Example E1505 Loaded $1,360.97 1711

You seem focused on the right factors.

Here are some of my thoughts, having had a 600m 14" SXGA+, a 700m 12" WXGA, and a 630m WXGA.

The 700m was OK as far as being portable. If I had several other large books, then the 700m's weight was a big plus. However, being a very fast typist, the 700m was also frustrating. What I have found is that it's as easy for me to carry my 14" 630m around with me as it was my 12" 700m. The keyboard on the 630m is much nicer and I can type much faster on it than my 700m. So, I would go the 630m or XPS 140 route if I also planned on getting a desktop. You can always hook it up to a monitor. You can wait until the Core Duos make their way to the 14" size.

If I were to have only one computer, and do CAD work, I would go for a E1505 with WSXGA and Truelife, depending though on how often you would need or want to carry it around. If you are going to carry it with only one other item, then it's doable. If you aren't going to carry it around with you a lot, then it's also doable.

How often do you think you will want to carry a laptop around with you?

Often, I find that a nice clipboard with colored pens is a lot more fun than a laptop :-) However for much of the stuff I do I want to type it in and be done with it.

I'll never go back to a 12" when a 14" is about as carryable and has a much nicer keyboard.

Anyway, it sounds like you're close to a decision. The E1505 is a great laptop that probably has enough power to serve as a laptop and a desktop replacement, esp. with the core duo and dedicated graphics card now. Also, CAD software in the future may be written to take more advantage of Core Duo.

Maybe some of this rambling has helped. I'd either go 14" 630m and a desktop if I wanted to carry the laptop with me frequently and screen resolution doesn't matter much portably, or E1505 as a laptop desktop if you will carry it around mostly by itself or carry it around infrequently.

The other option might be to get a higher-definition Labreastude 620. If you have good eyes and could work with the higher definition on the size of screen of the Labreastude, that might be OK. For me, I wouldn't do it, I would go up to the 15.4" size for WSXGA.

Journey

P.S. -- I know when I post about XGA, WSXGA, etc. I often forget the + at the end. I don't know the difference between WSXGA, WSXGA+, SXGA, and SXGA+. Maybe someone can elaborate on that...