I can't say enough how great these guys' laptops are.
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/r05/ri05.asp
Don't pay attention to the goofy covers... they're supposed to be laptops for gaming. But for the quality of laptop and the price, it's worth it for just about anything.
I've had mine for 3 years now, and haven't had a single problem. It's the best computer I've ever owned.