1) What is your budget? Try to stay a few hundred under 2k. 2) What size notebook would you prefer? a. Netbook; 10” screen or less b. Ultraportable; 11" - 12” screen c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen e. Desktop Replacement; 17" screen I'd prefer desktop replacement, but could live with mainstream. 3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator. United states 4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? a. Like: if it works, I like it b. Dislike: that rules out hp and gateway

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed? I guess. I'd prefer new though. 6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook? I want it to be able to do anything moderately well. That being said, it will be used for debating competitively, so it needs to be able to open a word doc fast, as well as have multiple USB ports. 7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both? Both. Don't worry about portability, I can handle carrying a large laptop. 8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games? Probably, but nothing too taxing. Stuff like minecraft. I'd like it to be able to handle more stressful games though, in case I get into those in the future. 9) How many hours of battery life do you need? 2 hours minimum. 10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK? Well, I'd need pics, but online only is fine. 11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc. Win 7 Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information. Must be really clear, high quality look. I don't really have a preference on text size, just nothing too big/small. 13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen? Matte Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? a little. I'll consider it but it's not a main desicion point. 15) When are you buying this laptop? Within the next month. 16) How long do you want this laptop to last? 5 years Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive? maximum. At least 500gb. 18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? I'd prefer one. I don't care about blue ray though.

A little back story: Last week, I was considering getting a laptop, as a supplement to my desktop. Mainly to be used for competitive high school policy debate, as well as homework on-the-go, and then later on in college for note-taking, etc. I also wanted it to be able to do gaming... just a little bit of everything really.

Today, the hard-drive on my desktop computer failed. Since I'll only be living at home for another year, then off to college, it's pointless for me to get another desktop. Instead, I want to opt for a high-power laptop, higher power than I was looking for beforehand. Any suggestions would be great.