New Laptop

I was amazed at how sporty the 1G RAM equipped unit was.

Depending on your locale, you can try using demo units just for the purpose of look and feel, especially windoze ones. As for Apple based systems, if your lucky there is an Apple store or maybe some Apple vendor. This way you get a true feel for what you may want. Current windoze based systems have gotten less expensive, while Apple tend to be more. Either way, for most windoze based models the gambit of a selection is great and/or far more customized for certain models. Vendor or OEM websites can allow you to make your system as you like it and find the final pricing but more importantly just what is available as a typical offering as std. system. Check them out...

good luck -----Willy

I think you should first decide on the operating system. I'd say that the Mac OS requires less maintenance, and Windows needs looking after as time goes by. As Macs can run Windows these days that leaves some headroom down the line. For your usage either would work, but you can narrow the list down considering several aspects.
The last Apple laptop I've owned was an iBook (clamshell) and that thing was bulletproof. It withstood a lot of damage. In general I would say Apple laptops are the best in terms of fit and finish and are just pleasant to use. Apples, however, don't come cheap, so you'll be paying more, but in my opinion getting more. The Sony Vaio line is what I consider to be the next best thing. On the other end of the spectrum a family member recently got the least expensive Acer, and I have to say I like the updated graphite finish. Even at that price point the hardware didn't seem too underpowered for general tasks. 1Gb would be enough to work on the Macbook, but I would go for more. In any event you can upgrade the RAM later. Pardon the vague recommendation, but I would suggest factoring in budget, OS preference, and trying out the laptops in person. Happy shopping.