In need of a laptop for running codes, or doing research

1_What is your budget?
around $1500.

2_What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?
15" or close

3_What screen resolution do you want?
Indifferent

4_Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?
Portable preferred.

5_How much battery life do you need?
Indifferent

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?
Mostly research (running matlab codes, statistical softwares, working with ArcGIS) and every once in a while playing video games.

7_What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing, surfing the web, playing music, watching movies, Etc.)
Surfing the web, playing music, watching movies, usual things.

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need?
at least 300GB

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post the links to them.
Dell, HP, indifferent actually.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop?
As long as possible

11_If you would like to mention some other things about purchasing your ideal laptop, post them.
I wouldn't mind a laptop where I can also play some video games, I'm not a huge gamer, (for example I played GTA:SA on a 12" laptop after 2 years it was released, and the graphic quality wasn't superb but it was fine).

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.
no Apple.

13_What country do you live in?
US