Can someone suggest me the better cost/benefit notebook you guys know??

What will you do with and what is your budget?

I'll use it mainly for office applications and web... But I'd like to play some games on it... But none too demanding for the pc... My budget is someting around 1000 dollars... xD

My wife recently got a Dell 1505. It has an entry level Intel dual core, 1GB of RAM, DVD burner, 15"4 screen, and Windows Media and it's not a bad machine and it was around $800. I'd stay away from Acer, the Kid won a Ferrari and we've had it back twice, once for the screen and once for the mobo. I think both Gateway and Toshipa have pretty good reps. What I like about Dell is that for $10 you can get a Windows CD, which means you can format the machine when you get it and do a fressh install to get rid of the adware all companies put on their machine. I think they're going to start shipping with VIsta the end of the month so if you want Vista, wait till the 30th, which is when I think it'll be released. Personally, I'd get it now with XP because I don't like OS when they're first released because they're usually buggey and every time you install them you have do all the updates and SPs Microsoft will eventually come out with.

I deal with tech support all day long and can say Gateway is up there. I like their products and tech support is great. Just about any full size laptop with an integrated non Intel video card should be fine for you.

Hm... Now I see that I have some problems... I can't find these models in Brazil, where I live... And it seems that the prices get much higher than I expected because of importations taxes and all that fucking stuff that don't let average people buy even cheap things (in the USA ou Europe)... :?

Even a 600 dollars notebook here is very expensive...

I thought Dell sold worldwide but maybe not. Even if they did, it wouldn't solve the cost issue

I thought the same! But I couldn't even find the model you told me on Dell's brazilian site... xD

I believe the 1505 is an update of the 6000, e..g., it uses the same drivers, series and perhaps Dell didn't change the designation

I've owned a Toshiba, Sony, and Dell, in that order. The Toshiba blew a motherboard, but it was repaired under warrenty without much hassle, and worked flawlessly after that. The Sony was very nice and never gave me any trouble. The Dell, a 9300 Inspiron, is big. VERY big. TOO big to consider it to be very portable. And the lack of a built-in microphone has turned out to be a problem with my wife chatting to her relatives. (Saves me a big phone bill, though!) I would not recommend Dell if you are going to use their financial service, as they have the WORST customer service I ever experienced.
I suggest looking first for the features you want, make sure you get at least 1 meg of ram so it will run smoothly regardless of the processor, and get an extended warrenty. Almost any major brand should do nicely then, but I personally think next time I will go back to a Sony.

I have to give a vote for any ACER I personaly have had way too much success with them not to. And I mean in the hundreds of units sold that we support.