checkout this one Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6" , AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD It has 1691 STR and my laptop ( i5-3210M) have 1521 STR PCSX2 runs perfectly "on stranded resolution "
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6" Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RF1XD36/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iNdCDbP488A4C That’s the amazon link, and yeah from what I was able to google you can turn it off
It is quite impossible to answer that question properly, but I'll try anyway. I am not an expert, really, and I don't know your preferences.
Personally, I had my eyes on Acer Aspire 5, the AMD version. It seems to be, based on Amazon reviews and some Youtube reviews by reputable reviewers, lot of computer for the money. If you expand the RAM and add another SSD you can have a fairly decent computer for about $400. The build quality seems to be decent, but don't expect a Thinkpad or Macbook Pro for a $300 base price.
There are some other models that have popped up on Amazon's best-selling laptop list that I found interesting too. E.g, Lenovo Flex 14, but I can't say anything about. Just check the expandability, reviews and especially the screen specs before buying. I would not go below FHD for 14inch or bigger screens. For smaller screens a lower resolution can be fine.
If you went to r/linuxhardware you would get a lot of people to tell you to get a used Thinkpad of eBay. That is an interesting idea, but it depends on how much of a project you want. The all-inclusive price of a used computer is little uncertain since you don't know what you end up replacing beforehand, but I could certainly see something like T450s or T460s making a decent budget computer for sub $400.
If you are into Chromebooks I think HP X360 can be occasionally had for a ridiculously good price from Best Buy here in the US. Including the student discount, you can get the 8GB/64GB often for $399.