Recommendation for a developer laptop, some gaming

[crickaloon]

Hello. Thanks for taking the time to read my first post.

I'm looking at getting a laptop for software development using Visual C# and VMWare to sandbox. Unfortunately, I was configuring a system on Malibal, but then I realized I really don't know much about the latest hardware technologies and really what I'd be paying for. Here are my answers to the pro-forma:

What is your budget?
<$2000 Although I really don't want to spend any more than I have to.

What country will you be buying this in?
USA

What size notebook do you prefer?
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)

Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
Maybe

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Office and Productivity Software, Computer Programming, Movie Streaming and Viewing, Casual Gaming

Virtual machine for sandboxed development.

What games will you be playing?
I might like to try Civilization 5, or Serious Sam or something. But I can live with low quality settings, and I don't want to be able to play Crysis or whatever is the cutting edge FPS.

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will stay on desk (mostly)

How many hours of battery life do you need?
3

Will you be buying online or in store?
online or in store

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
Max Resolution (1920 x 1080)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Matte is fine

Is the laptops design important to you?
No, unless it's uncomfortable to use

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 04/30/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
5+ years

How much storage capacity do you need?
160 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
Yes Well, actually more for performance during compiles, rather than storage.

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
Blu-Ray I might want to watch the odd movie. Although, on a 15.6" screen, will I even notice Blu-Ray quality?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks in advance for any suggestions you have.

[pepper_john]

Thinkpad W520 or the yet-to-be released W530.

[crickaloon]

Thanks! I'll look into that. I couldn't readily find any information about the W530. When is it to be released?

[pepper_john]

Thanks! I'll look into that. I couldn't readily find any information about the W530. When is it to be released?

I would guess W530 will be here after the next generation Ivy Bridge processor is released by Intel at the end of this month.

[npaladin2000]

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
Blu-Ray I might want to watch the odd movie. Although, on a 15.6" screen, will I even notice Blu-Ray quality?

DVD resolution is 480p. Minimum BluRay resolution is 720p, which is the base resolution on any current laptop screen. So yes, you'll notice. Whether you care or not is a different story.

Make absolutely sure you get a quad core machine if you're doing to be doing virtualization.

[crickaloon]

Thank you npaladin2000. That makes it a lot simpler.