ASUS A6JC Notebook (1.66GHz Core Duo, 1GB DDR2, 100GB, DVD?RW DL, Windows XP, 15.4

The keyboard on this 7-pound laptop includes a number of useful shortcut keys. Slim silver keys arrayed at the top of the keyboard launch e-mail and browser apps, activate a touchpad lock, and toggle through seven battery-saving modes in the unique Asus Power4 Gear+ utility. (We didn't use Power4 Gear+ in our battery tests.) At the bottom of the keyboard, a second set of silver buttons remains visible even when the big, bright 15.4-inch screen is closed. These serve as CD controls for listening to music with the notebook turned off. The forward and back track buttons double as volume controls. Unfortunately, the speakers aren't very loud, and there's no quick-play button for DVD movies with the notebook turned off.

Other features involve unmistakable trade-offs. On the one hand, the A6JC 's memory-card reader is modest, accepting only variations of SD and Memory Stick cards; but on the other hand, the multiformat DVD burner and 100GB hard drive are above-average options for the price. Plus, the A6JC comes with S-Video, DVI, and VGA ports for connecting to a variety of display devices. Like many Asus notebooks, this one has a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. Unlike the lenses on some other Webcams, the one on the A6JC can't rotate, but it's an appealing extra for instant messaging and other video-enabled applications. Our only serious complaint relates to the location of the USB ports: All four are on the back.

Although aimed at consumers, the A6Jc has what it takes to be a good small-business notebook as well, especially if you need a notebook that can accommodate multiple monitors.

Carla Thornton