Need an Ultrabook by mid-August! Buy now or wait?

I'm heading to law school in TN in August, and I have made up my mind about a new laptop purchase - I want to buy an ultrabook. My current Toshiba A305 series has treated me very, very well, and it is still running like a champ, although I feel that having used it as my every-day computer, as well as taking it on numerous trips around Japan, have taken their toll. The battery life just isn't the same, even after replacing the battery, and the machine itself is simply too bulky. Plus it lacks a lot of features I want, like an HDMI port, an SSD, and a USB 3.0 port.

As I do travel a lot, and will probably be taking my computer with me every day to class, I was thinking that an ultrabook would be the best thing for me, especially since they have come down a lot in price.

With regards to the type of stuff I do on the computer:

Web browsing, listening to music, skype, watching HD movies (often hooking up my computer to my TV), and light music/video editing.

I don't game at all, so a crazy graphics card is not a requirement. I also have an external 1TB HD so storage is not a huge issue, which is why I am set on a 128 GB SSD (minimum).

It seems to me that for someone in my situation, an ultrabook is the best bet, but I want to make sure I get the right one at the right price.

A while back I missed the Portege z835 for about $500, and I'm kicking myself for missing out on it. Everyone seems to think it's a very solid computer, and I love the weight and design (I'm also a big Toshiba fan). One of my concerns about that particular model is that the i3 processor might be a bit too slow. Is it still a lot faster than the core 2 duo in my current computer?

Finally, I heard about new Ivy Bridge ultrabooks coming out in the near future, so I'm not sure when I should buy. Should I just wait for those chips and windows 8 in the new line of ultrabooks? Should I hold out a few more months and pick up one of the current generation of ultrabooks assuming they will be discounted even further, as my needs don't really necessitate the very best.

Sorry for all the random questions. Essentially I just want another computer with great specs that I can use for the next 3-4 years that has the following:

ssd (at least 128 gb)
HDMI out
USB 3.0
13" screen
backlit keyboard if possible
i5 processor (i3 is acceptable)

Priced under $700, but ideally withing the $5-600 range

Any advice is really appreciated.

Thanks very much for your insight, and for all the great deals up until now.

-Eggy

Check out these reviews if you have not seen them before.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/584...21a-review

http://www.anandtech.com/show/587...k-review/1

I'm looking for basically the same thing and would like to get one by the end of the month. The most demanding thing I'll be doing is watching HD movies from the HDD or streaming them from another PC. The only other feature I'd really like that you didnt mention is WiDi.

Quote from Trueegg : ssd (at least 128 gb) Priced under $700, but ideally withing the $5-600 range

For under $700, consider getting a Sleekbook (Starting at $400 w/ 500GB HDD) or the Acer/Asus Ultrabook(Lowest is $600 w/ 20GB SSD 320GB HDD). Waiting 1-2 month is a good move too.DEAD! --- HP Envy 4t i3- $400, or HP Envy 6t w/ Core i5-$500

Quote from explore777 : Check out these reviews if you have not seen them before. http://www.anandtech.com/show/584...21a-review http://www.anandtech.com/show/587...k-review/1

Thank you very much for those. The Zenbook is what I wanted originally, but I was always worried about Asus quality, and the reports that the first gen was riddled with problems is what kept me away. The new line looks fantastic, and the ux32 is priced really well. I will likely pick one of these up if I can get a good deal.

Quote from pph : I'm looking for basically the same thing and would like to get one by the end of the month. The most demanding thing I'll be doing is watching HD movies from the HDD or streaming them from another PC. The only other feature I'd really like that you didnt mention is WiDi.

Good point. WiDi would be awesome. I hate always having to connect my computer.

Quote from FAL : For under $700, consider getting a Sleekbook (Starting at $400 w/ 500GB HDD) or the Acer/Asus Ultrabook(Lowest is $600 w/ 20GB SSD 320GB HDD). Waiting 1-2 month is a good move too.DEAD! --- HP Envy 4t i3- $400, or HP Envy 6t w/ Core i5-$500

Hey FAL,

none of those are bad ideas, but the Sleekbooks I'm not huge on because they are much heavier and they start with regular HDDs, as do some of those ultrabooks

It is often cheaper to buy with a hard drive and buy your own ssd .