Need help with S6231 configuration

Hi,

I'm planning to buy a S6231 notebook from portableone and was hoping for some advice on some configurations.
(1) Is it worth spending an extra $100 for the 1.7 GHz processor?
(2) Is it worth upgrading the hard drive to 5400rpm? Right now I'm torn between the 40GB 5400 rpm drive and the 60 GB 4200 rpm drive. I read somewhere that the 5400 rpm reduces the time to boot and time required to load software. Otherwise the difference is hardly perceptible. I also read that 7200 rpm drives run a bit warm and thus decided to exclude that option.
(3) Seems that I have to spend an extra $100 for XPP. Is the professional version more stable?
(4) I checked both portableone and Fujitsu websites for speeds for the DVD burner but couldn't find any information. Can anyone provide this info? I know Dell and HP provide 8x burners. If its too slow I guess I'll be better off with an external burner.
(5) Also no information seems to be available for dimensions and weight of the power adapter. If someone could provide this information it would be very nice.
I want to spend less than $1700 on the notebook and am trying to get the best configuration possible. I think all of you for the various inputs in advance.
PS. I called Fujitsu and portableone earlier today to find out when the new S6000 series will be released (with Sonoma). Both said that its unlikely that they'll be released anytime soon and the earliest would be summer.

 

1 & 2) If you are going to get one or the other, get the hard drive. You'll get the most bang there. I doubt you'd notice a differnce in the CPUs.
3) Unless you are in a networked environment, I'd get XP Home.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx
4) I think they are Panasonic Drives since they do DVD-R and DVD-RAM.
http://store.shopfujitsu.com/fpc/Ecommerce/SelectAccessoryDetail.jsp
5) It is no too big.






I know things, things that could get me killed


Thinkpad T41:
* 1.6Ghz Pentium M * 768Mb Memory * 40Gb Hitachi 7200RPM * Panasonic UJ-845-B DVD+RW *

 

The AC adapter will probably add 1 - 2 lbs in your bag. Rough estimate would be 10-15cm long (I don't have it near me so I'm just imagining the size in my head).


I'm of the opinion unless you plan to burn DVDs on the move you are always better off with an external DVD burner (or desktop burner).

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>PS. I called Fujitsu and portableone earlier today to find out when the new S6000 series will be released (with Sonoma). Both said that its unlikely that they'll be released anytime soon and the earliest would be summer.
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>Gee, wish I would have known that in January when I was ready to buy. Word was "new model coming in march". March gets here, then it gets pushed back to April. Now it's summer. Kinda obvious to not wait any longer, however, can we get some confirmation that the update won't come before summer? I'd hate to place my order and the next day see the sonoma update announced here.

-David