ASUS N61Jq A1 (16" - Core i7 720QM - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - 4 GB RAM - 500 GB HDD)

Pros: * Speed is exactly what you would expect from the early edition i7 quad-core
* Machine never gets hot on the bottom - this is a huge positive, in my book.
* I think the graphics are just fine for what I do with it. No hesitating
* USB 3.0!

Cons: * As with most owners of this model - battery life.
* On that same subject - the design does not allow an extended battery (after market) to work. Bummer.
* Be CAREFUL flashing the BIOS! Only do is if you HAVE to

Summary: All in all I am still as pleased with this machine as when I purchased it. The one major issue I had with it is when I flashed the BIOS and it killed the board. Asus warranty was seamless and quick - I contacted a local authorized svc center in Atlanta and everything went flawlessly. I didn't expect spectacular graphics as this is not a gamer system so the graphics it has is perfectly fine for what I do with it. The dedicated RAM is a huge plus - I've never had 'jumpy' problems with any video I've ran on it. I did boost my RAM to the 8G and have a 750G drive in it but other than that I've not had to do any other enhancements. I love the USB 3.0 having now purchased a 3Tb external with USB 3.0 for backups - data really does FLY across that connection.

As a hardware tech I am always being asked what I recommend for various situations and I now recommend Asus laptops...and would still recommend this model for someone not needing the power of the latest technology on the market.