Need help choosing a laptop

[bghkoyama]

I'm now in the market for a laptop to replace my desktop. It's mostly going to be used for video editing, spreadsheets and minimal games. I want a reliable system. My budget ceiling is $2000.
These are just some specs I'm shooting for:

4gb ram
min 2.0ghz (little faster would be nice)
min 15.4" screen up to 17"
160gb or larger hdd
whatever o/s you suggest for my needs
dvd+-/rw
wireless access

Any help would be greatly appreciated. There are so many models that I can't decide on what is good for me.
Thanks in advance.

Brian

[BipolarBill]

Some basics first. Are you going to tote this thing around or leave it someplace? Will you need good battery life or is that a minor concern? Will you keep your desktop monitor?

[bghkoyama]

I will be toting it around, but don't mind any added weight. I will be keeping my current monitor (HP2035). Battery life isn't a concern.

[BipolarBill]

I would still stick with a 15.4" model. The 17" ones are just ridiculously large.

I bought a Dell Vostro recently and love it. It's a bit heavy, but it's rugged. Since the Vostro line is for business, XP is still an option.

Whatever you buy, avoid the glossy screens. They are useless in bright light. Stick with the standard anti-glare screen.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...420&lid=197374

You can load that sucker up with the works and still come in way under your budget.

Don't bother getting a notebook with a numeric keypad. You can always add a USB one later and you won't have to tote it around.

If you need a better video card, look at the XPS line. The 8400GS card in the Vostro is OK for gaming, but it's not going to run at full resolution.

[bghkoyama]

That looks like the one for me. I checked out the link and configured it to my needs.
Thanks for your help!!

Brian