Averatec 1579

Smart-looking, extremely totable ultraportable, great battery life, built-in optical drive; roomy hard drive.

Ultralow-voltage Core Duo CPU offers disappointing performance; case is compact but thicker than you'd expect; not configurable.

Among the smallest, fully functioning laptops we've seen, the 11.1-inch Averatec 1579 doesn't set the roof on fire with its performance, but it offers a practical mix of features and long battery life for no-frills computing on the go.