If you are looking for a good quality and very efficient notebook, then check out lenovo or dell. Both of them offer great quality notebooks that are better than that disgusting mac and the overpriced sonys.
They are in the range of 600-1500 with great customization and warranties
.
It's where i'll be getting my laptop, a lenovo T500
. Awesome system with enough juice to power games and multi-task photoshop, microsoft, web-browsing, music, movies, etc.