Overrated budget options for newcomers [v1]

For context, I am working with a pretty modest budget so high-end suggestions probably will not land.

Spent the last few weekends digging into this and the deeper I go the more questions I have.

Quick context: I am relatively new to this and trying to find my footing. The trade-offs here are not obvious to me and I keep flip-flopping. Not sure if this is the right place to ask, mods please remove if it is not.