New laptop - what to buy?

[beaker]

I need a new laptop but don't want to spend more than 1000, my main priorities are:

• Widescreen
• Lightweight
• Reasonable battery life (current one just manages 45mins!)
• Doesn't need to be particularly powerful but has to do the essentials - web browsing, watch movies, run office apps etc.
• Be able to run a basic web dev environment (eg WAMP)

I bought my wife a MacBook for 749 earlier this year and it's really cool and fast, but not sure if I can justify 2 Macs and no PC!

I like the look of Sony Vaios, I hear ASUS is good but can't be @rsed with their unusable website... any other suggestions? IBM or Toshiba? I'm not too impressed with Dell...

Cheers!

[TheFaQQer]

There looked like a good one in the best gadget thread for £399.

[r0bly0ns]

Acer do some quite nice ones.

try www.laptopsdirect.co.uk

[daviejones]

I need a new laptop but don't want to spend more than 1000, my main priorities are:

I bought my wife a MacBook for 749 earlier this year and it's really cool and fast, but not sure if I can justify 2 Macs and no PC!

Cheers!

Why not just dual boot the Mac???

[beaker]

Why not just dual boot the Mac???

Mmm... good idea. Maybe I should just buy another Mac and dual boot it!

Can't say I've done this before - are there any compatibility issues when running Windows apps?

Can I access all the same files?

What do I do about the one mouse button!!??

[daviejones]

Mmm... good idea. Maybe I should just buy another Mac and dual boot it!

Can't say I've done this before - are there any compatibility issues when running Windows apps?

Can I access all the same files?

What do I do about the one mouse button!!??

With leopard, dual boot is sooooo simple and Bootcamp is built in. No compatibility issues as it is just like running XP natively.

The single mouse button is a pain but there is a key to use that will bring up most context menus...or use a mouse...

[dotnetter]

I actually find having one mouse button not a problem.

Ive got used to two fingers on the touchpad for right clicking, works a treat just takes a little while to get used to it.

Also most of the time I have my Mac docked up to my external monitor, keyboard and mouse so have full right click functionality as usual.

[miffy]

[QUOTE=r0bly0ns;353227]Acer do some quite nice ones./QUOTE]

I'll second that!

My HP laptop died and I needed something quickly whilst it's away being repaired.

I bought an aspire 9304 (only 399 from amazon). The 2GB upgrade kit is £35 from crucial. Bargain!

It's only marginly heavier than the HP 15" I have and the 17" glossy widescreen is awesome.

I put vista business and vmware on it for the odd XP app I need. It's better than the HP I have which cost twice the price!

I think I'll use the HP as a backup laptop when it comes back.

[daviejones]

I'll second that!

My HP laptop died and I needed something quickly whilst it's away being repaired.

I bought an aspire 9304 (only 399 from amazon). The 2GB upgrade kit is £35 from crucial. Bargain!

It's only marginly heavier than the HP 15" I have and the glossy screen is awesome.

I put vista business and vmware on it for the odd XP app I need. It's better than the HP I have which cost twice the price!

I think I'll use the HP as a backup laptop when it comes back.

Yep, I bought the missus an Acer Ferrari. It is nice and light but the fan is forever coming on and it gets noisy....nice laptop though.

[Moscow Mule]

Can't say I've done this before - are there any compatibility issues when running Windows apps?

Can I access all the same files?

What do I do about the one mouse button!!??

No. In boot camp, you're running a windows system.

If you put them in the right place, yes.

There's been two buttons on the mighty mouse for yonks. On a laptop you put two fingers on the pad an hit the button = right click.