Laptop Advice Needed

[Moon Man]

Ok, Wife and I are in the market for a laptop. Haven't shopped for one in quite some time, so I need some help. I'm looking at the following:

HP Pavilion dv6700t

Operating system	Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
Processor	Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.50GHz)
Display	15.4" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
Memory	3GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
Graphics Card	256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS - For Core 2 Duo Processors
Personalization	HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Microphone + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam
Networking	Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
Hard Drive	250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Primary CD/DVD Drive	LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
TV & Entertainment Experience	No TV Tuner w/remote control
Primary Battery	12 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Productivity Software	Microsoft(R) Works 9.0

Price is $1,490, but HP is offering a $500 discount, bringing the final price under $1k. I already have MS Office, so I can install that after I get the computer.

First, good deal for the money?

Second, what is up with the Vista/XP issue these days? Can I just get Vista on the laptop and install XP over it once I get the computer?

Third, can someone explain the 32-bit v. 64-bit issue? Stuff on the HP site says you need the 64-bit version of Vista if you ever want to upgrade to 4GB of RAM, but a number of advice columns I've read online say that if you get the 64-bit version, you will have problems with peripherals, programs, etc. that are not yet 64-bit. Most sites recommend the 32-bit version for regular joe types like me.

Fourth, connectivity. Going to be taking this computer far and wide to some very rural foreign lands. The intarwebs exist in these places, but I've heard of problems with Vista in these areas. What modem/wireless technology should I get with the laptop? I've selected the wireless network connection option, but it also says that the computer "includes a network port for broadband Internet connectivity." Does this mean I can use either wireless or a phone/ethernet line if wireless isn't available?

Fifth, they offer a Blu-Ray disc drive. Is there a substantive reason for getting that, or is it only if I want to watch HD DVDs?

I know this a lot to ask. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Moon

[Jeffro]

MacBook.

[Reggie Cleveland]

For your lap, you'll need a piece of drywall.

[moedrabowsky]

All I can say is don't get a Toshiba.

Mine blows goat nads.

[WinstonSmith]

What are you planning to use it for?

Is thin/light really important to you? Or, perhaps, are you making this a desktop replacement?

[hkyfan]

Didn't like my HP. It was heavy relative to some of the other laptops I have owned (Dell, Thinkpad etc) and the battery life was a joke. I also found the keyboard more cumbersome to use. I wouldn't buy another.

[Blues Fan in TX]

MacBook.

++

As in, get one.

[Mark]

Macbook.

And if you do go the "traditional" route, stay the hell away from 64-bit.

[WinstonSmith]

Why stay away from 64?

[210]

All I can say is don't get a Toshiba.

Mine blows goat nads.

Mine is awesome, so I guess YMMV...

[Iowa_Card]

Don't fuck with the blu-ray drive unless you're going to watch the movies while plugged into an external power source.

Continuous use drives drain the battery faster than Gloverne drains a beer.

[TTB]

Sounds like a decent deal to me in terms of cost to product/features but I've never had an HP laptop so I can't speak to quality.

I paid about a grand for my Dell three years ago and I've never had a problem with it.

Trying pricing those specs at Dell's website and see what they come up with.

[i.am.js]

my toshiba is still running strong after two years.

it runs a little hot, but from what I read, most of them do.

[moedrabowsky]

My hard drive went out.

My monitor went out -- it's still out because the cost to replace it is more than a new Dell. Now I have a laptop connected to a desktop monitor.

The battery doesn't hold a charge, but it does produce heat. So much heat that I use it to poach eggs.

The keyboard has gone out twice. And this is a two year old computer.

My Toshiba sucks goat nads.

[cardinalgirl]

My hard drive went out.

My monitor went out -- it's still out because the cost to replace it is more than a new Dell. Now I have a laptop connected to a desktop monitor.

The battery doesn't hold a charge, but it does produce heat. So much heat that I use it to poach eggs.

The keyboard has gone out twice. And this is a two year old computer.

My Toshiba sucks goat nads.

my toshiba ran hot too and eventually croaked, but damn that was a good computer for a long time (5 years). I used to prop up the hot part and let a little more air circulate under it. Work got a toshiba and after 3 years it just up and died one day and the cost to repair was more than the cost to replace. So we got a dell laptop and it's really been better than the toshiba I have to say.