simplify

Hi. I have done some research but feel no better educated than when I began. Maybe more confused even

I am looking for the best priced, lightweight, reliable laptop without bells and whistles to write a novel. I already have a desktop but want the laptop for the novel.

Don't need any bells and whistles. Just want to write and use thesaurus, dictionary, spell-check, etc. and be able to change fonts and margins, etc etc.

There seems to be no computers existing just for word processing so I am looking for a laptop that won't break in a year but won't break the bank. Those notebooks seem limited for my use.

Any ideas?? Dell has good prices on the internet but then I was comparing battery types in Dell....and the type of battery changes as the computer gets fancier and the price gets higher. I think that the battery must be really important.....and do not have any idea how long they hold a charge and so need a bit of education about that.

So if anyone can help me- I just want bare-bones with reliable inner "body parts" and the best price. But I also want a new computer and not a refurbished one.

Also I have no idea if I should buy or skip the extended warranty. And what I have been told by Best Buy and places like that I- that I need to install software like Office Suite to get the word processing abilities....I have seen a computer or so with Office Works already installed but then in a writer's forum....I saw that was inadequate for a couple of reasons so that Office Suite 2007 was better for writing a novel. I do not need spread sheets or music things....or internet capabilities but I know that I can't just get the word processing without some of those things as they come with the computers.

Thanks in advance,
Simplify