On top of the standard input-output ports (Draft-N Wi-Fi, Gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0), the Samsung has a nifty power indicator on its battery, a 1.3mP webcam, external DVD writer, docking port, and other goodies. It also deploys features like a TPM (encryption) chip and a fingerprint reader for additional security. Overall, we felt the Samsung X360 is a cool laptop which treads a fine line, offering lots of features in a compact design, and it does so excellently.

Dell Latitude E4200

Dell's slimmest and lightest ultraportable, sporting a 12.1-inch non-glossy screen and weighing all of 1.2 kg, is a no nonsense business laptop. It is encased in a magnesium alloy chassis, with a solid metal hinge that anchors the brushed metal lid on top. The whole unit is built like a tank. The nonglossy screen is pretty good. The Latitude E4200 also has some unique business features. It has a SIM card slot underneath the battery, Dell's Control- Point software (similar to Lenovo's ThinkVantage technology), and ON Reader - a rudimentary Linux-based instant-on feature that lets you access Microsoft Office and the Internet without booting into the main Os to prolong battery life. The e4200 is based on the Intel Centrino 2 platform, powered by a Core 2 Duo ULV sU9400, 1.4Ghz processor.

It has 2GB of Ram, and 64GB of SSD storage. An expansion slot is placed above a smartcard reader along the left edge of the chassis. Like the Samsung X360, the Latitude E4200 has a TPM module for added security, but no fingerprint reader. apart from the standard input-output ports, it has an esata, FireWire, and docking port for faster data transfer, but disappointingly only a single USB port -- the X360 has three. With respect to performance, it fared better than the X360 with a WorldBench score of 74, but the six-cell battery lasted for 283 minutes -- 30 minutes lesser than the Samsung X360. In case your laptop gets stolen, the Latitude E4200 has a remote security feature to safeguard your sensitive data. This feature is in the form of a BIOs module which can withstand hard drive re-formatting and OS re-installation. The stolen laptop reports its location whenever it connects online, and you can remotely delete data. Our verdict on the Dell Latitude E4200 is that it is the most ultraportable notebook of the bunch we compared, providing unmatched business and security features that come at a premium.

HP EliteBook 2530p