What laptop would be a good option for me?

I'm looking for a laptop, I'm getting back into education, and I'll need a laptop to take notes and research. I have a desktop at home, and my intention is to use the desktop for leisure and the laptop for work. I plan on being in the education system for 6 years minimum, and I'd like the laptop to last me that time. I have a fairly big budget, I'd like to keep it under 1.5k, but I'm not necessarily looking for a laptop for 1.5k, just for one that costs either that or less. Some of my main concerns are speed and battery life,a large battery life and an SSD are both mandatory. I'm expecting to use this laptop for at least 5 or 6 hours taking notes without the opportunity to charge. Longevity is another factor. I've seen some laptops which work great when first bought, but after some use usually develop problems. I plan on using the laptop to take notes, research and likely make some presentations. I've considered a Macbook Air. It's fairly powerful, falls within my budget range, it's portable, has an SSD, supposedly has great battery life, and, while it's a con for some people, due to the fact it's lacking in games, I won't be tempted to video game while I should be studying. What do you people think? Would this be a wise option? Or would I be able to get a much superior Windows laptop for cheaper?