Neither the heaviest nor the lightest, the Compaq 6735b is right in the middle of this group of business systems at 6 lbs. -- that rises to 7 lbs. with an AC adapter. The silver-and-black case measures 1.3 x 13.9 x 10.3 in., thicker than the Dell Vostro 1510 but much thinner than the Toshiba Satellite Pro 300D.

Like the Satellite Pro L300D, it's powered by an AMD Turion X2 processor, but the Compaq 6735b makes do with a slower 2-GHz unit -- and that shows in its performance potential.

The system is backed up with 2GB of system memory and a 120GB hard drive, 40GB less space for data than either the Dell Vostro 1510 or the Satellite Pro 300D. The drive is protected by HP's 3D DriveGuard technology, which firmly mounts the drive to the system's frame and has an accelerometer that senses if the system has been dropped to protect the fragile discs inside. There's also a DVD burner that can use HP's LightScribe technology to etch labels onto discs.

Graphics is where the Compaq 6735b sets the pace. Its ATI Radeon HD3200 accelerator has 320MB of dedicated video memory for high-end graphics, like CAD drawings or video editing on the go. Plus, it can boost that to nearly a gigabyte by borrowing system memory. The screen matches the others at 15.4 in. and 1280 x 800 resolution, but the unit is the only one of the four to lack a webcam; if you want one, it's a $25 option.

I really liked the slide volume control and mute button. The system has best keyboard of the bunch with 19mm keys that have 3mm of depth. It's also spill-resistant and the raised touchpad switches are finger-friendly. Security-conscious buyers will be attracted to the fingerprint scanner.