I'm looking for a laptop. Problem is i'm in thailand so the customer service situation is kind of dreary here. Also I doubt anything super cutting edge will be available to me here. The computer stores tend to carry Dell, Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Sony, and HP.

My requirements are poker with some mild gaming. I'd like to run some semi-demanding games on an external monitor with a reasonable degree of proficiency.

I just need some help with what to expect and what to prioritize over what. It seems like most of the models over 500 usd have a 2gb ati or nvidia card, but I'm clueless on what the model numbers entail. One in ten has a 4gb graphics card. Maybe 20% have a 500gb hd + 24 or 32gb ssd. Most only have a conventional hard drive, and I've seen like 2 sony models that come with a 128gb ssd but no other hard drive.

Regarding SSD, is it something I should attach a high priority to? It seems really difficult to find a laptop that has an additional slot for hard drive so it would appear in most cases that I will have to choose between SSD and HD. Should I go with SSD and use external storage a lot, or what?

I know I'm all over the place here but I'd appreciate any input you can give me.