The U260 weighs just 2.9 lbs., which matches the 13-in. MacBook Air and puts it on a par with many . With its small AC adapter, the system has a travel weight of 3.4 lbs., nearly a pound lighter than the Vostro V130.

Of the three, the IdeaPad has the classiest appearance and looks the least like a notebook. Its rubberized coating has an alluring feeling and is available in clementine (orange) and mocha (brown). Open up the case and you'll see the biggest treat of all: a padded leatherette wrist rest that cushions the palms and make typing much more comfortable. Although the system has 18.8mm keys, the smallest of the bunch, the keyboard is comfortable to use.

The system I tested is powered by a Core i5 470UM processor that cruises at 1.33 GHz, but when the pressure is on, it can boost its speed to 1.86 GHz. (The entry-level model has a 1.33-GHz Core i3 processor.) The U260 takes a back seat to the power of the Asus' 2.53-GHz Core i5 460M chip.

Like the Vostro, the IdeaPad I tested came with 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive; the Asus test unit had a larger 500GB drive. There's an $89 external DVD drive option, but while the drive may be useful, it doesn't match the IdeaPad's classy look.

At 12.5 in., the IdeaPad's screen is the smallest of this notebook trio, but the difference is hard to notice and it was the brightest of the three. It offers the same 1366 x 768 resolution as the others. Like the Vostro, it uses Intel's GMA HD graphics.