Which CPU, GPU and HD for my Inspiron 1520?

Hello!

I am planning to buy an Inspiron 1520. Basically I spend my time:
- surfing the Web, dealing with e-mail and using Open Office;
- now and again I archive, view and edit my photos;
- I also plan to convert our Hi-8 videos cassettes to DVD and then edit them.
- occasionally I use specialist software for genealogy and for planning hiking trips with a Garmin GPS.
- I do not play games.

For most tasks I use Ubuntu, but the specialist software runs on Windows. Dell are willing to install XP instead of Vista on the Inspiron.

What CPU (Intel T5250 or T7250...), GPU (NVidia 8400GS or 8600GT...) and HD (5400 or 7200 tpm) would you recommend for my needs?

I attach a lot of importance to having a laptop that is as quiet and as cool as possible (I use my laptop a lot on my knees as I sit in an armchair in the quiet of our sitting room at night). But at the same time I want my new machine to be as fast as possible and not to date too quickly.

My present laptop is a four-year old Acer TM 800 with a Pentium M and a 30 Go HD. With Windows and Ubuntu both installed, I have little HD space left and things run very slowly on Windows.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Eamann

 

CPU-T7300 or up (have more cache & good for encoding stuff)
GPU-8400M GT
HDD- 7200Rpm (Good for large files)

 

fast proccessor the better.
the slowest GPU is good(intel)
a fast hdd is a good idea.

 

You don't need anything more powerful than the T7300. As for the graphics, don't choose the X3100, you could later regret it. The 8400GS is not too expensive and if you later want to use some moderately graphic intensive apps it will come handy.
I would say that if you use your notebook mostly on your lap, get a 5400RPM HDD, its cooler.