Verified answer

Spend the extra - Macbook Pro is much better and it will work a hell of a lot longer on MacOSX.

You can also keep Windows installed for games - but when it's too slow for newer games, you just keep the old games going.

I'd say go for 13 to 15" Macbook Pro - but you have to realise, there's no such thing as a cheap laptop. You can't really upgrade them - and where you can, it costs a good deal more. Either way, I'd say 5 years is a very long time.

Can you remember how huge a 1000GB hard disk was last year? Just 10 months after I first saw one, it became the cheapest size to buy! Cheaper than two 500GB disks, and much cheaper than three 320GB disks (320GB was the cheapest size one year ago).

Very soon, we'll see an end to hard drives - and even SSD might be out of date in another year.

Don't try to predict the future. Microsoft can upgrade the OS and outdate whatever works for you in a few months. They're doing it now with MSN Messenger (I didn't upgrade, and mine works - because I don't use Windows) - if you don't or can't upgrade, you're cut off mate!

Remember also - normal laptops use BIOS and waste all that boot time. Macs don't, they use 'EFI' and boot much much better.

I'm getting bored now - running Linux, I have a 20 second boot to desktop time, but I have to wait for 25 seconds for the BIOS first!!!

Next year it'll boot in 5 to 10 seconds, but I still have to wait for BIOS. My 12 month old desktop is a dinosaur after 2 years :( But - not too hard to upgrade right? I can keep my screen at least!

If im no longer improper all the greater moderen batteries will basically cost to a undeniable factor and then any means is given directly to the laptop. consequently you are able to run the laptop and have it plugged in with a very charged battery and it won't deliver the battery anypower. So it shouldnt shrink the existence of you battery. what is going to shrink the existence is that in case you enable it die continually as a replace of charging it until now it drops to low. Say 15%. i take advantage of to maintain my laptop continually plugged in with a 9cell and it stored its 5 hour existence for over a 12 months until i've got been given rid of it.

My guess like all 'gaming' laptops it will eventually overheat, and soon the i7 laptops will appear, so it won't be particularly good performance, and you can't really use it as a laptop as it is too big and has an awful battery life. Get a desktop for gaming and a small laptop if you want portability- there is no midway that is good.

With normal use and care 3-5 years or until it becomes obsolete

the answer to your questions would largely depend model and features how current at time of purchase and how well you care and maintain that laptop... but generally one could last for several years