(FORTUNE Magazine) – When it comes to desktop computers, Steve Jobs has it right. Apple has been running ads touting its stylish new iMac with the slogan "Sorry, no beige." The innards of desktop Windows PCs vary, but the outsides are bland indeed.

That's not at all true when you look at notebook computers. There's a lot more variation in size, shape, and even color when you pick a portable. The reason: While manufacturers can easily stuff just about everything into a desktop, they have to make choices with a notebook computer. PC makers must balance thinness (the latest status symbol among corporate travelers) against convenience (floppy drive, CD-ROM); weight against battery life. That juggling act has spawned a fair amount of creativity.

All this variation makes buying a notebook a challenge. You need to pay attention to the particulars of machines you're considering. Some truisms still hold. If you make presentations to customers or co-workers, a large, bright screen is essential. If you mostly do E-mail from the road, a small, light machine will do. On the other hand, if you do a lot of typing, examine the keyboard--typing on some laptops is simply unbearable, but others are as accommodating as a desktop PC. If you're a workaholic who spends lots of time on airplanes, you'll want to pay close attention to battery life--and weight. As any experienced traveler will tell you, notebooks put on more and more weight the longer your walk from the check-in counter to the gate for your flight.

The good news is that prices have dropped dramatically, mostly because manufacturing techniques for the flat-panel screens--often the most expensive part of a laptop--have improved in the past year or two. A couple of years ago, a top-of-the-line notebook would run you between $5,000 and $6,000. In this roundup of notebooks, the most expensive machine costs $3,599.

You'll find that the thinnest machines have external floppy and hard drives. Most machines now include a V.90 modem, the fastest available today for work over regular telephone lines. If you connect to a company network, you may want to have a LAN adapter or a PC card built in--talk to your systems administrator. You should also consider two programs that simplify life on the road with laptops (see below).

This is not a comprehensive roundup of notebooks; there are far too many for that. But these are some of the most interesting models that have crossed my desk this year. Each illustrates the adage that while you can't have everything, you can come pretty close--and then you can take it with you.