Photos: new Windows 7 notebooks

With Windows 7, Microsoft seems to have finally put right most of what was wrong with Vista, which now seems like an extended beta program for Redmond's latest desktop OS. Businesses that held off migrating from XP to Vista are now likely to consider the upgrade, and many will do so by purchasing new notebooks that come with Windows 7 — which is far more laptop-friendly than its predecessor — preinstalled.

There will be a plethora of new notebooks announced around the Windows 7 launch — from small, cheap netbooks to large, expensive desktop replacements. We've cherry-picked some of the more interesting new products for a pictorial round-up. Look out for full reviews of some of these new-generation notebooks in the coming weeks, and keep checking back to this gallery as we update it with new announcements.

Dell Latitude Z

Dell claims that the Latitude Z is the "world's thinnest, lightest" 16in. notebook. It's certainly one of the sharpest-looking Latitudes we've seen (if briefly) to date. Innovative features include a touch-sensitive EdgeTouch area on the screen surround, a webcam that scans to PDF, a multitouch trackpad, inductive charging and (in due course) wireless docking. You also get a pre-boot OS (in this case Latitude ON), which is becoming a near-ubiquitous feature of the latest generation of notebooks.

Sony VAIO X

The VAIO X is a 'premium business' ultraportable with a carbon fibre chassis, available in matte and glossy black, and even gold if you wish. It's an 11.1in. ultraportable that's as slim and light as they come — 13.9mm and 780g. Solid-state storage, a multitouch trackpad, integrated mobile broadband and battery life up to (a claimed) 16 hours make this a Windows 7 system for the well-heeled mobile professional.

ASUS UL50VG

A 15.6in. Windows 7 notebook that lasts for 12 hours on its 8-cell battery certainly gets our attention. If the UL50VG's real-world battery life gets anywhere near ASUS's claim, it could be worth considering this 2.3kg system for your travel bag. The screen resolution could be better, but the price looks competitive and you get 4GB of RAM, switchable integrated (low power)/discrete (high performance) graphics, a pre-boot Linux OS and a separate number pad on the keyboard. We look forward to testing this one.

HP Envy 13-1000

HP's Envy 13 is a stylish — if premium-priced — challenger to Apple's 13in. MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. It's got the key elements: a curvy aluminium body, a gorgeous edge-to-edge-glass screen, a chiclet-style keyboard and a buttonless multitouch trackpad. There's a fashionable pre-boot OS, but it has a minimalist set of ports (even the Ethernet port is on a USB dongle) and lacks both an expansion slot and an integrated optical drive. More of a mobile thoroughbred than a workhorse, the Envy 13 is evidence that the PC world can match the Apple stable for style when it tries.

Fujitsu LifeBook T5010

One of Windows 7's main new features is multi-touch support, and Fujitsu, a longstanding maker of Tablet PCs, is refreshing its T-series LifeBooks accordingly. As well as new 12.1in. T4410 and 4310 models, the existing 13.3in. T5010 will be upgradable to Windows 7. A well-specified convertible tablet, the T5010 (and the new 12.1in. models) is distinguished by its Wacom-developed dual stylus-driven/capacitive (finger-driven) touchscreen. This allows for precise pen input where necessary, and more expansive finger gestures where appropriate.

Archos 9 PC Tablet

Described as 'the future of netbooks' by its French manufacturer, the Archos 9 PC Tablet is what we used to call a UMPC. Whether the more touch-friendly Windows 7 will give the form factor a boost remains to be seen, but this device looks intriguing enough for us to want to do a bit of hands-on testing. It has an optical mouse, and Archos will sell you a Bluetooth keyboard if the on-screen one fails to do it for you. With only one USB port on the device, the port replicator will probably be needed too. And it's a shame there's no integrated mobile broadband: you'll either have to tether your mobile phone via Bluetooth or put up with an ugly and awkward USB dongle.