Countless laptops stake a claim to being the ultimate road-warrior machine, yet how many of them weigh under 3 pounds and integrate an optical drive? I was one of the so-called "booth dudes" manning PC Magazine's booth at the recent DigitalLife Expo, the New York City show that our parent company, Ziff Davis Media, sponsors. An angry couple came up to me, claiming that they couldn't find any Sony products. Initially, I figured they were PR reps angry at the fact that Sony wasn't well represented at the show. To my surprise, they merely wanted to take a look at the Sony VAIO VGN-TZ150N. The reason: It was the only ultraportable they knew of that weighs under 3 pounds yet has a built-in optical drive.

Given the progression of technology, you'd think these all-inclusive featherweights would be flooding the market, but as yet there are as yet only a handful of them. These laptops aren't even the best ultraportables in today's market. They run ultra-low-voltage processors, use smaller keyboards, and can only manage a 4,200 rpm hard drive. But for people who surf the Web, compose the occasional e-mail, and write a thousand words a day, these laptops are arguably the best traveling companions.

The couple settled down after realizing Sony wasn't the only player in this market. I told them to check out the Panasonic CF-W5. It weighs 2.9 pounds and integrates an optical drive. The Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 weighs 2.7 pounds and has a built-in DVD burner.

All three of these laptops have an insane amount of battery life, thanks to a surrounding cast of energy-efficient components, making them perfect for the ultimate road warrior. Read on to find the one that will give you more without weighing you down.

Featured in this Roundup:

AngleSony VAIO VGN-TZ150N ($2,299 direct)
It's one of the most luxurious ultraportables, weighing a scant 2.7 pounds. The integrated optical drive is one of the thinnest in the market, and it uses the latest in LED backlighting.

AnglePanasonic Toughbook CF-W5 ($1,950 street)
This business-rugged laptop is made to withstand everything nature can throw against it, plus it weighs 2.9 pounds and fully integrates an optical drive.

AngleFujitsu LifeBook P7230 ($1,799 list)
This 2.7-pound featherweight has been around for quite some time now. It's the only miniature laptop in its class to have a modular optical drive that can be swapped out for an extra battery.