Consistent 7+ hour battery life with HD+ resolution, possible?

[nottoolate]

Hey guys, thanks for the help. I'll be using this laptop to take notes during my grad school classes. I have, max, 7 hours of class a day and I won't be using wifi during these times. I would prefer to have better than 720 resolution as I like to view documents tiled side by side.

Also with regards to the price, I would prefer a laptop that won't break down on me in the next 4 years, so I am prepared to pay accordingly. That being said, I know some laptop prices have dropped to much lower than they were 4 years ago.

Thanks again for the help. I've been looking around frantically and appreciate your input!

So far I've been considering Samsung Series 9 15" or Thinkpad T420. Since I plan to use this laptop for the long haul, replaceable batteries will be more useful. But the Series 9 looks so nice!

What is your budget?
$1400 max, but the cheaper the better.

What country will you be buying this in?
USA

What size notebook do you prefer?
Ultraportable (11 - 12-inch screen)
Thin and Light (13 - 14-inch screen)

What brands do you like or dislike?
Dislike: Acer, HP, VAIO

Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
Maybe

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Web Surfing, Office and Productivity Software, Video Chat and Conference

May use to audio record lectures if audio quality is usable.

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will be used different places

How many hours of battery life do you need?
7+

Will you be buying online or in store?
online or in store

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
High Resolution (1600 x 900)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Glossy or Matte is fine

Is the laptops design important to you?
Yes

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 07/10/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
4+ years

How much storage capacity do you need?
160 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
No

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
No

[ZaZ]

I got 8:45 minutes on the T430. I would expect the same for the T420. It'll offer you a HD+ screen, but the screen is average quality wise.

[nottoolate]

Thanks. Woops I meant T430 haha. Is that battery life with the 9 cell or 6 cell? The only way I can get that kind of battery life is if I go with Thinkpad huh?

[Jarhead]

I second the T430 as well. Also consider the T530 if you want to try out the FHD display (1080p, 270 nit...iirc the T430 is 220 nit). And the 8:45 is from the 9-cell battery, should expect around 6-7 hours with the 6-cell. T530 with a 9-cell should be about the same.