My $.02
HP has made a lot of changes over the last 2 years. Their products are no longer the crappyness that they were.
I am a very very picky person when it comes to computers. I usually build all of my own systems and those of my immediate family and friends. I research every part/chipset in depth before I buy it. I don't have money to throw around so I make sure I get the best that my money can buy.
That being said, when I bought myself a laptop this past December, I bought a dv6000 series custom ordered from HP's site. I chose this unit because the 15.4" screen is a good compromise between weight and viewable area (I use two 19" widescreens at home, I am used to lots of space), the design and construction was appealing, and the parts and options available allowed me to build a system that would have enough umph to last me until I can afford to buy a new one.
When I specced it out I used the mindset that if it isn't a part that I can upgrade myself ( as in, I can install a bigger HDD, add more ram, but I can't swap proc's or swap vid cards), I picked a higher performance option.
For instance, in cpu choice, I could step up from whatever the base was to a 2.2ghz c2dm for $150, but to step up to a 2.4ghz c2dm would have added $250, an extra 200mhz was not worth $100 (and never will be. And yes, that was the only difference between the two chips).
The macbook air is a nice piece of hardware, but I would take the IBM/lenovo equivalent over the air.
It all depends on what you what. If you want small, go small. If you go below 14", I would not go with the HP because, while I love their current style/design, it doesn't scale down well. If you're fine with a 14-15" , I would highly recommend the HP. Plus, both HP and lenovo have 30% off coupons from time to time, which makes for an awesome deal.
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