Top 10 Fashion Laptops

We weeded out the ugly ducklings to highlight ten of the hottest laptops on the market today.

Henry Ford famously joked in 1909 that customers could order their Model Ts in whatever color they wanted – so long as it was black. And about ten years ago, that was pretty much the status of the notebook industry. Buying a laptop meant picking out a boring grey slab with the best bundle of specs. But as this particular segment of the market has blown up, so too, have your choices. Once-grey slabs now come in all shapes, sizes, colors and materials, making them as much an expression of individuality and fashion as cars have become. Take a look at the apex of modern-day laptop design with 10 of the finest examples on the market today.

10. Asus Lamborghini VX5, $TBA

If you can’t quite muster the million euros needed to pick up the Reventon supercar this laptop is based on, just pick up the computer version and play along. The latest model in the Asus’ VX line has to be one of the closest automobile lookalikes yet, with a lid that could almost pass for the hood on a pint-sized Lambo, and a leather-wrapped wrist rest that makes you wonder whether someone’s driver’s seat is missing a rectangular patch somewhere. One the inside, there’s also an insane 1TB solid-state drive, which means this thing might rival its car equivalent in cost when it actually debuts. (Not quite.)

9. Gateway UC Series, $750+

If you lust for a stylish 13.3-inch notebook, but don’t quite have the coin for some of the pricier models we mention, Gateway’s UC series makes a good way to do chic on the cheap. An unusual circular touch pad, brushed aluminum trim around the wrist rest and “moonstone” matte finish on the lid all help set it off visually. And though it weighs more than a true ultralight, it has more brawn to show for it under the hood, too.

8. HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition Netbook, $600

Renowned Chinese fashion designer Vivienne Tam brings her touch to the digital world with this custom-designed notebook that looks like it’s taken a dip in a red dye bath. Peony blooms add an unmistakable feminine touch on the lid, and it also comes with a silk sleeve to protect it from dings and scratches in purses, where many of these are destined to end up in everyday use. Just beware: you’ll pay about a $200 price premium for all the girly extras, so weigh the price of fashion carefully.

7. Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue, $900+

Acer manages to set its typically bland Aspire series apart with its new Gemstone Blue notebooks, which leverage the “blue” in Blu-ray for design inspiration. Aside from the brilliant blue LEDs that dot the laptop all over, its lid sports a lustrous dark blue coat that looks worthy of a wax and buff, and a glowing blue “CineDash” button array beside the keyboard offers quick access to volume and other multimedia controls. Full 1080p screen resolution and Blu-ray readers also make these notebooks cinema machines fit for HD enjoyment on the go.

6. Dell Studio 17, $649+

It may not use any shocking new materials or set any records for thin, but in terms of sheer options, Dell’s Studio 17 is hard to match. The company offers it in seven primary colors, four trim colors, and a choice of 200 different artist designs, which range from polka dots and plaid to floral prints, and even a marble design that makes the computer look like one of the notebooks you used in high school. Whatever you do, just don’t order it in black.

5. Sony Vaio P, $900+

Devastated as we were by this machine’s dismal performance, it’s undeniably one of the sexiest notebooks we’ve ever had the pleasure of laying hands on. Think of netbook chopped in half lengthwise, then compressed even further to just 0.78 inches thick, and you’re getting some of idea of how truly tiny it is. The sparkling metallic-fleck finish sets it a world apart from most netbooks, too. This truly is a notebook fit for James Bond – provided he’s not in a hurry to do anything on it.

4. MacBook Air, $1,799+

Apple pretty much invented an entire class of notebook with this three-pound 13-incher, which stands out as much for its typical Apple build quality as it does for its shocking depth: it measures no more than 0.76 inches thick. Commercials depicting it sliding into a standard manila envelope put these waif little guys into the hands of hipsters everywhere, but predictably, not everyone was satisfied. Problems with overheating and a scant selection of ports didn’t really help matters, either.

3. Lenovo X301, $1,999+

If your idea of style in clothing is frilly collars, plunging necklines and tattered jeans, move on now. Lenovo’s take on the MacBook Air is more like the tuxedo of the computer world than anything that might find its way down a runway: conservative, refined, perhaps a bit unadventurous, but undeniably classy. Lenovo’s almost rubbery matte black finish resists fingerprints and scratches like a rock, making this notebook look sharp no matter what it’s been through. And tough it’s a smidge heavier than the MacBook Air, it’s also a hair lighter, and can be equipped with an optical drive.

2. HP Voodoo Envy 133, $1,900+

HP’s own Air killer substitutes carbon fiber for metal, slimming it down to just 0.70 inches deep and adding an intricate weave pattern to the outside. The packaging is also some of the finest we’ve ever encountered, from the sturdy paperboard box right down to the protective cotton sleeve the laptop comes wrapped in. This machine’s not just a pretty face, either: Interesting functional flourishes include a power brick that doubles as a Wi-Fi router, and an instant-on OS that offers access to a browser, Skype, IM, and other necessities without waiting for Windows to boot.

1. Dell Adamo, $1,999+

Dell shuns drastic weight cutting in favor of luxurious material choices, from the machined-aluminum chassis, which has been balanced like a watch with weight in all the right places, to the real-glass screen and intricately patterned lid. For the record books, it’s a full pound heavier as a result, but also a tenth of an inch thinner, measuring just 0.65 inches deep throughout. If you want to sit down in a coffee shop and get noticed – in a good way – we don’t think any other machine will draw more eyes than this particular beauty.