ItchyUranium said:
You can have your cake and eat it too. I got a Dell XPS L501X off of Craigslist four years ago for $400. I Love it. Excellent media device, awesome sound, HDMI support and it is even great at gaming with low to mid range graphics. I tend to plug it into my T.V. often and play on steam with an Xbox controller or just game the good old-fashioned way. I would highly suggest looking for used laptops or desktops if you want a good machine and don't want to pay $800-$1200 to get one. Another great place to shop would be TigerDirect they have always got insane sales on computer hardware.
Not sure what the rules are on replying to old topics, but I'd like to say the following:
1. If you want a good PC, you're better off building. Especially if you want to game. Get a good case, get a good power supply. I haven't bought a pre-built PC in years (from Dell, etc), but we have many at the church, and the power supply is almost always a joke. If you build a PC, you will have more upgrade options. There are tons of sites to help you.
2. You probably shouldn't spend more than $800 unless you really know what you're doing.
2b. You probably shouldn't get a laptop unless you're absolutely positive you need one. If you need to "just type notes," you can probably get a keyboard for your smartphone or tablet, or get a Chromebook (they kind of laptops, but not really.)
3. Get a gaming mouse, even if you never game. It will change your life. Get one with extra buttons. I have a Logitech G500. The mouse wheel tilts left/right (back/forward when browsing) as well as clicking like an actual button (I use it to refresh) plus buttons on the side (maximize and minimize), although you can set all the buttons to do just about anything you want.)
4. Don't shop at tiger direct. Go to slickdeals.net and be prepared to wait several months for truly great deals. If you can't wait, try Amazon, NewEgg, MrRebates (you can search multiple stores), and Google Shopping.
5. Get a gaming mouse. B)