I need a new Win7 laptop for musical use in live performance... (Rompler) and... at most as a stereo field recorder... or perhaps to take a feed from the house mix.

I currently use an old Korg ws. It's getting to the end and I was about to look at a newer version, but then I realised that this is 2011, plus I already have all the extra licenses/[="http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/68955-35-need-recommendation-budget-laptop-music-live-performance#"]software[/]="http://www.tomshard…"]software[/] I need from my studio to do this if I simply connect a MIDI controller and an external USB/Firewire audio interface.

I have no need for anything beyond stereo recording or output. Just need it to be reliable. The other 6 days a week it will be used to browse the web and do e-mail and that's about it. Maybe -any- of the current ones will do what I need (my current [[url=http://="http://www.tomshard…"]laptop[/]="http://www.tomshard…"]laptop[/] is 7 years old and runs a P4 so I'm totally out of touch with what's au courante.)

In desktops, the main thing that really matters for (most) [="http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/68955-35-need-recommendation-budget-laptop-music-live-performance#"]music apps[/]="http://www.tomshard…"]music apps[/] is a 7200rpm drive. Graphics is irrelevant and in fact, most guys I know steer clear of anything with a fan.

I had to be in Office Depot today and found this:

[[url=http://="http://www.pcmag.co…"]http://www.pcmag.co… [...] ?tab=Specs[/]="http://www.pcmag.co…"]http://www.pcmag.co… [...] ?tab=Specs[/]

For prox. $500 out the door (well... $550... and then a $50 mail rebate). And I keep lookin' for a timebomb, but so far I don't see one.

7200rpm drive? Check
Core i5 http://www.tomshard…"]processor[/]="http://www.tomshard…"]processor[/]? Check.
Super lightweight? Check.
5hr battery life? Check.
4GB DDR3 RAM (upgradable to 8) Check.

No firewire or USB3, but I really only need USB for MIDI in and audio, right?

For use strictly to web surf... and as a glorified Rompler, what can go wrong?

I ask because I haven't actually -opened- it yet. Just waiting to see if there's anything obvious I've missed that's a dealbreaker.

Thoughts? THANKS IN ADVANCE!

---JC