UPDATE.
I got the HP ENVY dv6-7246us 15.6" Laptop from Staples for $499 after $50 rebate.
http://www.staples.com/HP-ENVY-dv6-7246us-156-Laptop/product_1019366GB of RAM and 640GB of HDD. Runs on 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i5-3210M 2.50GHz with Turbo Boost.
LOTS OF VALUE for the money.
Pros:- Great performance
- Great video streaming
- Great beats audio
- Connects to my Comcast wi-fi and internet speed is fast
- Does not heat up... has a cooling fan that is quiet and just works to prevent overheating of the laptop. Love this feature of the laptop!
- Has Intel processor which I like
The only complaints:- Screen viewing angles are bad; the resolution is not as good; can't adjust the screen contrast. All you can do is adjust the brightness.
- Battery charge is 2.5-3.5 hours, not 6-7 hours like I wanted.
- Comes with Windows 8, which I don't like so far... would much rather prefer Windows 7 but eh, whatever... I'll try to get used to it.
- No more Start menu with Windows 8, which means shutting down the dang laptop is a hidden step. Different ways to get to the Power Off setting... basically it requires a few more steps and shortcut keys... shouldn't be that hard to turn off your computer!
Overall, I am pretty satisfied and I would recommend this particular model to anyone.