Seriously thinking about buying a graphics tablet PC; a little help?

Seth,

Essentially, what I am looking for is a decent tablet PC to run an artwork application such as Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and a good note-taking application such as Windows OneNote 2007. I anticipate only really using it for sketching, note-taking for class, and writing/drawing on-the-go.

I would prefer as large a screen as possible, for my comfort in drawing and sketching.

Brand really isn't an issue, but if possible, I'm hoping for one that carries Wacom drivers, since they're top-of-the-line with pressure sensitivity; I'm mainly just seeking something of quality to draw and write comfortably with. Preferably with as little ink-lag as possible when doing such.

If my handwriting could be converted to text, that would be all the better for my English major and courses.

I would also like my pen to have an enabled eraser, where I can use it as though it were real, and not have to activate the erase function in whatever application I am using.

Hope this clears everything up, and I can make an affordable purchase. I'm leery to buy used in case screen damage/scratching is present, but if it's a solid product, buying new might not be such a bad idea for me. Let's cap the price at $1,500 or less, unless there's something out there that a little more money would be worth losing.

Could you also kindly explain your comment regarding 64-bit over 32-bit OS's, please? It seems to me the exact opposite; that I would notice a difference in usage day after day, after only using 32-bit all these years...then again, I suppose I would need a heavier processor, or no?

Thanks for all of this - Kegan