I have a Toshiba entry level laptop I bought recently for under $400. It only came with 3Gb RAM so I upped it to 8Gb. I use it for my DVD video work and to play games. I use my Dell Inspiron at 4Gb RAM for all my other work and web surfing. I don’t see why one of these lower-end laptops wouldn’t work for you based on what you’ve written.
I haven't done my research yet, but the main thing I'll need is a lot of RAM and a screen with good color that I can calibrate. Thank you for your suggestions. I appreciate it.