My hard disk died last night after the fan stopped working, and now I guess I gotta get a new laptop. I don’t know anything about computers, so I need some help finding something that can run Minecraft decently for $400 or less.
Also, might it be cheaper to just get it repaired? Is that a thing?
It wasn't a dumb mistake, those screw retainers are designed to dry up and crack after 2 years.
My suggestion is a used, office surplus T or X ThinkPad. They are extremely easy to find online, the keyboard is a dream, easy to repair (Lenovo publishes detailed repair manuals and sells spare parts with overnight shipping on their website) and they can withstand casual drops.