Need a new laptop for < $600. Suggestions?

[garbon]

Note, I'm still not sold on the ribbons in office. The drop down menus were certainly a pain, but the ribbons seem just as confusing as I'm always having to turn to Google to relearn how to do things. Especially doesn't help that they appear to update locations of various tasks in newer versions.

[MadBurgerMaker]

You don't like it's face.  Fair enough. 

In terms of basic functionality it isn't all that much different though, and doesn't require much in the way of "learning a new layout."  Microsoft could definitely have done a better job of documenting things though for people who might need it.  Search, for an easy example, is exactly the same as Win 7 only there's no actual box on the screen until you start typing (press the windows key and start typing and there it goes), although I understand they've addressed this a bit in 8.1 (and there's also a search box). 

[garbon]

[MadBurgerMaker]

Oh you're going to be like that?  It's a start menu.  It's not that hard to figure out.

Note, I'm still not sold on the ribbons in office. The drop down menus were certainly a pain, but the ribbons seem just as confusing as I'm always having to turn to Google to relearn how to do things. Especially doesn't help that they appear to update locations of various tasks in newer versions.

This thing brings back menus if you don't like them:  http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/dont-ms-office-ribbon-bring-back-proper-menus.htm

Doesn't appear to work with 13, which I use, or I'd test it out for you.