Hard to recommend a specific laptop to you. I've heard some customer service horror stories from HP and Acer. I actually just bought a HP ProBook 5310M and it's a sexy and solid piece 'o hardward for under $1000, but designed for business and portability, not gaming :-(
Anyway,
NotebookCheck.com does very in-depth reviews to help you narrow down your choice, or at least reaffirm your decision...