Suggestions for sub $400 laptop for light college work

[BH217]

Hello,

I need to buy a laptop to replace my dell venue 11 that my school "gave" to all incoming students. It came with a 32gb emmc and runs full windows 8.1, so the 32gb is completely full of OS and tracking software. I am needing a new computer that I can use in class and when I am not at home for research, word processing, taking notes, and some other things like that. I am an engineering major and I have a desktop with an i7 in it for doing CAD work and that stuff. I usually type my papers on it once I am home, but I am required to have a computer in class for some lectures. I just need something reliable, quick, decent battery life, and with a max screen size of 15.6 inches because I need to put it in my backpack. I am looking at a few currently, but am unsure of what to get. The links to those few are below, but I am open to other suggestions. I have no brand bias or store preference. Thank you.

http/www.amazon.com/dp/B00KMRGF3M/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=M8141TYQLBR7&coliid=IL311RI0VUZIB&psc=1

http/www.staples.com/Toshiba-Satellite-C55-B5170-Laptop/product_1545055

http/www.staples.com/Toshiba-L15W-B1320-Intel-Pentium-4GB-RAM-500GB-116-diagonal-widescreen-TruBrite/product_1344487

http/www.staples.com/Toshiba-C55-B5362-Intel-Core-i3-4GB-RAM-500GB-Hard-drive-156/product_1389315

http/www.staples.com/Lenovo-Flex-2-15D-Series-15-inch-Touchscreen-LED-Notebook-Intel-i3/product_1180100

 

[iceblitzed]

http/www.amazon.com/ASUS-15-6-Inch-Laptop-500GB-Drive/dp/B00HNWLYSK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1424121553&sr=8-4&keywords=asus+laptop

 

[jaguarskx]

Choose any of the laptops with the Core i3-40xx CPUs that you like. The other laptops have less powerful CPUs and should be ignored. I would get the Toshiba Satellite (C55-B5170) since it comes with 8GB for $350 and a 1TB drive.