Finding the Perfect Laptop

I got a perk from work with a condition that it has to be spent on "IT Gadgets" where IT Gadgets pretty much means anything to do with computers. And yes, that includes games and game machines. But since I already have an Xbox 360, I figure it's probably not worth getting a PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii, although the Wii is very, very tempting. So I figure it might be a good idea to get another laptop.

I currently have the Dell D820 which has a 15.4" widescreen at 1680x1050 resolution and the Intel Core Duo processor. I actually really like it and it even looks pretty cool. The only thing I screwed up on when I ordered it was that I didn't get a good graphics card because I figured I'd keep it strictly for work and the price was starting to get up there. I don't want two of the same machine, so I'm looking for a different brand.

I have the following requirements:

1. 15.4" widescreen, this is about the perfect size for the balance between work and portability
2. At least 1680×1050 resolution (which is WSXGA+ or WUXGA for even higher res of 1920×1200)
3. Intel Core 2 Duo
4. Anything better than Intel Graphics Media Accelerator which is so common in notebook computers, but just doesn't cut it for gaming
5. Around 6 pounds in weight (actually anything less than 7 lbs, but the 15.4" notebooks are generally in the 6 range)
6. 3+ hours of battery life
7. Under $2000

That's it, nothing else really matters to me.

So here's what I found:

1. Sony
   AR Series is too big and too heavy (8.5 pounds).
   SZ looks really nice, but too small and it's expensive.
   The rest are too weak, low resolution screens, and no graphics card options.
   Sony is out of the race.
2. Alienware
   Area-51 m5550 looks just about perfect in every way... except I read that the dang battery life is extremely short. Too bad, but Alienware is out.
3. Toshiba and HP
   Didn't even bother looking, just never really liked them when I see friends that have had them.
4. Acer
   The Acer Ferrari 5005WLMi is one sweet machine with great reviews on CNet, but the price tag is too high. I also don't like that you can't configure the machine, you can only buy it from retailers.
5. IBM/Lenovo
   I keep reading about how awesome the ThinkPad T6o is, so I took a look at the Lenovo products and I think I found the one: ThinkPad Z61m. This thing is pretty much spot-on for my requirements and the fact that the ThinkPad line is so highly praised makes me feel quite comfortable. I'm pretty pumped.

Update - 2007-04-21: I bought the Alienware Sentia and returned it a couple of days later. I mean it sure looked cool, but the fan never shut off and the battery life was only 45 minutes! Bought a Lenovo T60 Widescreen the same day and love it! Super long battery life (4+ hours!), great solid feel, best keyboard I've ever used, Cingular card built in, and the matte finish is actually pretty cool. It says "I mean business" all over it.