The important thing missing from the Toshiba A55 is DEDICATED video memory. On a desktop, you can buy integrated video and then add a dedicated video card (ATI or Nvidia in most cases) later at any time (and upgrade more than once).

On a notebook, you can add memory (but limited by 2 slots), change hard drives for speed and capacity, update the wi-fi minipci card, and even update the processor in some cases.

But you cannot upgrade the video card (at least not without tearing apart the entire machine and it is usually soldered as well).

So, that is the main thing that makes the Toshiba M35 series better than the Toshiba A55.

An advantage for Toshiba DVD burners that some other manufacturers don't have is that it burns both DVD - and DVD + (HP only burns DVD +).

Now, note that Toshiba has a 10% discount right now online for any custom order notebook. The only drawback to that is you have to wait a bit longer to receive it versus a prebuilt system. So, if you going to a college in late August you have to order right away.

The M35S456 is an outstanding prebuilt model (see it at Toshiba website or Circuit City). It has the Trubrite XGA 15.4" widescreen LCD as well, the 1.7 Dothan Pentium M (new 2mb L2 system cache -- older Pentium M's had only 1mb cache -- anything 705 or lower is old -- 715 and up is Dothan), a DVD burner, 64mb dedicated video memory, 80gb hard drive, 54g/b wi-fi, 512mb RAM, etc. It weighs 6.2 pounds and will get 3.5-4 hours of battery using wi-fi or more without (but similar if playing or burning DVD's),

That is nearly a perfect machine for you but its retail price is $1999. You can't get the 10% discount on a prebuilt Toshiba notebook. They have put this on sale for $1850 twice in the past month but that is still too high for you.

So, if your order custom you can save 10% and you could just order 256mb RAM (and save money by adding your own 256mb or more later) and you can order a 60gb hard drive instead of 80gb, consider the 32mb dedicated video (about $50-75 less, etc). Also move down to the 715 Pentium M 715 1.5 or the 725 Pentium M 1.6ghz and that will save you 100-200 over the Pentium 735 1.7 in the prebuilt. That will get you into the $1500 price range or below.

Also, note the Compaq X1000 series I have (same as HPZT3000 series) is nearly identical in specs but it weighs 6.5 pounds. It can be equipped custom with a DVD burner (most people get CD-RW/DVD ROM which is $200 less) but it is DVD + only.

HP/Compaq has a 6% APP (college discount program), rebates, and other possible discounts.

See X1000forums.com about these notebooks. See notebookforums.com for Toshiba and Dell forums.

Acer has some good models out but the ones I have seen that would meet your specifications are over $1500 so I don't think that model may have all the stuff the Toshiba M35 series (M30 custom order) or HPZT3000/Compaq X1000 have (HPshopping).