This thread is extremely helpful since I have to buy a new laptop because I'm retiring and have to give back my trusty ThinkPad x120e.

Here's what I want:
an Intel 4th gen processor
a solid state drive at least 256 G
a screen that doesn't have absurd resolution that makes everything tiny
small, lightweight, durable
Windows 7 pro

Here's what I don't know:
Would a 128 GB solid state drive leave me any room for anything, or would I have to depend on the cloud / external drives?

What about hybrid drives?

Is it time for me to bite the bullet and try Windows 8?

Work is offering me a ThinkPad 11e with a 1.86 Celeron processor, 8 GB ram, 128 GB SSD, for about $700. Windows 7 pro. I'm leary of the Celeron processor -- the processor is the weak link on my X120e.

I'm looking at the Dell outlet site (thanks, nkedel) at an assortment of choices, starting with a 3330 with a hybrid drive and working my way all the way up to a 7240.

I would like to keep this under $1000. And it has to be a windows machine, for a whole assortment of valid (to me) reasons, so the Mac Book Air is not an option.