The S406 packs 6GB of DDR3 1600MHz memory and various connectors: one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, an SD Card/Memory Stick reader, an HDMI-out port, ethernet, and the typical headphone/microphone-out ports. It also has a front-facing camera and microphone for web-chatting. To save space, however, Toshiba omitted an optical drive; so unless you invest in an external drive, this won't be your go-to machine for disc-based movie watching.

The pleasantly smooth multitouch touchpad is completely flat, with no texture at all. In my tests it was quick and responsive, and it didn't go rogue with a ton of missed clicks. As a user who swears by the mouse, I didn't feel like pulling my hair out after working with this touchpad for a while, and that's about the nicest compliment I can give a touchpad. The keyboard's keys, on the other hand, were a bit cramped, shallow, and stiff. Though responsive, they just weren't comfortable to type on.

The laptop is 802.11n Wi-Fi ready and Bluetooth enabled. The latter should enable you to find a much more comfortable keyboard to use than the built-in one. The option of adding accessories while not taking up any of the precious few USB ports is a plus.

The S406 weighs 3.7 pounds alone and 4.3 pounds with the included power adapter. The laptop measures 13.5 inches wide by 9 inches deep by 0.8 inch high. It is small enough to fit easily in a typical backpack,and yet it sports a 14-inch LED backlit display.