Ok. I think the minimum you need in a laptop nowadays is an i3 processor and 4GB ram. Having these two specs will somewhat future-proof your notebook for a few years. Given that as a starting point, I've had a bit of a look around to see what would be the cheapest ... I mean the most cost-effective option available.
Here's the best value 4GB laptop with an i3 processor I could find:
Lenovo G560-06798HM
CPU: Intel Core i3 370 2.4GHz
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 4GB DDR3
HDD: 500GB SATA
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500
Integrated VGA Screen: 15.6” LED Monitor (1366x768)
* 1yr Warranty * WiFi 11N * Card Reader
* 2.7kg * 6 Cell Battery * HDMI * Webcam * eSata
Price is $449, but there's a $50 cashback offer. Plus you can buy it through MSY, which has stores in Cannington and Balcatta, so you won't have to pay a shipping charge. So, all up it's just
$399.00. It sounds like a pretty good bargain. Here's the
MSY website, and here's the
brochure listing their laptop deals (scroll down to page 4, and look for the $399 tag on the right hand side).
Don't know if you've ever been to an MSY store before, but here in Victoria they're an extremely basic, no-frills kind of store, so while you shouldn't expect great service, you can expect a great price.