Notebook Deal < $1200 US?

I need to get a notebook computer soon and am looking at this option right now

Dell Deal I am looking at...
http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/f...DHS1&l=en&s=dhs

If i get this, how much better is the LCD upgrade? How much more hours will the battery upgrade give me (53 whr vs 80) ($40 canadian)

I have the option to either pick this up or to get a deal from Hong Kong. What do you think is a better option? I live in Canada so so by 1500 I mean in Canadian $$.. So around 1200 American?

And if I want to reinstall the Dell Windows XP Home (I am getting scared of Microsoft), do I need to ask for their "backup" cd? ($10 canadian) Or does a normal Windows XP Home Edition CD (non Dell Edition) work?

I am looking for a Pentium M with 512 MB of ram. What can I expect around this price?

 

Check the deal sites, you can probably get a widescreen Inspiron 9300 with all that and WinXP MCE for under $1000. I did. (No case, no memory key, however.)

 

What kind of deal sites I don't really know any...