New Laptop Suggestions?

[CowboyHacker]

Hello, I currently have a Compaq Presario V2000 series laptop. (Specs in signature) I REALLY REALLY HATE this stupid computer and I am very tempted to take it out to the dumpster...
I am now in the market for a new computer for several reasons:
1. This laptop is very poor. The hard drive just crashed a couple of days ago for the 4th time. The motherboard has been replaced once along with the keyboard and a few miscelaneous components. I just purchased this laptop in October, 2005, too.

2. HP Tech Support is some of the worst I have ever worked with. They dont solve my issues and they NEVER call me back... I sent in the laptop once and all they did was replaced the motherboard, which fixed one problem, but not another one.

3. This thing is WAAAAAYY to slow . I do a ton of multitasking. The 1.79GHz, 348MB RAM is not enough. I always have at least 10 Fire Fox tabs open and usually have a multitude of other programs running in the background, such as BitTorrent.
I also like to play the occasional game, but in order for me to do that, I have to close all windows (except XFire). I still get considerable lag and slow, crappy, graphics response from the integrated ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What I am looking for:
1. Performance. I want to play games such as CS:S, HALO, BF2, and a few other at medium settings without lag.
2. Price. Preferrably below $2000, but $2500 is the maximum.
3. Mobility. I am a high school student and I still want a laptop, not a desktop replacement. 17" screens are to big. 12" screens are a little small but are ultraportable. Battery life is also a biggie. My Compaq gets 2-2.5 hours on a full charge with little to average use.
4. Storage space. I use space and lots of it. There arent any laptops with 1TB of storage yet, but they really need one for me... I have a 40GB that is always hovering between 1MB free and 2GB free. I have to keep transfering files to my 60GB external drive (also full), then to my NAS wich now has 150GB of stuff on it.

I prefer to stay away from HP/Compaq for a while. I have been researching alot of different brands and models and I like the Dell Inspiron e1505 and the Lenovo ThinkPad z60m.

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for me?

[osprey4]

The guy at work, who basically spends all his time servicing Dell notbooks (Latitudes, not the cheaper Inspirons) told me Thinkpads are much better quality. In that price range, you can get a dual core machine with a decent video card.

By the way, I own four Dells but after researching notebooks for my son to bring to college, we bought a Thinkpad T60.

[the mitch]

Ill buy that old laptop.

Brian

[CowboyHacker]

Thank you, Osprey. Mitch, someon else already wants this old peice of junk....sorry.

[kaminsknator]

if you are looking for a good laptop that is below 2k look for the dell inspiron e1705. Right now you can find the coupon code to get $750 off purchase of $1999 (coupon coded= 5?90WS6GLWXRSZ) if you get the Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2400, 100gb hdd, dvd burner combo, and the GeForce™ Go 7900 GS, internal wifi card, and the 9cell battery you can put it over to $2,042-$750=$1292

it already has a gig of ram and a nice 17" screen.

Take it from headband you cant get a better laptop for the price unless you spend upwards of 3grand

[CowboyHacker]

I need a portable laptop. A 17" screen is too big and weighs to much, but thank you anyway.