First rule about buying a laptop is, its not upgradable. Yes, occasionally you can swap out a hard drive or add more ram, even the CPU. But for the price point of doing so, its really not that upgradable. Therefore, you *want* to spend more on the initial purchase so it lasts you X number of years. If you are a gamer, X will be short (1-2 years), non gamers can last 3-4 years. With the Windows coming out with higher hardware requirements, keep that in mind as well when making your decision.
The second rule about owning a laptop is, where do you plan to lug/carry it? Great distances for long periods of time means small is good. Occasionally/short distances means large is possible. That will determine what model to investigate. Don't waste time looking at 17" notebooks you will carry and work on the train every day, unless you are a football player
Third rule about buying a laptop is, don't skimp on a warranty. Laptops are mobile, can be more fragile, be dropped, be sat on by little dogs. Having a tech come to you may be a better option than mailing it in (just how LONG can you go without your lappy?). Complete Care means they replace whatever, no questions asked (even if you play football with your lappy, though not recommended for 17" laptops
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Fourth rule about buying a laptop is, set a budget and spend every penny. If you can't afford what you want, reexamine why you are buying a laptop in the first place.
From there, ask away...
