Things to consider: Processor. I'm an intel guy and would suggest getting a Core 2 Duo T5200+ or T7100+. I would say get atleast a 100GB hard drive with 160GB being even better. Do you play any graphic intense games? If yes, get atleast a dedicated graphics card like a Geforce 7600 Go or better. Then theres the screen size, my personal preference is 15.4 widescreen because you get a descent size screen and you still have good battery life. If you in college you may want to get a 14.1 screen because it will be smaller. Also, if you find a dell, most people will bash them on here, but I don't mind them. Do a google search for "Dell Coupons" and there are always specials going on that the public doesn't know about. If you go the dell route, look at the Dell Vostro series, they are in the business section but offer the best bang for the buck IMO. I'll post back with some suggestions.
EDIT: here is a laptop I'm actually considering getting.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834210003 . It's a no name company but the processor and graphics card are pretty good in todays standards. The memory is a little low, but this is a good starting point to see if you need a laptop better or cheaper than the one I posted.
