I'd get a Circuit City card and buy one there. They usually always offer the no interest and financing for at leat 1 year, especially at the end of the year when they are desperate to get rid of their stock to avoid paying taxes on their excess merchandise.
I personally can't recommend any particular brand, as I'm a desktop user. But do avoid Compaq. HP might be alright, but I'd say a Sony laptop might be ideal (despite the premium tacked onto the pricetag just for the Sony name). I read that HP and Compaq are offering record lows for all their desktops and laptops, but do stay away from the Compaqs' unless you are a glutton for punishment.
But Gateway or Dell are good options too. You can order online might still be able to opt for the monthly payments. In addition, ordering online gives you some customizing options. Scrap what you don't need in favor of a slight boost, such as a RAM upgrade or better onboard graphics like a Radeon Mobility 7500 (32MB). The Radeon covers your mentioned needs. And, due to the Radeon 9000 Mobility, the 7500 should be an affordable option. Get at least 256MB of RAM and you should be all set. Don't worry about hard drives though, since they are slower than a desktop hard drive. Around 40GB should be fine.
Check this random example out for an idea what to aim for:
http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/produc...inspn_4150.htm 
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