There is something new in the air, besides the MacBook Air!

Searching for an alternative to the new ultraportable Apple line. Here are three notebooks to consider. There's no denying that the MacBook Air is sleek, sexy and appealing. However, it's also being criticized for its long list of limitations and hard-to-overlook drawbacks. Find out more about three Windows competitors that pick up where the MacBook Air left off in terms of design and features.

Fujitsu LifeBook P7230

Thin, tiny and lightweight, the mini LifeBook P7230 still has an integrated optical drive. While the P7230 is slightly wider than the MacBook Air at 1.3 inches thick, it has two USB ports instead of one, a VGA port, Wi-Fi, PC Card slot, FireWire port, and a shared Memory Stick, xD flash memory card and SD slot. You have the option of built in Bluetooth and a webcam (which is stock on the MacBook Air).

We don't like the fact that the screen is much smaller on the P7230 (10.6 inches), but it is LED-backlit with excellent brightness and color. Lacking also is the speed of the P7230 – a WorldBench 6 score of 32 is nothing to get excited about. You will get almost 5.5 hours on just one battery charge, compared to the MacBook Air which has been clocked at a dismal 2.5 hours with normal usage.

Toshiba Portege R500

The built-in optical drive, 3 USB ports and nearly half pound less in weight make the R500 come out ahead of the MacBook Air. The chassis is just 0.77 inches thick, which is almost exactly the same size as the MacBook Air chassis.

But what else does the R500 have on the MacBook Air? A full-size DVI video port, FireWire and Ethernet connectors, a removable battery, and a PC Card slot.

Like the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, the R500 is lacking in the screen real estate department. The R500 has a 12.1 inch LED-backlit display, while the MacBook Air screen is 13.3 inches. An R500 with less RAM will cost you more than the MacBook Air, but with the extra features, we're betting that it will be well worth it to many users.

Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 Tablet PC

The convertible tablet LifeBook T2010 wins hands down for battery life, lasting for about 7 hours (that's the 9-cell battery). The screen size at 12.1 inches makes for easy viewing in regular or tablet mode. Unlike the other MacBook Air alternatives the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 and the Toshiba Portege R500, the LifeBook T2010 doesn't have an integrated optical drive. You will get two USB ports compared to the MacBook Air's one, as well as a PC Card slot, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a Smart Card slot.

We also didn't like the weight that the power adapter and external DVD drive added, making it 6 pounds – whopping for an ultraportable.

by Erin Stringer
February 21, 2008

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