mini VS18P - from £424.68 at www.dabs.com This little known brand scores high on design and manages to squeeze in plenty of features plus a touchscreen interface. A decent battery life for road warriors and a very good operator for emailing and internet access. It's slightly spoiled by a slow processor that's not a great multi-tasker.

Big Brand - Sony TZ series - from £1499.00 see www.sonystyle.co.uk It might appear almost unfair to pit this heavyweight against the others. You certainly get more for your money, but the price is just a tad too hefty. This machine is lightweight, has by far the best battery life, connectivity that would make others cry and is probably the one to choose if it goes on the expense account.

Budget Box - Asus Eee PC - from £249.95 at www.firebox.com Weighing in at less than 1KG, packing in wireless connectivity, stereo speakers, webcam, microphone, three USB slots for your additional periphery and a seven inch screen, this Asus could have the budget end of the market licked. Low on-board storage may put some people off but add on a cheap available external hard drive and you've got a machine to match any other.

Pocketable PC - Samsung Q1U - £828.97 from www.laptopsdirect.co.uk The UMPC or Ultra mobile PC category has tried on a number of occasions to capture consumers interest with little success. Perhaps early adopters with that extra bit of cash may kick-start the move. This paperback machine has 40GB of storage, full keyboard (albeit on tiny keys), touchscreen and wireless inside.

Sizeable Screen - Acer Aspire One - around £200 see www.acer.co.uk When launched last year the price tag was met with much eye-rubbing in the world of tech, worried that the next decade might see "free with every cereal purchase" type promotions for our precious products. To keep costs down, this machine uses a Linux interface, which for those used to Windows might take some getting used to.