The 13-in. (33 cm) Sony S Series laptops represent the best value in mid-range notebooks on the market today. Prices start at under $1,000 for a machine with a spacious 1600-by-900-resolution screen (unheard of in sub-$1,000 notebooks this size), DVD burner, powerful graphics chip and very portable, nicely built physique and a fingerprint reader for added security. Despite all the power under the hood, the notebooks weigh in at about 3½ lb. (1.6 kg) and measure less than 1 in. (2.5 cm) thick.