Add to that list CENTRINO.

The old laptops overheated terribly, and heat is horrible for electronics.
The new notebooks with centrino don't overheat. (That used to be the technical difference between whether it was called a laptop or a notebook... go figure, the laptops were so hot you couldn't hold them on your laps!) lol

Toshiba is the top of the line, really. . . unless you're going Mac/APPLE which I don't know much about.

They have much more than duo processing too....

The best way to compare is to go to a site like Dell and use their site to compare all their models...that way you will see what's available and what it costs. You should be able to buy a good one, with lots of bells and whistles even, for around $600 now.

Also, the price of the extended warranty is usually worth it. When you do get a new one, "burn it in" meaning leave it on constantly for several days to a week. That way, if any of the components are weak already, they will fail and it's easier to exchange etc right off the bat.