What computer should I get that is economical yet dependable?

I am looking to purchase a new laptop because the dell i have had for 5 or 6 years is just falling apart. I was looking at purchasing a mac but they just seem too expensive so I am looking for something dependable but cheaper than a mac preferably. I don't use my pc to play games or anything like that, I guess what i would like out of it is something to be able to keep my music on, something with a built in webcam would be nice and then a computer that is somewhat fast with booting up and everything. Any advice would be useful because i just don't know where to start. What name brands would be good? Any advice as to what to look for? Thank you ahead of time for your answers.