One more suggestion: when buying a laptop with a TrackPoint mouse (little red pointer stick in middle of keyboard), be sure to get three or four dozen extra caps for the damned TrackPoint. Once they get dirty, which happens rather quickly unless you are a hypochondriac and wash your hands 15 times daily, they become very slippery and smooth and near impossible to use. Other than that, those little dots are far superior to touchpads, and much easier to use.