So, my Sony SRX87's looking a little long in the tooth, and I'm in the market for a new laptop. The wife's going to be getting the Sony once I've replaced the battery -- and I'm considering leaving Ubuntu on it, and seeing how she gets on.

My requirements:

- at least 1Gb RAM
- quick CPU. dual core might be nice.
- I'd like it to be Vista-ready, but it's going to be running XP Pro until then. I _might_ install Ubuntu on it at some point.

The 2 most important:

- it's gotta be as light as, or lighter than, my SRX87P.
- it's gotta be available in the UK.

Asus have some nice-looking kit right now, but they're not all available in the UK, and I'm confused by the model numbers. I've had no real problems with my Sony, but I am aware that they're a little slack when it comes to support. I'd rather not get a Dell -- we're wall-to-wall with them here, and I fancy something different.

What's good right now?

Maybe an IBM/Lenovo X60 or X60s is the right answer for you. They come in with the right weight and the right CPU, and Lenovo probably hasn't done too much damage to the classic IBM build quality.

The MacBook is just over 5 lbs. and can run XP natively.

The reason I bring it up is that so many laptops are flimsily manufactured, IMO, and the Apples are not. As far as native Windows laptops, I couldn't recommend, based on build quality, much outside HP, Sony, Toshiba and IBM/Lenovo (assuming, as Dan says, that Lenovo hasn't done a hatchet job on build quality). And I have other qualms about each of those, too.

That Lenovo X60 looks pretty good. Dell doesn't have anything with a Duo Core under 5 lbs.

The MacBook's keyboard is atrocious. I'd never want to do anything serious with it. (The 'Pro' is fine.)

My IBM/Lenovo X41 Tablet's keyboard, however, is easily the nicest laptop keyboard I've ever had (including a Sony Vaio 505G, and a variety of HP Omnibook models). The X40/X41/X60 series seem to all use the same keyboard, so that would be a strong vote in its favor.

I'd drop Toshiba from that list. Their build quality is notches lower than Acer and eMachines. HP wasn't stellar either when I last looked (a bit over a year ago).

I don't know if I would recommend a Macbook right now though. I'd like to pick up a 17" Pro model and I'm waiting it out likely until the end of the summer. The non-Pro models seem to have a number of additional issues right now some of which I haven't heard about resolutions for (the paint discolloration/wear for example).

I don't believe their new models will be out within the next two months, but they should get around to resolving a number of problems with smaller line changes/revisions.

I'd not count the odd-looking keyboard as a mark against the Macbook until I'd had a chance to use one in person. I've not read anything but positive comments about it. A lot of people had reservations until they had used it for a little while.

I tried typing on the MacBook's keyboard at an Apple store. After a minute, I was settled. No way for me.

I had a couple of Toshiba laptops years ago and they were pretty good, but if people who have more recent experience with them say they're cheap, I'll be happy to retract my vague recommendation.

The problem with HP laptops these days is that some of them are HP laptops and some are Compaq laptops. The Compaq ones are shit and the HP ones are pretty good. Of course, there's not really a good way to tell which are which without looking at them.

Well, the 15" MacBook Pro is only a few tenths of a pound more. Still less than 6lbs.