>>4 Gig should be fine.
>>
>>>Mostly writing articles in Word and doing presentations in PowerPoint.
>
>How about HP with 4GB and 500GB drive? My husband is at the store right now and they ask him which antivirus to install (and name 3 brands I only heard of Kaspresky and I don't think I heard anything good).
>
>Do you think he should take the HP?

seconding Craigs aversion of HP. Asus is ok, or check if one of [Fujitsu,Sony,Toshiba]
model differing traits fits your husbands fancy - they are more expensive, but also more solid.