Advice for new laptop for me

[shovenose]

Hello all!
First off, current laptop specs:
-Intel Core i5-2410M (Sandy Bridge 2nd-gen i series)
-8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 RAM
-120GB Intel SSD
-Intel Integrated Graphics HD3000
-15.6" 1366x768 LCD
-DVDRW
-Wireless B/G/N

My new laptop should be:
-Intel Core i5 or i7 (Ivy Bridge 3rd-gen i series)
-16GB DDR3 RAM
-7200RPM disk or a newer SSD minimum 120GB, but 180 or 240GB preferred.
-Intel HD4000 graphics or better
-LCD with a resolution better than the 1366x768 crap.
-Either no disc drive at all or DVDRW
-Wireless B/G/N


Now I was looking at the Lenovo website, I came across the ThinkPad T430.
But when I configure it to my specifications it became very expensive.
I don't think any of the IdeaPad laptops have 7200RPM disks, so they're mostly out. But I don't want to re use my SSD I want a newer one, because I like new stuff...

I'd like to stay in the $750 budget but $850 would be the max. I want to spend.
Would be great if I could try it out at the local Best Buy or Staples or Office Depot, but if not, that isn't a deal breaker.

I would like to avoid HP, Toshiba, Acer, and Gateway.
I would be paying for this by selling my Intel iMac, my old Dell Vostro 200, and my existing Lenovo V570 laptop.

[shovenose]

Re: Advice for new laptop for me

I think the T530 would actually be better for me; several people said online that the 14" screen in the T430 is too bad but the 15" screen in the T530 is great.
But it still gets so expensive somehow

The Dell E5530 was also recommended to me I'll poke around with that one a bit

[smason]

Re: Advice for new laptop for me

What are you doing that needs 16GB of ram and higher resolution than 1366x768?

We have accidentally received higher resolution than "standard" notebooks here on occasion, and couldn't give them away. We call it "OMG I'm going effing blind" mode.

[shovenose]

Re: Advice for new laptop for me

I hate the confines of the 1366x768. It looks ugly and I can only fit one browser window or one application. 1600x900 will make me significantly happier (I hope).
I want 16GB so that my computer is better than my friend's (I am NOT kidding about this)...
but if it only comes with 8GB and I can upgrade it later, that is OK too.

[momaka]

Re: Advice for new laptop for me

What are you doing that needs 16GB of ram and higher resolution than 1366x768?

We have accidentally received higher resolution than "standard" notebooks here on occasion, and couldn't give them away. We call it "OMG I'm going effing blind" mode.

+1
IMO huge resolutions are useless unless you have a large enough monitor (unless you're gaming - then smaller monitor is okay since you don't really need or want to see pixels in the game). For me, 1024x768 is the MAXIMUM resolution I'll take on anything less than a 17" 4:3 monitor. On 19", I may tolerate 1280 x 768/960/1024. And 1600 x 900/1200 or higher resolutions - only on monitors above 22".