Though not exactly recession-friendly, the Alienware Area laptop is every gamer’s dream. With lighting customization options, amazing graphics and the horsepower to handle even the most intense games, the m15x falls short only on battery life (weighing in at a measly 2 hours before tap-out.) With new power-saving options available, however, the system reigns supreme.

Weighing in at a mere 1.27 kg is the Samsung X360—the lightest in its 13.3-inch class. A newcomer to the laptop market, Samsung has already proved it’s a formidable competitor. Highlights include a ten-hour battery life, full array of ports and an integrated 1.3 mega pixel digital motion camera. And for all you germ-a-phobes, the X360 comes sprinkled with nano-sized silver ion powder to keep the keyboard bacteria-free.

When the crash of your old laptop coincides with the economic downturn that can mean dreary days ahead. However, Dell’s new Latitude E5500 might ease your worries. Designed with the budget-conscious consumer in mind, this system sports a touchpad with optional Trackstick pointing device, four USB slots and an optional fingerprint reader for the security (or paranoia)-minded. A smart buy on all accounts.

The only small thing about this machine is its dimensions. In a sea of competitors striving to break into the mini-laptop market, the MSI Wind NS stands alone. The Wind’s five-hour plus battery life, ten-inch screen, full keyboard and super-fast Atom processor have earned it high marks as the best all-around mini-notebook. Though diminutive in size, this machine delivers on performance.

Accident-prone? Known spiller? Permanent case of the “damn, I dropped it again”? If you answered yes to one of the above questions, then the Panasonic Rougbook might be for you. Long been known as the one of the toughest notebooks on the market, the Toughbook 30 features a touchscreen display, embedded wireless, and an extremely durable exterior. But with a price tag close to $5,000, this notebook is a definite investment. Hey, being clumsy doesn't come cheap.

For those of us tired of squinting while working, investing in Toshiba’s largest-screen laptop might be a good choice. With an 18.4-inch screen, text and images appear larger than life. And while the massive screen is its central feature, the laptop also delivers a surprisingly good battery life (given its size), a unique co-processor system and a superior sound system. The only missing piece? Built in Blu-ray drive.

For aspiring directors and film buffs, Sony’s newest addition to the VAIO family, the NS series, is an obvious choice. Equipped with a 15.4-inch widescreen LCD display with XBRITE-ECO technology and an integrated camera and microphone, this system is fit for a movie-maker. The real kicker? It comes in a variety of colors and the option for a Blu-ray drive (be forewarned, though, this ups the cost by $350).

With the unveiling of their new 15-inch MacBook Pro, Apple is the latest company to hop on the green bandwagon. Boasting the company’s signature minimalist style and unsurpassed performance standards, the notebook is energy efficient and highly recyclable. New additions include a “why-didn’t-I-think-of-that?” buttonless multi-touch trackpad and edge-to-edge LED backlight display. Now you can surf the web with a clear conscience.    

Equal parts style and stellar performance, ASUS’ Lamborghini VX3 is built for the more glamorous geek. The system features a large-for-its-size 320GB hard drive, discrete graphics and an exterior painted with the same paint used on actual Lamborghinis. If you long for the flash and status associated with the Lamborghini name but can’t afford the real wheels just yet, this is the perfect option for you.

Lenovo’s notebook computers have long been held as the gold-standard for the business class, and with good reason. Lenovo’s latest notebook computer, designed with you in mind, the IdeaPad Y510 offers an excellent multi-media system, solid construction and a James Bond-like facial recognition feature for those harried password-forgetting days. Aside a somewhat sluggish boot-up time, Lenovo’s first consumer line notebook is a smart choice. And did we mention it’s reasonably priced?