The ultrathin (just under 1 inch thick) notebook is a competitor to . The XPS 14z starts at $999.99, but for an extra $600 you can get a second-generation Intel Core i7 processor, an Nvidia graphics card, and 256GB of SSD space (generous, by SSD standards).

The least expensive XPS 14z competes with the new "it" laptops----on price. The base model features some impressive hardware: an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a DVD-RW drive, and a 14-inch HD (720p) display stuffed into a 13-inch footprint.

By comparison, the (thinner and lighter) 13-inch Ultrabook sells for a hundred dollars more and doesn't have an optical drive.

The XPS 14z also . For the same price as Apple's ultraportable ($1199), the XPS 14z has 8GB of RAM, 750GB of hard drive space, and a discrete graphics card (Nvidia GeForce GT 520M).

As usual, Dell is offering its slim laptop in a variety of configurations to suit a variety of needs. If you have $1299.99 to spare, you can get an XPS 14z with a Core i7 processor instead of the mid-level Core i5. The top-of-the-line $1599.99 model gets you all of the above, except with a 256GB SSD instead of the base 500GB HDD.