It's that time of year again, I need to purchase a new laptop. Instead of relying on the search engines to find reviews, I've found in the past that people that visit my site are probably the only experts I really need to take advice from. You guys are absolute tech geniuses!

This time around, all I need is a laptop with Linux in the $500-$1000 (USD) range. I likely will dual-boot the laptop with Windows, but it is Linux compatibility I'm most concerned about. My choice in Linux distribution is Ubuntu or Redhat/Fedora Core. So if you've recently bought a laptop that is close to these specifications, how well does it run Linux? Would you recommend that I buy a similar laptop for my next purchase?

Any advice, tips, or reviews is appreciated!