Solved! Just traded my new laptop...

[chillmelt]

Old laptop (bought Sept 1st): (only paid $550 from a Fry's deal)
http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834110470
+ Blu ray
-No USB 3.0
-eSATA

New laptop (bought at Labor Day):
http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834200286
+USB 3.0
+Smaller screen at same resolution as 1st laptop
+eSATA
-No blu-ray. I'm thinking blu ray players will be a dime a dozen just like DVD drives are now. A USB 3.0 plug however is basically irreplaceable.


The performance should be exactly the same, except I plugged new 8GB memory from a deal at Newegg for $35.99 (G-Skill DDR3 1333)

Did I make the right choice? I'm thinking of buying an i7 2630QM CPU if it's compatible with the Dell.

 

[Maziar]

If USB 3.0/eSATA were that much important for you,then yes you made the right choice;otherwise,both notebooks have the same specs so their performance is identical