Advice on a Windows laptop...yeah I know.

[satchmo]

Perhaps I'm asking the wrong lot

I'm a Mac user myself, but looking to pick up a cheapish PC laptop for a host of reasons.
I'm hoping to get some advice from other Mac users who might be able to share their experiences.

Currently using a 2010 MBP 2.4 Core 2 Duo...
Looking for something naturally faster in a Windows laptop.

Would I be able to get something decent in the $500 range? I'm thinking Intel i5...would love i7 quad cores but think they're out of my budget. Hoping for a decent video card and 14" in size.

 

[MRrainer]

Display-resolution?
RAM?
HD/SSD?

But looking at the selection of my local favorite online-store, I'd say you will have to spend at least double that.
I only take into account Windows "Business" laptops with 8+GB of RAM. For non-business, you can aim as low and crappy as you want.
I also wouldn't trust any amazon reviews. People who buy 500 USD laptops don't really have any expectations and will say the laptop is "OK" if it's really just a piece of crap by Mac-standards.

If you watch this space, even people who quit Macs and OS X a long time ago still loath certain things in Wintel-Land (like the crappy touch-pads other vendors don't seem to be willing to fix - no wonder there's a booming market for notebook-mice and no wonder PC-laptops need at least one USB-port more...)

Things that might be worth looking at:
HP Elitebook 740 G2
various Dell Latitude Models
HP ProBook 640 G1
HP ZBook
and maybe the odd Fujitsu Lifebook if you can get hold of it.

all others I'd scrap
Looks like Lenovo doesn't do 14" right now.

Good luck.