Best price for a HP dv7t?

[MillCreek]

As a graduation present, my daughter would like a HP laptop: the dv7t with 4 GB RAM, 64 bit Vista and a docking station. I have done some Googling, but would be interested in the thoughts of APS as to the best price out there.

[AJ Dual]

Just as an aside...

Have you thought about offering her a $300 netbook for portability/wi-fi and a really kick-butt desktop system with a huge LCD monitor etc. for the same price?

From my initial searching with pricegrabber etc. it looks as though you're not going to get out the door for less than $1600.

And $1300 left over will buy A LOT of desktop PC.

Then you've got a notebook you can actually take with you, instead of a desktop-replacement class boat-anchor that just sits on a desk, but still costs more than a desktop because it still has a notebook miniturization price premium. And you get a second whole computer that has way more performance than even a high-end laptop because of all the power constraints.

[MillCreek]

She is leaving this fall to go attend school at the School for Visual Arts in NYC in the Illustration program.  So she wants a laptop that is recommended by the school.  I was astonished that an art school was not requiring their students to buy Macs; I thought that all the visual arts people used Macs these days.  The dorm rooms are absolutely tiny, and with the 3x2 foot desk available for each resident, the school recommends against desktops, and of course the students want to take a laptop to class for notes and doing actual work during the labs.  A netbook would not be able to handle the sort of graphics design and illustration programs she will be using.

My usual 'go to' place for computer stuff is NewEgg, but I will be interested to see any other vendor recommendations.