Manufacturers are packing more power and performance into these little boxes. For the same price, you're getting more stuff. Laptops were big and heavy, had lousy battery life and were wildly expensive. Battery life remains a concern, but manufacturers have overcome size and price issues to make life in the notebook lane an affordable reality. They make sense for people with jobs that stretch beyond sitting at a desk, but they also are suitable for writers, students, RV touring addicts, homemakers who chase toddlers around a house and so on.
Laptops are wildly addictive.
As soon as you've been unshackled, the liberation of computing where and when you want is bliss. The dual scan display isn't quite as sharp or bright as the active matrix, but if you plan on hooking the laptop to a desktop monitor and need only occasional mobility, the cash savings might tempt you. If you're using the laptop as a desktop replacement, you may need a larger screen. Unlike last year, a shortage of screens is not expected and supplies should be adequate through the holidays. It's an issue if you travel.