First off, you want the slowest (within reason)
processor (and for laptops Intel is better, more energy efficient and runs cooler). You want a butload of RAM. I suggest a gig. Most laptops have the ability to dual
monitor with the built in and an external. From experience, you get a laptop to be small and
portable, and you get a desktop for
power. If you try to go for both, you get a brick of a laptop with no PCI slots, an hour of battery, and that weighs about seven pounds. If you are planning on getting a desktop, a CD/DVD burner on a laptop is a stupid waste of money. First off, laptop drives are slow. Very slow. Second, because there is only one drive, copying a CD takes about three times as long as a dual-drive desktop configuration.
I personally like AMD's in desktops. If you are going hardcore sound recording, get a desktop. Laptops always have
latency problems with sound.
Before service pack 2, XP supported
DOS programs. That is why I have not upgraded yet.
Don't get me started on an alienware rant. They are not worth the price. As for "gaming laptops," no, just no. Alienware machines are fragile, not only physically but also driverwise. If you want a hardcore
system,
build it yourself.
Windows XP professional is definitely worth the upgrade if you want
system security. I can own a password protected and "heavily secure" home edition PC in about four minutes.