...XYZ unit others have mentioned, and a few others I didn't know were on the market...
It is ESPECIALLY important to purchase laptops from reputable, reliable manufacturers. There's so many variables in the off-brand units...from weird memory being used to strangeness with the hard drives to un-replaceable screens and non-standard video standards and limited-to-no parts availability...
Just know what you need from a laptop, and realize that you generally get what you pay for.
I maintain a couple old IBM ThinkPad 760ED models. Parts are available all over the place. Add they run all my Kenwood and Motorola commercial programming software, as well as all my amateur programming software titles.
Under $300 at better used laptop stores on the Web. Serves my needs well.
Nothing replaces my 17" MacBook Pro, though...(grin).
Clint, K6LCS 909-241-7666
-------------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 - cell