I only recommend hp and sony because their support is better than the rest. Every company makes a shitty product every now and then but how that company takes care of you is what I look for. Dell used to be the best in tearms of warranty and service support but they have dropped off lately. I hear a ton of horror stories about the lower end brands like acer, toshiba, etc…
Any of the laptops will work for the op and bics needs but if there is a problem with one of them, i would feel bad recommending a cheaper model just to save a few dollars.