I would read up over at notebookforums.com as there are many threads with pictures and detailed owner review for all brands.

But add me to the Asus fanclub. I have the 14.1" model U81A (aka as the Best Buy version) which served me well on my vacation to the UK. It's 4.5 pounds, a dvd read/write drive, and the battery lasts about 5-6 hours with regular surfing the internet.

If you use a laptop for work, be mindful if you VPN to your work's network, as my workplace did not support Macs well and only XP (x86 or x64) or Vista/Win 7 x64.