Portiva 5z70

The powerful 5z70 may use the now older, original Centrino platform, but that doesn't stop it being good value for money. The Portiva is originally manufactured by ASUStek in Taiwan (as the Z7000 series) and then rebadged by Hallmark.

Hallmark has done well to choose this model, as it has solid battery life at a fairly minimal weight. The 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M processor is matched with 512MB DDR SDRAM, a 40GB hard disk (with under-chassis shock protection) and a modular multiformat DVD writer.

The 15.4" display is powered by an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics controller, and achieved very high ratings in our 3D graphics tests.

You're provided with a VGA-out for an external monitor as well as an S-Video TV-out port. Networking is catered for through the inclusion of 802.11b/g wireless networking, Gigabit Ethernet and a 56Kbps modem.

You can also play back CDs without having to boot into Windows (playback controls are on the left), as well as read SecureDigital, Memory Stick/PRO and MultiMediaCards--great if you're a fan of MP3 players or digital cameras.

Hallmark backs up its product with a two-year, next business day, parts and labour warranty.