You need i7 quad core. More RAM is better (8GB at least) (also help your multi-tasking). 4GB RAM stick ~ RM100, 8GB ~ RM200. Also need discrete GPU.
For your budget, you can't get laptop that come with really good ventilation design So learn to make do with external cooling solution, e.g. cooling pad, table fan, ... (and it will get hot when you do rendering )

Asus
PRO45VJ-V0049X, i7-3520QM + Nvidia GT635M@RM3099[2.4kg], 8GB, 750GB, W7P

Lenovo
Y410p, i7-4700MQ + Nvidia GT755M(GDDR5)@RM2899, 4GB, 1TB, DOS, red backlit, 120w psu, swappable ODD, 2 years warranty
V480, i7-3632QM + Nvidia GT740M@RM2899, 4GB 1TB(5400rpm), W7P/8P
Z400 touch, i7-3632QM + Nvidia GT740M + (1366x768, touch)@RM2599, 4GB, 1TB, W8; 2 years warranty
Z510, i7-4702MQ + Nvidia GT740M@RM2799[2.2kg], 4GB, 1TB, backlit, W8; 2 yrs

MSI
GP60-2OD, i7-4700MQ + Nvidia GT740M + (1920x1080; anti-glare)@RM2999, 4GB, 750GB, W8, steel series KB

Toshiba
Satellite M840-1034XG/XP/XQ, i7-3620QM + AMD HD7670M@RM2699, 4GB, 750GB, W8SL; 3 years local warranty

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

You should notice all the models I listed earlier are spec with:
i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M
so it means in term of raw power, they are more or less equal.
The reason for that spec is because you seems to want something light

What I prefer? If I were to take a Architecture course, I would have ignored the weight, and get a laptop with i7 quad core, FHD screen (for more workspace), and reasonable GPU (and blow the budget)

Anyway, I can't tell which model listed will last long, since there could be lemon among any models.
If you are worried, aim for good warranty support. Dell Malaysia currently has the best warranty support.
Take the Vostro with mSATA, extend warranty to 3 years. Should give you peace of mind.

Depend on the project size. Anyway, 500GB is more than sufficient for a student

MSI
GE60-2OC, i5-4200M + Nvidia GT750M(GDDR5) + (1920x1080; anti-glare)@RM3099,8GB, 750GB(7200rpm), W8, steel series KB

Can also consider these:
HP
Envy Touchsmart 15-J053TX, i7-4702MQ + Nvidia GT750M + (1920x1080;touch)@RM3499[2.56kg], 8GB, 1TB(5400rpm), W8

Lenovo
Y510p, i7-4700MQ + Nvidia GT755M(GDDR5) + (1920x1080)@RM3399[2.7kg], 8GB, 1TB, W8.1, red backlit, swappable ODD, 120w psu, 2 yrs

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

I presume "light gaming" is FB flash game.

Acer
S7-392-74504G12, i7-4500U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080; touch)@RM3999[1.3kg], 4GB, W8.1

Dell
XPS13, i5-4200U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080; Touch)@RM3999[1.37kg], 8GB, W8.1, backlit, 55Whr

Lenovo
Yoga 2 pro, i7-4500U + Intel HD4400 + 256GB SSD + (3200x1800 IPS; touch)@RM4199[1.39kg], 8GB, W8.1, 2 yrs

Sony
Vaio SVP13213SGS, i5-4200U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080)@RM3799[1.06kg], 4GB, W8SL

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

Yes, can upgrade after-market.
No, will not void hardware warranty.

You can find re-sellers for MSI laptop right here at LYN garage sales
That GE60-2OC is 15".
14" is this:
GE40-2OC, i7-4702MQ + Nvidia GTX760M + (1600x900; anti-glare)@RM3499[1.8kg], 4GB, 750GB(7200rpm), W8

Yes, she can make do with Intel (Haswell) Celeron / Pentium CPU.
Dell Malaysia has the best warranty support currently.

Dell
Inspiron 14-3437, i3-4010U + Intel HD4400@RM1399[1.99kg], Ubuntu, 4GB, 750GB(5400rpm), 4-cell; W8SL@RM1549
Inspiron 14R, i3-4010U + Intel HD4400 @RM1599 [2.32kg], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W8.1 , 4 cell

Prices are RSP, negotiable.
Extend warranty to 3 years on site for ~ RM250. All in, should be within her budget.

Not everything from MSI is available in Malaysia.
And GT series is out of your budget ( ~ RM5-8k)

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 14 2013, 05:22 PM

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2656663
refer to this thread for indication.
No more spoon feeding

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 15 2013, 12:07 PM

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2656663
refer to this thread.

15" and light weight (< 2kg) don't go together.

Most 13" is out of her budget.

11"
Apple
MacBookAir 11", i5-4250U + Intel HD5000 + 128GB SSD@RM2999[1.08kg], 4GB, backlit keyboard, Mac OSX
Either go with OSX version of MS Office, or run Bootcamp to run Win OS.

14"
Dell
Vostro 5470, i3-4010U + Intel HD4400 + 32GB mSATA + 500GB(5400rpm) + (1366x768;touch)@RM2149, 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W8, 3-cell

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 15 2013, 12:01 PM

Not much difference in term of raw performance between Ivy Bridge (3rd) and Haswell (4th) gen i-core Intel CPU.
As I mentioned, for your budget, just get the best GPU you can get.

Acer
S7-392-74504G12, i7-4500U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080; touch)@RM3999[1.3kg], 4GB, W8.1

Apple
MacBookAir 13", i5-4250U + Intel HD5000 + 128GB SSD + (1440x900)@RM3299[1.35kg], 4GB, backlit keyboard, Mac OSX

Dell
XPS13, i5-4200U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080; Touch)@RM3999[1.37kg], 8GB, W8.1, backlit, 55Whr

Sony
Vaio SVP13213SGS, i5-4200U + Intel HD4400 + 128GB SSD + (1920x1080)@RM3799[1.06kg], 4GB, W8SL

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

Old model. Probably old stock Make sure you get brand new sealed unit.
Replaced by this:
K451LB-WX071H, i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M@RM2199, 4GB, 750GB, W8

Better battery run time.

Asus
N56JR-S4018H, i7-4700HQ + Nvidia GTX760M + (1920x1080)@RM3999[2.7kg], 12GB, 1TB, W8.1, backlit keyboard

Lenovo
Y510p, i7-4700MQ + Nvidia GT755M(GDDR5) + (1920x1080)@RM3399[2.7kg], 8GB, 1TB, W8.1, red backlit, swappable ODD, 120w psu, 2 yrs
Y510p, i7-4700MQ + Nvidia GT750M(GDDR5) + (1920x1080)@RM3999[2.7kg], 8GB, 1TB, W8, red backlit, GN37 exGPU & ODD, 120w+170w psu, 2 yrs

Only the single GPU Y510P is within your budget
Anyway, GT755M vs GT760M is pretty close performance wise. As for GT750M SLI, for games that support SLI, it's close to GTX770M level (with caveat such as drivers support, micro-stuttering, etc).

Since you've narrowed down to 2 models, I suggest you go out and look / type / click / listen / type / carry the real things to see which you prefer

If you mean mSATA/SATA SSD factory spec, only:
Dell
Vostro 5470, i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M + 32GB mSATA + 500GB(5400rpm) + (1366x768; Touch)@RM2549, 4GB, W8.1, 3-cell
Only has 1 RAM slot You can try online chat with Dell and see if they could sell you one spec with 8GB RAM.

All the laptop brand new sets are sealed. In Malaysia, other than Dell, no other brands offer customise option. So you want to increase RAM, you have to do so after-market.
Each brand has its own T&C for hardware warranty. Read the fine print

Are you sure you want to run SPSS using Celeron? (Don't think it's a good idea).
13" are normally expensive. But if you really want 13" Celeron, there is this:
Samsung
Book 9 Lite NP905S3G-K01MY, AMD A6-1450 + AMD HD8250 + 128GB SSD@RM1999[1.58kg], 4GB, W8

For 14", light and slim, and cheap (may I suggest at least i3)
Dell
Vostro 5470, i3-4010U + Intel HD4400@RM1899, 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W8, 3-cell

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

256GB Plextor M5S is/was going at ~ RM570.

To get to the RAM slot for the Z510, you practically has to tear down the whole laptop already

Toshiba
Satellite L40-AS109Xb/G/W, i5-3337U + Nvidia GT740M@RM2199[Onkyo][Onkyo], 4GB, 750GB, 3 years local warranty
Satelite L40-AS125XG/B/W, i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M@RM2299[Onkyo], 2GB, 750GB, 3 years local warranty, W8

Dell
Inspiron 14R, i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M@RM1849 [2.32kg], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), Linux, 6 cell; W8@RM2049

HP
Pavilion 14-N059TX, i5-4200U + Nvidia GT740M@RM1999[2.03kg], 4GB, 750GB, W8

Prices are RSP, negotiable.