Need a new laptop

So I don't have much time this next month before college starts again, and my old laptop that I bought for like 200 dollars (regularly 600, great deal) got a virus and basically imploded.

I need a new laptop that is fast and reliable but I'm not familiar with laptop brands, so I don't know which is the best to get for my needs. It has to be able to handle a lot of running applications, a lot of downloads and new software installations (both legit and illegal), and has a decent speaker/mic for lecture recording

Here are the specs I'd appreciate having:

Core i5 at least, i7 would be good
No less than 4GB RAM
Better than decent video card.. I want to be able to play games once in a while, ya know?
Webcam
No more than $1,200, shoot for the $600-800 range

The rest is for the dogs. If you have a suggestion, post a link to it. If no one can come up with anything I like, I'm just going to go with a Macbook Pro.

 

This has a pretty good price and it's a really nice laptop:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834215120

 

I was looking at a similar one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834215085

I don't mind paying 200 dollars more if it's worth it.. the only difference I see is the processor and the graphics. Which is better: Radeon HD 6470M? or Intel HD Graphics 3000?

 

Neither is particularly good but if you want to play games integrated intel graphics are horrible, and their drivers are even worse.

 

I suggest this.

http://sythe.org/showthread.php?t=1200142


For 1200, you get a rock solid laptop.

Core i7 2630qm, quad core @ 2.0ghz(2.9turbo) (4th best mobile processor you can buy right now)
8GB ddr3 1333mhz ram (expandable to 16)
Nvidia 460m 1.5gb dedicated gpu.
500gb 7200rpm drive, (no need for bigger, just get an externa;. But there is a place where you can install another HD if you like)
All the reviews are good.

I personally own this laptop and I couldn't be happier.