First things first, regardless of the brand, it's the specs inside that matter.
Most basic laptops will come with a dual-core Celeron processor, 2 GB RAM, and 500GB of storage. This is sufficient (albeit barely) for basic use (browsing, MS Office).
However, if you want to multi-task and future-proof your laptop, the best upgrade you can get is an extra 2GB of RAM. 4GB RAM is the minimum nowadays for a lag-free experience.
Here's my suggestion:
Lenovo G40-30
Lenovo G40-30 14-inch Intel Celeron Quad Core N2940/4GB/500GB/Windows 8.1 | VillMan Computers
Already has a quad-core processor and 4GB RAM, for the same price as a dual-core 2GB RAM laptop (13k). 14" screen makes for easier viewing than an 11" laptop, with a more ergonomic keyboard as well. Looks very boring, but all basic laptops look boring.