Do you need it 'now'... lets be honest I doubt many graphic design companies are going to be hiring right now with the economy like it is or are you looking at freelancing.
As to laptops being unreliable... can't say I've had that issue with the ones I've had...
You could get something like this dell
Dell provides technology solutions, services & support. Buy Laptops, Touch Screen PCs, Desktops, Servers, Storage, Monitors, Gaming & Accessories
www.dell.com
If you could push funds a little further you could get something like this HP
They might both be cheaper if you shop around....note the 16GB of ram though, that is a bare minimum imo