The rockdirect Xtreme 64 is the first laptop to use a dual-core CPU. In this case it's not the Intel Core Duo mobile processor, but rather the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+, which can more commonly be found in high-end desktop PCs. As a result, the Xtreme 64 is geared to provide excellent performance across a wide range of applications and has particularly strong multitasking capabilities.
Samsung's laptops are generally impressive, but the X1 takes things a step further. With its ultra-thin design and fabulous wide-aspect 14-inch screen, this sub-2kg laptop is right at the cutting edge in terms of design and portability. It performs creditably and has good battery life, particularly with the optional extended battery, making it an excellent option for mobile professionals seeking a stylish travelling companion with good multimedia features for those off-duty moments.
The higher-end model in Apple's budget-friendly iBook line, the 14-inch iBook G4 offers a few welcome enhancements over its previous iteration -- namely, a slightly faster 1.42GHz PowerPC processor, more standard memory (512MB), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), and a lower £899 price. Though the 14-inch iBook G4 is no slouch and is perfectly adequate for basic use, we often direct serious users toward the souped-up, though more expensive, 
Never one to rest on its laurels, Acer is one of the first system builders to release an entire laptop range based on Intel's new Core Duo processors and third-generation Centrino technology. It has much to live up to following Apple's claims that these processors do "a whole lot more" in an 
Desktop replacement laptops such as the A7J aren't normally based on Intel Centrino technology. They tend to be big, power-hungry brutes that use vast amounts of electrical energy and have a short battery life -- a concept diametrically opposed to the Centrino mantra.