Definitely both solid brands, but between those two I would pick the ASUS. You get .4" more of screen, the graphics card has 90 more M's, the 7200 RPM HD as opposed to the lenovo's meager 5400. Since you are looking at laptops with dedicated graphics cards I'm assuming they will be used for at least some incidental gaming, so those will all make a difference, though it will also likely affect battery life. But what would seal the deal for me is: Accidental Damage Warranty 1 year ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty - Drops, Fire, Spill, Surge. I didn't know laptops came with stuff like that!