Laptop purchase advice

Most modern laptops without integrated graphics will be able to do that.

Two things:

1) I would consider whether or not you really need a laptop. Higher end laptops are prohibitively expensive. Even if you really need a laptop, you could possibly get a desktop and netbook for the price of a laptop that is not as functional as either of those things. ussually desktop replacements are huge, so a netbook wins in portability, and these desktop replacements rarely beat the performance of a real desktop, especially one that you build yourself.

2) make sure you do some research on the build-quality of the laptop. two different laptops may have the same specs, but build quality can set them apart. My current laptop is an acer that gets so hot it has killed a harddrive and a stick of ram. it has gotten so bad that I cannot play a game on it without the processor speed jumping to 100C (I checked it with speed fan) and the the computer shutting off automatically. You could fry an egg in its touchpad. Even if its an extra couple of hundred, it is worth paying for build quality since it improves what you are getting the laptop for -- using it.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

The dell with 8400 GMS is 1049. That is a lot of money for something that can barely play any recent games. Now, with 700 dollars you can build a very decent computer with a core 216 that can play any game out now (and many future ones) MAXED OUT. 349 is way more than enough for a decent netbook.

of course, this is only important if you plan to play games on your laptop. If not, then any laptop without integrated graphics will probably do.

How ya doing, buddy?