Toshiba Tecra M5-S4333

The Billy Ray Cyrus of Notebooks

This machine is the mullet of notebooks, adopting a business up front, party in the back attitude to deliver a powerful mobile solution without the visual appeal of a media rig. A Dual-Core 2.0 GHz processor and 2 gigs of RAM-enough horsepower to make Solid Snake envious-power the back end of the M5-S4333. All that brawn, though, is curtailed by the all-business front end, which features a bland, just-large-enough 14.1" screen curiously lacking Toshiba's TruBrite technology. This kind of display could fly in MacGyver's time but like his hairstyle, will likely disappoint a savvier contemporary crowd.

WIRED Connect via modem, LAN, FireWire, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Finger-print scanner keeps the competition out. Wi-Fi toggle switch conserves battery sans software. Included Windows Vista Business and MS Office run seamlessly. Integrated Accupoint nipple and Touchpad. Truly portable with 5.23 lb curb weight.

TIRED Forget about watching a movie on the San Francisco to New York flight - the optical drive wipes out the battery in less than 2 hours. Dwarfish 4:3 screen and wimpy sound output are better suited for Lotus 1-2-3 rather than Splinter Cell.

• RAM Size: 2 GB
• Clock Rate: 2.0 GHz
• Hard Drive Size: 120 GB
• Screen Size: 14.1 inches
• Screen Resolution: 1400 x 1050 pixels

• Style: Mid-size notebooks
• Operating System: Windows Vista, Windows XP
• Processor Manufacturer: Intel
• Optical Drive: DVD Drive
• Manufacturer: Toshiba
• Price: $1,900
Release Date: February 24, 2007