These laptops do make some sacrifices to achieve a thin waistline. First, none has a built-in DVD drive, although two offer external USB-connected optical drives.

Second, stealing a page from the Air design book, the bottoms of the IdeaPad and Vostro machines are sleek and unencumbered by hatches or a removable battery. As a result, the user can neither upgrade memory nor swap the battery, which can be a handy option on the road. In contrast, the Asus U36JC has a removable battery and access to memory chips.

While the Air's design is unmatched, its competitors are no ugly ducklings -- they show off inviting finishes, splashes of color and touches of design brilliance, such as the IdeaPad's unusual padded wrist rest. I'm drawn to the Vostro V130's lustrous case, while the IdeaPad U260 looks like a snazzy leather portfolio and the Asus U36JC has a more traditional angular design.

In other words, these executive-class systems can not only get the job done on the road but look good doing it.