ASUS U2E-A2B

Ultra portables in the 3 pound and under range that run a full blown operating system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) have become commonplace around 30 have already hit the U.S. market alone. ASUS has one for every budget, ranging from the affordable EeePC 900 to the glamorous U1F.

If you thought the U1F was expensive at a street price of $2,100, wait until you take a look at its successor the ASUS U2E-A2B.

Its internal optical drive and a 32GB SSD push the price up into the luxury range. The leather fixtures and 2.7 pound frame befit the $2,499 (list) you'd pay for this laptop, but I'm still not completely convinced that it merits its high price.

The leather clad lid and palm rests are aesthetic enhancements that only ASUS has pulled off. The U2E is as sexy as the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ150N and its carbon fiber ensemble, though it doesn't come close to the Apple MacBook Air's thin and ultra sleek design.

The U2E keeps its frame to 2.7 pounds by incorporating an 11 inches wide screen and a paltry 27-Wh (three cell) battery. The Sony TZ has a similar footprint and weight but includes a bigger (63-Wh) battery. The U2E also bundles in an additional 87-Wh battery that you can swap with the smaller one.

The larger battery gives it superb battery life but brings the weight up to 3.4 pounds. ASUS should have been able to hit the lighter of the two weights without compromising battery life, as did the Fujitsu LifeBook P8010, a 2.8 pound ultra portable with a 63-Wh battery.