Does it always have to be expensive? For about 500 Euro (~$680), Acer sells their Aspire E1-771. The 17.3-inch notebook with an Intel Core i-CPU competes as an office machine - but is the system with its killer price a worthwhile investment?
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Aspire-E1-771-33114G50Mnii-Notebook-Review.119002.0.html