Suggestions for PC laptops?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

I've been a Mac user all my computing life, but I've recently acquired a client who requires use of certain software that is Windows-only.

Now I could get a new dual-boot Mac, I suppose, but that costs more than getting a cheap PC, so I'm asking the assembled Lounge for personal stories of how you like your PC laptop.

What brands are considered good in terms of price-performance, general reliability, and customer service?

If anyone has had success with a dual-boot Mac, I'd like to hear those stories as well.

Thanks in advance.

ON EDIT: The software is an editing and translation memory program, so I don't need any heavy-duty graphics functions.

[ZombieNixon]

1. I'd recommend the dual-boot Mac.

I've had an easier time with my friend's (I wish I had one of my own), than I've ever had on a real PC (but I am a native Mac user). However, most people I know will say avoid Dell at all costs.

[GirlinContempt]

2. Toshiba is good.

[SacredCow]

3. Acer....

I went in to buy a bare-bones 15" Toshiba, and walked out with a 17" Acer with some pretty nice extras for about the same price. That was about a year ago- I use it daily, and the only thing I've had to do is add some memory. Since then, Wired magazine gave it a "bang for the buck" nod of approval.

[sakabatou]

4. Now if only I can figure out how to upgrade the ram on mine...

[Initech]

5. Check out this one, got quite a few of these where I work:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1697063&CatId=1893

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. I checked out Consumer Report , the magazine...

They liked, second only to Apple, the Lenovo.

It was made by IBM, until they sold it to the Chinese...

Consumer Reports said it was second only to Apple in terms of frequency of repair, and tech support.

I bought mine online which allowed me to exactly pick the types of programs I wanted.

I am extremely happy with it!

:hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. My 6.4 year old Toshiba still runs. I love my new Gateway.

I'd also trust HP and Sony.

My new Gateway has more than enough power for email and word processing, which is mostly what I do, and it was $599, half what I paid for my Toshiba in 2001, and this one has a DVD writer, widescreen, great sound, 1G RAM, huge hard drive, and Windows Vista, and some other nice features.