Top 10 Laptops for Moms, Dads, and Grads

1. Apple MacBook Air -  The 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air were Apple's solution to the netbook craze and the notebooks that spawned Intel's "ultrabook" category. The 11-inch MacBook Air is the smallest Apple laptop ever and packs notebook performance into a netbook form factor. The combination of Intel processors, solid state drive (SSD), and the latest Intel graphics results in a remarkably powerful laptop despite it being 0.11 inches thick and the edge. Prices start at $999 but you get a lot of power for that price. 

Apple MacBook Air review

2. HP Folio 13 - Although HP wasn't the first to join the ultrabook party, the 13-inch Folio 13 is a nearly perfect amalgam of a ultraportable business notebook and a premium thin-and-light consumer laptop. Unlike many of the latest 13-inch ultrabooks, HP didn't sacrifice important features like a SD card slot just to make the Folio 13 as thin as possible

HP Folio 13 review

3. ASUS Zenbook UX31E  - This 13-inch MacBook Air alternative was one of the first ultrabooks on the market and remains an impressive value for the money. The thin aluminum chassis addes to the premium feel and although the Zenbook lacks some of the ports you might want in a typical laptop (assuming you want more than just USB) it includes adapters to help you connect to external monitors and other devices. The Intel Core i5 processor and solid state drive (SSD) also work together to give you fast performance and great battery life. The price is basically the same as an Apple MacBook Air, but if you want a premium thin-and-light Windows machine this is a pretty good option.

ASUS Zenbook UX31E review

4. Lenovo ThinkPad X220 - It might not technically be an "ultrabook" but the 12-inch ThinkPad X220 is arguably the most powerful ultraportable notebook on the market today. If you need a portable laptop that is built for business and isn't just for playing on Facebook then this ThinkPad has you covered. Available with a high-quality IPS display and a range of processors, it also offers jaw-dropping battery life. Our laboratory tests showed that the X220 with standard 6-cell battery kept running for 8 hours and 47 minutes. You can even connect the laptop to the optional slice battery which delivers 18 hours and 34 minutes of battery life!

Lenovo ThinkPad X220 review

5. ASUS U36S - The U36S is a 13.3-inch ultraportable featuring a magnesium-aluminum chassis that weighs just 3.1 lbs. At just 0.75" thin and with over 8 hours of battery life, this is a great travel companion for students, working professionals, or moms who mean business. The keyboard and touchpad are nice on this model and it comes with a standard two-year warranty all for around $800.

ASUS U36S review