Laptop/Notebook Computer - 14 Sep 2004

Laptop and notebook computers abound as customers discover how convenient and powerful these portable computers are. And the most popular model, by far, is the Dell Latitude, which blazed by its competitors to win the Best Laptop/Notebook Computer award with 54 percent of readers' votes--more than three times the number of votes its nearest competitor received. Readers say that the Latitude, which also took the top prize last year, offers the best combination of value, performance, and features, or, as one reader put it, "the best bang for the buck."

Dell's latest entry into the laptop/notebook market is the Latitude D Family. The moonlight silver notebooks feature user-friendly design elements, an improved layout, and QuickSet, a customizable software application that lets users control power-management settings, monitor system status, and enlarge icons for high-resolution displays. The newest Latitude models use the D/Port Advanced Port Replicator, D/Dock Expansion Station, and D/View Notebook Stand. They feature integrated smart card and Gigabit Ethernet capability, dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) wireless antennas, and optional Bluetooth connectivity.