Over in the Windows world, most laptops are about how much stuff you can cram in a case at a low, low price. Mac portables, however, are more concerned with doing a few things really well. This MacBook Air, big brother to the 11″ version, is thin (.11″ at its narrowest point), light (2.96 pounds), and resplendent in an aluminum case. Its solid-state disk makes it feel like a computer with beefier specs. But as with all Macs, its single best feature is its software: Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, still the best desktop operating system on the planet.
Price: $1299 and up at Apple