I am in a situation a little different from others described in other posts, so I will try opening my own thread.
I am looking to buy a laptop, and someone else is paying for it. I can go as high as $1000, probably. But my requirements for performance are fairly lite: beyond Chrome, Notepad++, and some other programs (emulating PSX/N64), the most intensive thing I do with any regularity is run Sypder and other Python-related software for data analysis and machine learning. The computer I work with now has 8 gigs of ram and it's been totally fine.
If it were my own money I'd get something on the cheaper end. Since I'm not paying for it, though, I'm very interested in durability over time--it isn't likely that the next computer I buy after this one will be paid for by someone else. With that in mind, I'm looking for a laptop with a metal casing and a sturdy, compact feel. The weight makes little difference to me as long as it isn't made of lead.
To summarize, here are my requirements:
- Windows laptop
- Under $1000
- Minimum 8 gigs of ram
- Metal casing, sturdy feel
- Long-term reliability important
Alternatively, if you have any advice for navigating this situation, I'd appreciate it.