Purchasing a new laptop...

Hello,

I'm looking to buy a new laptop in the price range of $500-$1000. I've been looking at some Dell and HP laptops; however, to be honest, they all look about the same.

Now I see a bunch of specifications (just like any typical computers) that a laptop contains, such as CPU type, memory size, hard disk size, etc. What's the minimum specifications that you guys recommend for someone who will use the laptop for typing and saving large amounts of documents, surfing the Net (w/o much slow downs), downloading and listening mp3, etc? What's typically a reliable laptop brand, with good customer support?

 

Min... for me and just me
core 2 duo
320 gig hd
xp pro
NVIDIA GeForce
built in wireless
15.4 screen

most important 3 year parts and labor warranty, after that most people will just upgrade to a new one.