New laptop for college

I am going back to school in September, and I would like to get a new that is better then the one that I currently use which is Samsung R530. The only thing is that I don't know which laptop to get since there are quite a few out there to choose from. Here is what I would like for the laptop:

• I know that I do not want to spend more than $1000can or $770us before taxes.
• I do not need a touch screen
• I am not picky about the brand
• i5 or i7
• 8GB of ram
• 14" to 15.6" screen size
• I will be using it for the internet, Microsoft office, storing school work and pictures, and very light gaming
• I will be carrying the laptop pretty much everywhere for the next two years
• 5 or 6 hours of battery life, but more is welcomed
• I am most likely getting it from best buy in store
• would like 1080p, but 720p is fine
• I would like to get this laptop in the next 2 weeks
• would like it to last 2 or more years
• would like 500GB or more
• optical drive is optional

So please help me.

 

If you are going to use heavy software like video editing or animation, I agree with the 8GB of memory otherwise that may be excessive that a 4GB would suffice. We have been looking at a laptop with 15" screen but it's kind of very expensive compared to the 13" screen. With battery life, each brand has its own standard so I guess you have no option on that. From the posts here that we have been looking at because we are also going to buy a new laptop, there was one post that said ASUS is pretty good compared to HP and Acer. That may be food for thought.

 

I'm telling you that you don't need to spend anymore than $500 dollars for the specs that you ask for. Plenty of laptops out there from brands like HP, and Acer for example have plenty of basic use laptops with those specs. I paid $300 for my 500gb sata drive, 4gb memory, etc.

It works very well, it's 1080p, and there are more good specs for this one and it wasn't on sale. Technology is so cheap these days. Just don't let a sales man tell you what he wants you to have because they will try and get you to spend as much as they can if they are getting commissions from it. Best Buy does it, Frys, and some other ones.

 

Well all this makes me do is really miss that time in my life, and I am glad to see that someone is gearing up for it. It really is one of the better times of your life, and I know everyone says that, but it is probably for a reason. Things have come a long way, though, and I still remember getting my giant desktop up to the dorm room. I would say light and portable is the best way to go now, so basically the exact opposite of what I did.