Although I'm biased towards AMD, they are best for desktops. I
don't recommend AMD for laptops because they can get real hot and
hurt you. The temperature is high enough for you to shout "ouch"
when you touch it.
So far, I have only seen Dell and Acer offering AMD processors.
Think Compaq and Packard Bell also offer them, but not so sure.
Battery life for AMD laptops isn't very long (at the most 2
hours), although can be tweaked to improve, but it's not as good as
Intel laptops. Intel laptops can last for about 2 to 3 hours
depending on how you use it. Mine (Intel laptop) lasts for 3++
hours because I run on medium processor speed and 0%
brightness.
If you are thinking of Intel laptops, and given your budget,
Dell, Acer, Packard Bell, Lenovo (Y and N series) will be the ones
to look at. Dell offers a downgrade to XP. Lenovo also has one,
have to request. Specs wise, most of them are good enough. Not too
bulky either, although it's not always the case for Acer.
Warranty wise, most Acer laptops don't last beyond their
warranty. If it's a one-year warranty, you will start noticing
problems either before the warranty ends or shortly after the
warranty ends. Service centre is far too (if you don't live near
Jurong).
The rest are fine. Lenovo series need to be watched. Those
series are relatively new and has mixed reviews, some as bad as
Acer, some say as good as Thinkpads.
