Turbo buttons? They're old school, right? Not so, as the MSI Turbobook GX600 proves. This desktop replacement brings overclocking back into the mainstream with its red-hot turbo action, vastly improving the laptop's core performance. Are you ready to push the button?

Turbo buttons were all the rage 10-15 years ago. They allowed users of old 386 or 486 desktop PCs to enjoy a quick speed boost with the minimum of fuss. However, we can't ever remember seeing such a system on a portable machine -- until today that is.

The MSI Turbobook GX600 has a built-in turbo button that the manufacturer says can instantly increase its performance by as much as 20 per cent, and cut boot times by approximately 50 per cent. But does it work? Are there any drawbacks to this £849 machine? Is it ultimately pointless? Let's find out. » Read the rest of the entry..

Everyone wants good performance, but there are few who can actually afford the premium. Enter the Toshiba Satellite X200-219: with a price tag around the £900 mark and decent performance for both desktop and gaming applications, it could be an excellent find.

Strengths The X200 is equipped with the slightly older Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 running at 2.2GHz. When combined with a reasonable 2GB of RAM, it proved it could keep up with the pack when it comes to performance. It managed to achieve a PCMark 2005 score of 5,615, which puts it up there with some of the fastest laptops we've seen.

It's also particularly impressive when it comes to gaming, featuring not one but two Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics chips in an SLI configuration. As a result it's no surprise that it was capable of notching up to a 3DMark 2006 score of 3,740. That's pretty high for a semi-portable machine. » Read the rest of the entry..

Asus is aware that many people are unfamiliar with Linux, and has kindly introduced the Eee PC 900 Win to offer users the comfort of Windows XP on the Eee. Physically identical to the Linux model, it's also the first machine to support a multi-touch mouse trackpad.

One of the reasons for the success of the Eee PC 701 is its low price. By utilising low-cost components and shying away from costly Microsoft operating systems, it limbo-danced its way under the £300 marker and carved itself a huge niche in the process.

There are many among us that believe it's too niche -- mainly because its Linux-based operating system is so unfamiliar. Asus is acutely aware of this and -- not wanting to alienate a huge chunk of the market -- has released a version of the Eee PC 900 that uses Windows XP. But is it all sunshine and Care Bears, or are there any drawbacks to this configuration? » Read the rest of the entry..

Do you want the power of a full-size desktop PC in a semi-portable laptop? With 4GB of RAM, a whopping two 250GB hard drives and a Blu-ray drive, Sony's Vaio VGN-AR61ZU unleashes impressive performance, power and quality into a desktop replacement form factor.

Want a laptop that can run the gamut of tasks with the greatest of ease? Look no further than the Sony Vaio VGN-AR61ZU. It's unlikely to disappoint as it more than fulfils the role of desktop replacement, capable of doing almost anything an office-bound PC can. The AR61ZU is available for around £1,600.

Strengths At 3.9kg, the AR61ZU is at the bottom end of the desktop replacement spectrum. It's also extremely powerful, thanks to its 2.4GHz Intel T8300 Core 2 Duo processor and whopping 4GB of RAM. As a result, it managed to score one of the highest PC Mark05 scores we've ever seen -- a massive 5,797. This number confirms that it's more than capable of handling strenuous applications and workloads, despite its semi-mobile form factor. » Read the rest of the entry..

If you're looking for some gaming action but don't have space for a full-size PC, the MSI GX700-204UK desktop replacement could be your realistic ticket to virtual fulfillment. With its sub-£1,000 price tag and great performance abilities, it's excellent value for money.

Laptops aren't generally known for their gaming performance, but if you haven't got room for a full-size PC and still want to do the odd bit of simulated action, then the MSI GX700-204UK may well be able to satisfy your virtual desire for around £900.

Strengths The GX700 isn't a super cheap laptop, but if you're looking for a desktop replacement with both a large screen and enough horsepower to play games, you could easily spend twice as much. Comparatively, it's a bargain.

It sports one of Intel's newest T8300 Core 2 Duo processors, running at 2.4GHz, and comes with a rather generous 3GB of DDR2 RAM. As a result, it managed an extremely high PCMark05 score of 5,580, which is almost unheard of for a machine with a sub-£1,000 price tag. » Read the rest of the entry..

The Asus Eee PC 900 is a very likeable ultraportable laptop. An updated version of the Eee PC 701, it boasts a larger 8.9-inch screen with a higher resolution, plus a multi-touch mouse trackpad. With the option of Windows or Linux, its improved storage gives it an edge over the competition.

The Asus Eee PC 701 has earned a permanent place in history. It almost single-handedly defined the sub-notebook -- a genre of PC that made slow, inexpensive laptops the hottest properties in the computing world. Many have tried to emulate its success, and most have failed miserably, so it's left to Asus to push the envelope with a new version its product.

Step forward the Eee PC 900. This brings with it several improvements including a high-resolution 8.9-inch screen, more storage, more memory, a multi-touch mouse trackpad and an improved webcam. In other words, it's a far more attractive proposition even than the original. But is it enough of an evolution to stave off competition from its rivals? » Read the rest of the entry..