I just parted with my 700Mhz PIII Gateway for $300. Haven't decided if I'm going to get another laptop but if I do, I've been looking at a Compaq R4000 like my friend has. Needs to be under or around $1000. Doesn't need a good graphics card since I don't do mobile gaming, the bigger the screen the better (the R4000 is a 15.4" widescreen 1280x800), and Athlon64 is preferred. 512MB RAM minimum with a combo drive.
The Compaq R4000 is cheap, has a nice screen but I'd like other opinions before I buy.
Here's a sample config of what I'd be interested in:
XP Home
Athlon64 3200+
15.4" WXGA screen
32MB XPress 200M
512MB RAM
60GB 5400rpm HD
DVD/CDRW combo drive
802.11G Speedbooster WiFi
8 Cell battery
For $875 before rebate