SSD should be the standard for any laptop for a few years now. I agree on all other points, but that happens with any consumer advice thread. Enthusiast PC suggestions, road bike suggestions for a guy wanting comfort. No one gives a crap about OP actual usage.
It's more of trying to find the best bang for his buck (price range) than what he actually want to use it for. If we can find him a top-end system for $600, we don't care if he's just using it to take care of his Neopets during his log-dropping sessions.
FYI, Neopets aren't my thing. I'm all about playing Minesweeper and Chip's Challenge. Will I need an SSD for that?
Hey guys, with school back in session, I'd like to get a new laptop. The one I have isn't so bad. Asus touchscreen with 3rd gen i5 and 6gb of RAM as well as 24gb SSD to act as a hybrid drive with the 500gb HDD. I'm looking for something: light, powerful, touchscreen and good battery life. So far, I'm really liking the HP Spectre. Was wondering what anyone else thought would be a good choice. Thanks in advance!
Here is Techradar's latest laptop ratings from this month which might give you some ideas. And here is PCmag.com's list from August 28th. And one from laptopmag.com from August 10th. Find a model that has the specs you want and read as many reviews as you can, and see what else is available at the same price point with good reviews. My fiancé has been very happy with her Surface pro 3 to the point that she uses it as her primary computer at work and home, but I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft releases a Surface 4 fairly soon. Just depends on what specs you are looking for, what you are going to do with it, and how much you want to spend as to what is "best" for each user.