All of these notebooks are capable of running today's business applications, but choosing which one is right for you - especially when we're talking about an ultra-light, ultra-portable system - is often a highly personal choice. To some people size might take precedence over functionality, while others will need specific task-relevant features, regardless of looks or size.

Despite being the cheapest system featured here, the Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook B-2154 is quite expensive for the features it comes with, although build quality is excellent. The same could be said of the Toshiba 3480CT; exceptional build quality, good battery life, but coming in at a whopping £200 more then the AJP M722. You're paying for size here, or rather the lack of it. And some people will appreciate that.

The AJP is exceptional value for money and for those on a strict budget, it may be worth overlooking the build quality of the keyboard and focusing more on its performance and stunning battery life. To get a 750MHz Mobile PIII and a 1024 x 768 screen for this money is pretty impressive. The Compaq Armada M300, meanwhile, has a few nice features but is expensive considering what you get.

This leaves the most expensive system - the Elonex Piranha Pro - and the Acer TravelMate 351TEV. There's nothing to choose between them in battery life and although the Elonex is the slightly the better performer of the two, whether it justifies spending the extra £250 is debatable.

Of the two, the Acer's in-built security and vast choice of connectivity tools make it hard to beat. Its mix of features, power and battery life make it excellent value for money. Its robustness and build quality make it a perfect notebook for those on the move and it will survive everyday life's knocks and bumps too. For us, this is the winner.