I need to buy a new laptop and I have no idea where to start. I want a Windows (8.1 probably) that is light enough to carry around university campus all day and has a long battery life to match. Otherwise, the specs don't really matter. I game a bit on Steam and use Chrome, social media, and tonnes of docs/pics/pdfs/music files but not actual hardcore software. I'm also kind of very much broke so the cheaper, the better.
What kind of laptop should I get? Looking for Windows, cheap, light?
Guest
Light with long battery means an UltraBook, so look through those.
Mainstream Windows laptop mfg ratings:
Lenovo is the number one, followed by Asus, HP, Dell, and Samsung.
At the bottom of the pile are, from the bottom up, Sony, Acer/Gateway, and Toshiba.
Purchasing a laptop is a highly personal decision. You need to decide what type of keyboard you want: do you want a full sized keyboard or are you okay with something smaller? Do you like or despise the chicklet keyboards like apple uses? Do you want a backlit keyboard? Do you want a numeric keypad? Do you want a touchpad and/or point stick? Do you want 2 mouse buttons or 3? Do you want them above or below the touchpad? How large a screen: 13"? 14"? 15.6"? 17"? If you are highly mobile, then smaller is lighter. If you don't move around much then bigger means heavier but a much more visible screen. These are all things to ponder which have a significant impact on how happy you are with your laptop experience.
tumbleweed_biff