Five Noteworthy Notebooks for SMBs

Thin, lightweight and, unlike Apple’s MacBook Air, the X300 did not force customers to compromise on features. A 13.3-inch display, full-size keyboard and thickness of less than 1 inch, combined with a solid-state drive, plenty of ports, a built-in DVD burner and wireless WAN connectivity, made this the sleek beast to beat.

This ultraportable notebook crams a built-in optical drive and a 2.1-inch display into a thin, lightweight package. Although it lacks features such as mobile broadband capability and a multifunction card reader (it does have an SD slot), for SMB owners who need their featherweight notebooks to fit anywhere, the R500 offers enough battery life to keep you powered up wherever you are.

Designed for the small-business owner on a budget, the 6720s is rigorous and a great value for the money. It sports the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and an ergonomic keyboard, and if you need a notebook that will be a solid performer without the need for bells and whistles, this HP offers fit and finish at an affordable price.

A carbon fiber and glass fiber shell keeps the weight down, in spite of an eight-cell battery. The 12.1-inch touch-screen display can swivel 360 degrees and requires 28 percent less pressure than before to register inputs. Although it lacks an integrated DVD burner, this tablet does offer a broad range of features, such as Centrino 2 Wi-Fi, WiMax, wireless USB, Bluetooth and GPS functions. An ergonomically designed stylus and responsive screen round off the package. If you find tablets a tantalizing choice, this is the one to take.

Built for the business owner who needs a notebook that can withstand more than a gentle bump, the Toughbook series from Panasonic is drop- and spill-resistant. It has a strong magnesium alloy case and chassis, a shock-mounted hard drive and LCD, and flexible internal connectors. While the upper range of Toughbooks approach RPG-proof capability, the Y7 should meet the needs of field-based SMB owners.