For the stated purposes, your friend needs a big hard drive, but only average processor speed and RAM.
Hard drive and RAM are pretty straightforward, more is better. It is good to have RAM with upgradable capacity which gives you an option for improving your machine as it ages.
This site
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/index.php assesses CPUs. Nerds all around the world log their new systems onto it to see how fast they can go. The site runs them through some standard tests and records and shares the results. It has over 1,200 CPUs rated, most of them obsolete, but all current ones are there.
It is worth studying the list before you visit a shop to get an idea of the level of detail of information you would need. Most mass-market stores (well, here, anyway) will just write "Intel core i3" and expect you to be impressed.
Turns out the choices are more like
Quote:
CPU Name
Intel Core i3 330M @ 2.13GHz
Intel Core i3 330UM @ 1.20GHz
Intel Core i3 350M @ 2.27GHz
Intel Core i3 370M @ 2.40GHz
Intel Core i3 380M @ 2.53GHz
Intel Core i3 380UM @ 1.33GHz
Intel Core i3 390M @ 2.67GHz
Intel Core i3 530 @ 2.93GHz
Intel Core i3 540 @ 3.07GHz
Intel Core i3 550 @ 3.20GHz
Intel Core i3 560 @ 3.33GHz
Intel Core i3-2100 @ 3.10GHz
Intel Core i3-2100T @ 2.50GHz
Intel Core i3-2105 @ 3.10GHz
Intel Core i3-2120 @ 3.30GHz
Intel Core i3-2120T @ 2.60GHz
Intel Core i3-2125 @ 3.30GHz
Intel Core i3-2130 @ 3.40GHz
Intel Core i3-2310M @ 2.10GHz
Intel Core i3-2330M @ 2.20GHz
Intel Core i3-2357M @ 1.30GHz
Intel Core i3-2367M @ 1.40GHz
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The processing speed scores for these models vary from 1650 to 4478, around 2.5 times faster.
Your friend doesn't need a really wizz-bang processor. An i3 or maybe an i5 would probably be suitable. An i7 would be overkill.