Looking to buy a higher-end Windows 7 laptop, but I'm concerned about the issue with the Intel Sandy Bridge chipset. Otherwise, my price range covers laptops within the latest (Sandy Bridge) generation of the Core i7 family.

I understand that there is an issue with SATA ports 2-5 and I use a Windows Home Server over a WiFi connection to share files and backup my PC. The other storage devices that I will use (less frequently) are the built-in DVD-RW disc drive and various devices hooked up to the USB ports (i.e. Android devices, iPod, etc.). The question: Will this setup be negatively impacted by the problem Intel reported about Sandy Bridge? Given this information, is it unwise to purchase a laptop that has this flaw?

I really don't know how to determine whether a device is SATA driven or not, so hoping someone can shed some light on this too. Thanks!