MineCraft on pc & Buying a new Laptop

So Ive been watching the Pod casts on http://www.twitch.tv and noticed you can do so much more on the pc . Is there anyone still playing this on pc? I tried the demo out the other day and seems like it operates differently compared to the Xbox version. It looks like you can mod a lot in pc version as I'am watching guy at the moment use a portal gun that sucked everything out of the room 

So I've been thinking of buying a new laptop and looking for something that can handle some of the newer games. I've been told by others I should get a gaming desktop computer but my living situation just won't allow it so it has to be a laptop. Now I heard you can't get anything decent unless you spend over $1000.00 any suggestions / ideas are welcomed  

Thanks

GUL74/Eric