Laptop Purchasing Guidance

I’m looking for clear, unbiased help choosing and buying a laptop geared toward professional work. I know I need a laptop rather than a desktop, but the market moves fast and I don’t want to waste money on specs I won’t use—or miss out on features that would make my day-to-day workflow smoother... (Budget: $10 - $30 USD, Jobs: Consumer Products, Market Analysis, Product Consulting, Product Management, Product Marketing, Product Research, Research, Technical Writing)