Laptop Scoring Workstation?

[ericrich59]

Hello all,

I'm getting ready to by a new laptop for use as a mobile scoring workstation. I'm a composer working primarily in "large" acoustic media:
-Wind Ensembles/Concert Bands
-Large Jazz Ensembles
-Orchestra, etc.

I'd like to buy a notebook that I can use to:
1. score with Finale
2. playback with GPO, MOTU Symph. Inst, Kontakt 2 or MachFive 2. (I'm still sorting the whole soft-sampler thing out. Someone sent me some MOTU Symph. Inst. demos which sounded VERY good (IMO).)
3. Render an audio demo for my clients.

Do you think a maxed out (2 GB RAM, etx.) 17" PowerBook is up to creating a 20 - 25 instruments,
cranking out a good deal of polyphony, AND running Finale and an audio capture program?!?

I've been a Mac guy using Finale since the late 80's. Up to now, I've been working on Mac desktop sytstems.
However, with all of the FinaleMac 2006 "issues", along with the general advice I've been given that I can get a much more powerful Windows laptop for the money that a Mac - I'm thinking of going over to the Dark Side.

HowEVer...I just bought my wife a new 20" iMac which is very cool...it seems to run Tiger very well. Now, I'm REALLY hating the idea of leaving the Mac world. I'm in a real quandry. Any constructive advice or commentary would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
Eric