dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA | reply to gate1975mlm
Re: Best Notebook computer brand?
AR Series VAIO.  |
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Devanchya
Smile
Premium
join:2003-12-09
Ajax, ON | reply to gate1975mlm
my current HP's been great. My wife Toshiba has been great.
Shop for what you want, buy what you like. not a huge diff. in quality at the moment thankfully. |
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pacojoebob
join:2004-05-03
Temple City, CA
 ·Charter Pipeline
| reply to gate1975mlm
It seems to me that Apples quality has been slipping quite a bit recently. I work for a university where we just had to send in 20+ apples for repair vs. 5 or so for our HP's, which we have about equal number of apples and HP's. Now granted these HP's are their business models, which are extremely durable. If you drop an macbook/pro it'll probably break the screen, the only HP with a physically broken screen i can remember was caused by direct contact with the screen. Also it's very easy to scratch up a macbook/pro. If you want to keep it dent/scratch free you need to be extremely careful. |
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Boricua65
join:2002-01-26
Puerto Rico
| reply to gate1975mlm
I vote for the Thinkpads as well. A few years ago I was researching what laptops were durable with good quality and TPs come up more than not. I went from the TP 600E to the T22 and now I own the A30/31*. Even though the A31 is heavy (7 lbs.), I like its sturdiness and keyboard feel.
*I originally had the A30 but it died on me at the airport in Phoenix. I replaced it with the A31. |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Bridgeport, WV
clubs:
 ·VOIPo
| reply to icyura10
said by icyura10  :This is the best one.. No batteries required; no screen to break; never reboots; But think of all those memory errors you get from turbulence.
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FWD#: 223611 |
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ricep5
Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL
 ·AT&T Southeast
·AT&T CallVantage
·VoicePulse
·Comcast Formerly ..
| reply to gate1975mlm
Bought IBM ThinkPads since 1993. Have always recommended them.
Unfortunately it appears Lenovo is starting to dilute the brand in the name of volume. Why sell an $899 ThinkPad when Lenovo offers a like branded model (3000) at the same price point?
Keep ThinkPad in the $1500 and up world. Let the Lenovo brand slug it out in the Korean made sub $900 market with Dell, Compaq and Acer.
If and when you see ThinkPad's sold at WalMart, then the apocalypse is upon us. |
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Frossty
Premium
join:2003-07-06 | for Consumer I say HP, Apple
Business I say IBM |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Bridgeport, WV
clubs: | reply to ricep5
Thinkpad is Lenovo from what I have heard. The name changed when IBM sold out their laptop division. The brand name is Lenovo and the model is Thinkpad.
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FWD#: 223611 |
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Boricua65
join:2002-01-26
Puerto Rico
| said by ropeguru :Thinkpad is Lenovo from what I have heard. The name changed when IBM sold out their laptop division. The brand name is Lenovo and the model is Thinkpad. I think poster is referring to the quality, not the name itself. Under IBM, the quality and build of the Thinkpads were superb. Under Lenovo, we have yet to see what will happen. Remember, Lenovo is located in China  . |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Bridgeport, WV
clubs:
·VOIPo
| said by Boricua65 :said by ropeguru :Thinkpad is Lenovo from what I have heard. The name changed when IBM sold out their laptop division. The brand name is Lenovo and the model is Thinkpad. I think poster is referring to the quality, not the name itself. Under IBM, the quality and build of the Thinkpads were superb. Under Lenovo, we have yet to see what will happen. Remember, Lenovo is located in China . Yeah, I know... I just bought my wife a new Lenova ThinkPad a few months ago. So far it seems just as well built.
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FWD#: 223611 |
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bkjohnson
Premium
join:2002-05-22
Birmingham, AL | reply to gate1975mlm
Thinkpads here. They've outlasted all others in our group. |
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NgtFlyer
join:2000-07-09
Marietta, GA
| reply to gate1975mlm
The Thinkpads historically have been the best built, and arguably the best designed notebooks out there for a very long time. The current offerings are still very well built with solid hinges and rugged cases and construction, but are lacking in ports. On the T60 business notebook, they have omitted Firewire, S-Video output and serial. Yes, you can get a USB to serial adapter, but some Cisco gear doesn't like talking to anything but the real 9 pins of serial glory. This is a factor for IT pros who have to talk to routers and managed switches through the console ports.
Reality check. For the same specs, an HP business class notebook is lower priced than an Apple Macbook Pro. Both are of great build quality, but if I had to spend my buck on a high-class machine, I'd go HP in a second. They are far easier to service (user accessible hard drive and RAM). I am having tp invest in a high end notebook. I considered a T60, but with the lack of S-Video and firewire ports, I've considered other options. Here are my requirements and here are the details...
I want a core 2 duo machine, at least 2ghz that will take up to 4gb of ram. 15.4" WSXGA display. Nice looking, yet rugged. At least 100GB HD, high performance video with dedicated RAM, gigabit ethernet, at least b/g wireless. Keyboard layout needs to resemble that of a standard 101 with inverted T directional and standard nav key layout (not along the right side, rather in the 6x2 layout such as on Thinkpads) Good keyboard feel. Port placement is also key since this will be a jack of all trades laptop. I also want the ability to easily upgrade/service the machine.
This left it down to just a few.
The Thinkpad T60 15.4" was a top contender. A legacy of reliability for years and great design, plus the best keyboards in the notebook business. The T60 lacks firewire and S-Video output. No serial port either. Port placement is okay but I'm still not really impressed. Great keyboard, light, rugged. I like the keyboard light at the top of the screen. The T61 added firewire but it's at the worst possible location - on the left front of the computer right below where your left wrist rests. I'd be concerned of breaking that small connector off. Still, it's a tough machine that will remain solid for years. User upgrades are
Dell Latitude D830.
Port placement is highly improved over the T60 and it not only has firewire but also serial and S-Video output. Four USB ports (2 on rear 2 on side) is nice. Good looking machine, nice keyboard layout. But... I've seen a few of these out in the field and they had absolutely terrible displays. Hinges have always been a weak point in Dells though I can't really speak for or against the newer ones. They don't feel as solid as some others and I don't like silver painted buttons and keys - this wears off and looks bad over time.
HP nw8440 or nc8430
I've set up a few HP business class notebooks over the past year or so. I like them. They seem to be really solidly built and hold up well in the field. The two models I am considering have three USB ports (one on the left, two on the right), Firewire and S-Video ports on the left. Gigabit LAN on the left side at the rear. Yes, it has a modem. The one port on the rear is the 15 pin monitor port. Keyboard layout is great and it feels nice. I like the markings on the top panel for the ports - thoughtful. 6 pounds, good battery life, great displays. HD and RAM are very easy to access. It resembles a Thinkpad in a lot of ways. I have decided on the HP nc8430. HP Core 2 duo T7400 (2.16ghz), 4GB Ram, 100GB 7200rpm hard drive. WSXGA (1680x1050) display. Bluetooth is a nice bonus. I've ordered mine in Windows XP flavor. 
I also looked at some others from Sony, Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, even Sager and Toshiba. The HP has the best balance of price/performance and what I want in a notebook. |
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Dumb Goober
@rogers.com
| reply to gate1975mlm
I bought my wife a Sony. We liked the Mac, but she uses PC software at work, and I had a Mac before, and found myself drifting back to PC because I can run all the common usual stuff without thinking. The Sony is nice except for the horrible track pad and the mountains of useless trial software that we will never use. (AOL, Norton, etc.)
If anyone made anything anywhere but China, I would buy it. Pretty much everything is made there now, with all the original thinking of McDonald's and quality of Bozo.
My impression is that:
1.Its all a pile of junk not worth getting too excited over.
2.Mac is great if you love Mac software (i.e., you are a woman).
3.Panasonic makes the best PC if you love toughness combined with really entry-level performance, meaning business computer (i.e., you are a man).
4.Sony is probably next in quality, if you love bloat ware and a really crummy touch pad.
5.Toshiba is next, as everyone still remembers how good it was before they went to China. (Just stare at the Toshiba word. It will make you believe it is better).
6.Then HP, its junk too, but businesses buy it for the discounts and cheap India service.
7.Now Acer, the worst junk, but just buy it with no warranty extension, and you will save enough money to use it as a disposable doorstop when it dies next year(15-30% returns).
8.Any other brand like Dell, that people (girlie men) buy without ever trying out (hello).
9.The extended warranty gimmick (for women and girlie men) who fail to read the fine print (sorry Ma'am/Fabian, the computer is 2 1/2 years old, so we'll just prorate the value on this new one, that'll be $250 extra, thanks.)
10. You know its all moot anyway, as in three years you'll upgrade when Windows XXXX arrives with even more hype and slower performance despite the newer faster better machine you'll need to buy to keep up (Mac should win here, but there just aren't enough elementary school marms, graphic artists and g men to make the market fly. Unfortuately.)
Good luck, and say hi to the service departments in India and the Philippines. You will, too. |
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CMoore2004
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Jonesville, MI
| The Macs can run Windows, so if you liked the Mac, why not buy it? HP's business support is far from what you get as a home customer.
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Charter 5M | Windows XP MCE SP2 | Mobile AMD Athlon 64 4000+ | 1.5GB RAM | ATI Mobile Radeon X600 128MB | 120GB HDD |
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Telly Boot
Premium
join:2002-05-15
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
1 edit | reply to Dumb Goober
said by Dumb Goober :
I bought my wife a Sony. We liked the Mac, but she uses PC software at work, and I had a Mac before, and found myself drifting back to PC because I can run all the common usual stuff without thinking. The Sony is nice except for the horrible track pad and the mountains of useless trial software that we will never use. (AOL, Norton, etc.)
If anyone made anything anywhere but China, I would buy it. Pretty much everything is made there now, with all the original thinking of McDonald's and quality of Bozo.
As I noted above, Fujitsu makes its own computers in its own factory in Japan- it says Made in Japan on the bottom. They also have strict environmental standards, and as I noted elsewhere, their basic models are a good deal:
»www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···34110275
(Panasonic is made in Japan too).
Trackpads: you can get a notebook mouse. Trackpads are for emergency use only, you can get by using one, but like notebook speakers, some are worse than others.
Logitech V150 mouse; $23, Silver version,
works great, fits in a pocket, plugs in and you're done ( I have the gray and black version, looks cool):
»www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···%2bmouse
Yes, it only has a 3 ft cord, but how far do you need to be away from your keyboard...?
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Dawn,n,The time when men of reason go to bed. (Ambrose Bierce.) |
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HappyFrappy
join:2000-10-04
North
clubs:
|  reply to gate1975mlm
Apple's sliding quality control and poor "service" had pushed me to the dark side(Windows) for my notebook. My PowerBook is back at Apple's repair depot for yet another repair... charging issues. 2yrs of hell with Apple Care has pushed me away.
Picked up a Thinkpad T61 yesterday and never looking back.
(a old friend talked me into getting a ThinkPad) |
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NgtFlyer
join:2000-07-09
Marietta, GA
| That Thinkpad will do you well. Congrats on choosing one of the finest notebooks made, period. If you take a quick peek at the left rear corner, you'll see the big difference between Apple and most other notebooks - there's a good sized exhaust vent. Apple wouldn't ever have something as unsightly as a vent on their Macbook and Macbook Pro - the one on the back isn't adequate and it's obscured when the screen is open - also, the heat from the processor cooks the display inverter which lives in the bottom of the display. It's pretty, but it's plain bad engineering.
So in short, congrats. You'll enjoy your Thinkpad for years to come. It should outlast most other brands of notebooks by several years with reasonable care. |
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Boricua65
join:2002-01-26
Puerto Rico
| I agree with you NgtFlyer . I originally bought a 600E but need more processing power. I got a T22 but sold that one and settled on an A30. The A30 may be heavy but suits me perfectly because of my large hands. The keyboard is one of the best where it's almost the same size as a regular keyboard. The palm rest does an excellent job of resting your hands when typing. When the A30 died on my, I replaced it with an A31 and got the one with a 15" LCD screen. |
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La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·Vonage
1 edit | reply to gate1975mlm
Another vote for Acer. Bought mine on sale in April 2006, and I have had nothing but a great experience with it. It's not top of the line spec wise, but I didn't need that in a laptop, I just wanted something basic to take with me when I'm not at home. It works beautifully. I paid $600 for it after rebates, $50 "instant", $150 mail-in, which I received in a timely manner. The main reason I got the extended warranty is because the screen is covered, no matter what happens to it, even if I drop and break it.
Here's my review:
»Notebook Reviews »Acer Aspire 5003 WLCi Review
As a side note concerning Acer....I also have a 19" Acer monitor for my PC. I had an issue with the backlight, which needed replaced. It was still under warranty, so I shipped it to Acer in Texas and had it back in less than a week. The service was excellent.
EDIT: One more thing....Acer ships with VERY little preinstalled crap, another plus in my book. Norton AV was there, but not installed.
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JIHAD WATCH~~9861 DEADLY TERROR ATTACKS SINCE 9/11~~TEAM DISCOVERY |
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LeeBee
It's Dark Out There
join:2003-06-18
Swissieland
·Cablecom Switzerland
| reply to ropeguru
said by ropeguru :Thinkpad is Lenovo from what I have heard. The name changed when IBM sold out their laptop division. The brand name is Lenovo and the model is Thinkpad. Lenovo has been making IBM's ThinkPads for a long time - and with certain models since the sale have built their own slightly-modified models.
I've had ThinkPads since T21 (presently T61) and the quality is still excellent. Hardware compatibility is very good. Build quality is excellent (very durable).
We're just starting to see models creep through with ThinkPad as the main wording on the logo with Lenovo underneath - replacing the big IBM with ThinkPad underneath - their licence to use the logo is now up.
I'm considering a Dell XPS M1330 for personal use - but having read some stories and had a Latitude D610, I'm taking my time  |
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