I am writing this here for posterity. All suggestions are welcome. I will definitely update this article as my requirements change.
Must have
- Screen: 14 to 15"
- CPU: Intel i5 or i7 (6th or 7th generation)
- RAM: 8GB or more
- SSD: 256GB or more
- Ports:
- USB-C port: 1 at least
- Video port: 1 at least (HDMI preferably)
- Debian-compatible
- Battery: must last for 5 hours at least
- A webcam
- Headphone jack
- Lightweight: less than 2.5kg
Optional but appreciated
- Charging over USB-C port
Not required (I don't mind having these features or not)
- Touch screen
- CD/DVD drive
I DON'T WANT
- A numeric keypad
- A MacBook
Laptops I considered buying at some point in 2017...
- Dell 7480
- Dell XPS 15 (although the screen is 15.6")
- Lenovo ThinkPad T470
Turned out I bought the Dell 7480.