I'm looking for a new laptop to replace my PC, and unfortunately I'm not too familiar with laptop technology. My PC has a Sapphire HD 3650 graphics card with an Audigy 2ZS sound card.

My question is simple: What graphics card and sound card do I have to have in my laptop to at least match the technology I have now? I'm mainly asking because I see a lot of laptops with 'Intel 4500' graphics and I have no idea how that compares to an HD3650. I also have no clue about how good the onboard sound is. Thanks for any help, I appreciate it.

Anything else you can tell me about them compared to other laptops?

Is there a particular reason you picked those over other brands?

I've searched the boards for this question and it came up a lot, but I still don't have a sense of what the best laptop is for my situation.

Basically, I can't decide because I just have too many questions that I don't know the answers to. This is mainly in regards to technology. I haven't been following computer technology for years so I don't really know which of the modern options are better than others. In any case, let me tell you about what I'm looking for so hopefully you can help...

This laptop is for college work and a little bit of gaming. I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I like having a computer that CAN play a game (not necessarily on the best settings) if one comes out that I really want. Currently I play stuff like Madden08, UT2004, and the most recent game I bought is The Sims 3 which barely runs on this desktop. The only college stuff I would run would be programs like MATLAB and Solidworks, but I think these aren't a problem on any modern computer.

As for my budget, that sorta depends on the following question: how long do laptops last? I won't spend $1000 on a laptop that will die in 2 years. But if it can last 5 years, then I MIGHT consider it. But mainly for a budget I want of course as cheap as possible. Definitely the best bang for the buck. But for the sake of saying a number, let's say my budget is ~$700. Again, the cheaper the better.

Umm, I don't really know anything about batteries. Is there a difference between a 'great' battery and a 'good' battery? Is the better one worth the extra money?

I don't really know much about laptop widescreens, but I can tell you that I don't want a tiny screen. I'd say I'd like a screen 15-17 inches.

Is it worth waiting until the 'back to school' sales before getting a laptop?

Uhh that all the questions I can remember now. I'm sure I'll remember as people post suggestions. In advance, thank you for the help.

Hmm, I found this, it seems sorta close..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143069

But according to Newegg, there aren't any GeForce 8 or 9 AGP cards. At least they're not selling any.