Re: Best Notebook computer brand? in Road Warriors, Notebooks & Distance http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19122125 en Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:23:53 EDT Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:23:53 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20134832 PeteC2 : M.S. No "great debate"...just the facts. I only mentioned this because you do see so much misleading garbage on notebooks concerning the "components", when simply stated...they all pretty much use the same components inside. Was Sager the first to offer a 7200rpm drive? I don't know, however, as soon as the 7200rpm 2.5" form-factor drives appeared on the market, all the higher-end gaming laptop makers adopted them. If they got the jump, it wasn't by much...

That was my point from the get-go...there really are no "superior" notebook computer brands (I know that this is heresy to the "fan-boys" out there!)...just some superior individual computers. There are no "great" $500 laptops...$500 just doesn't buy "great", and almost all $2K+ laptops are "great" or pretty close to it...I have yet to see a "bad" $2K+ notebook out there in today's competitive market.

I would buy based on desired features, including "ruggedness", placement of ports, and yes even "looks/case design", at the best price currently available...but "brand?" Not really, it just does not mean all that much. About the only exception to that, to me, would be Apple, because if you like their OS, there's only one way to get it, but not because they make an intrinsically "better" laptop. Apple's only advantage aside from OS, is that they simply do not market a "budget" notebook, the least expensive MacBook starting at around $1100 USD.

Notice that I specifically did not mention Customer Service! There may be a "gem" or two out there, but I rather doubt it, based on what I have seen on the manufacturers web sites. HP? I've had everything from great, to downright horrible CS, and Dell, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, Alienware, and yes Apple have had their fair share of hits and misses as well. Perhaps this is where a smaller company might have an advantage, but no one's customer service has been consistently superior.
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20134832 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:14:14 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20133615 insomx : Apple.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20133615 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:39:36 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20132988 Max Signal : Well he is the most knowledgeable computer guy I know and he was very impressed. At the time they were the only company putting in 7200 speed hard drives not 4200 or 5400 like others . I did not come here looking to start any sort of great debate . Just passed on my knowledge and opinion on the question asked . I am not an owner or even a sales agent for Sager. So there is no argument , You win , I give up , LOL
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www.MaximumSignal.Net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20132988 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:36:52 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20132782 PeteC2 :
said by Max Signal See Profile :

The component issue was not my observation . I have a very close friend who is an IT guy at The Pentagon . When I got my first Sager about 7 years ago now . He took it for a few days to check it out and tweak it for me . When he brought it back to me , he made the comment how impressed he was with the components they used .
Well, he could be Billy Gates (writer pauses to cross himself ;)), however, what I said is just plain old every day common sense, seriously, no insult to your friend intended.

What possible components are in a Sager, that are not in every single other laptop? Are not their CPUs either Intel, or AMD? Are not the graphics subsytems either integrated Intel/AMD/Nvidia, or discrete AMD/Nvidia? Is the ram from some other-wordly maker...or from one of the mainstream ram producers? How about the hard drives...again, only a very few manufacturers here...OK, maybe the display panel? Nope, again, another mainstream supplier. And so it goes.

Don't get me wrong, this is no "swipe" at Sager, hell, they make some models that I would br proud to own! However, it is just flat out incorrect to tout theit "components" as being somehow superior to what you can find from HP, Dell, Sony, Apple, etc., because they are not.

Again, the bottom line really lies in how much you are willing to pay. Intel makes awesome Core Duo and Quad CPUs...and so also do they make bottom-feeding Celerons...and Sager uses both these components. Buy a "cheap" Sager, and you have a budget laptop, with budget components...buy a high-end HP/Compag/Sony/Dell (or Sager)...and you've got a high end laptop with some very nice "components". It really is that simple.

Sure, design and careful matching of those "common" components can make some difference, and I am not saying that all laptops are "the same"...however, I do maintain that price is a more accurate predictor of laptop quality and longevity that brand name.
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20132782 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:03:53 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20129959 Max Signal : The component issue was not my observation . I have a very close friend who is an IT guy at The Pentagon . When I got my first Sager about 7 years ago now . He took it for a few days to check it out and tweak it for me . When he brought it back to me , he made the comment how impressed he was with the components they used .
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www.MaximumSignal.Net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20129959 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:46:38 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20128771 PeteC2 :
said by Max Signal See Profile :

Sager . They use great components and every computer is made to order

WWW.Sagernotebook.com
Sager does make some very nice notebooks, but "They use great components" is a bit off.

What components do Sager's feature, that are not used by virtually every other manufacturer?

You can buy a Sager with a Celeron processor...80gb hard drive...1gb ram...and of course, you can buy one with the latest and greatest CPUs, video cards, etc....but nothing that can not be found with other companies...it comes down to how much you are willing to fork out.

Every Sager is not "made to order" any more than a Dell, or HP, which feature the same ordering options, such as CPU/HD size/graphics support/memory etc. Again, though, the more you are willing to shell out, the greater the "customization".

BTW, don't get me wrong: There is nothing wrong with that! - Honest! Simply put, you get what you pay for. If you spend $700 on a notebook computer, no matter who builds it...Dell, HP, Acer, Sony, Sager...you got yourself a $700 notebook! Surprisingly, that can buy you a lot of computer now days, but, there are compromises to meet that price-point...and again, nothing wrong with that either, as long as one understands the limitations that low price entails.

Now, most folks who think of Sager's, think of the high-end models...but you can buy high end HP/Compaqs, Dells, Sonys, Sagers, and you are going to have a well-built, high capability machine...no secret formula there...they all build some nice laptops at the higher priced end of the scale.

Apple has a funny kind of "advantage" over Dell, HP, Acer, and Sony. They do not market any "budget" line notebooks...period! Because of this, Apple gets kudos for building "quality" notebooks. Not that they do not, but when you keep a minimum price-point of $1199 for a notebook with only an 80gb hard drive and integrated graphics, obviously you can build a very solidly constructed notebook!

To build $500 - $700 notebooks, with desired features, and it is simply astounding what can now be done for $500!, well, it just astonishes me that some folks will compare 'em to $1200 - $2500 notebooks, and then call them "junk"! :o
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20128771 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:26:40 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20128097 Max Signal : Sager . They use great components and every computer is made to order

WWW.Sagernotebook.com
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www.MaximumSignal.Net]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20128097 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:02:34 EDT Re: Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20061026 Kiwi : I'm still looking :D

Reconfigured options.

Sager NP5793
17" WSXGA+(1680x1050)
Silver trim~
nVidia Geforce 8800M GTX w/512MB
Intel Core2 Duo T8300 2.4GHz w/3MB L2 On-die cache.
XP Pro
2GB DDR/667 Dual Channel Memory
160GB SATA 3Gb/s 7,200 RPM HD (8MB cache)
DVD+/-R/RW CD-R/RW
Additional 8-cell Smart LI-Ion battery
HUM Ground loop
12V Auto Adapter

2,624.00

Sager NP9262 -Raid based, I don't need.
17" WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
nVIDIA Geforce 8800M GTX w/512MB
Intel Core2 Duo E6850 3.0 Processor w/4M L2 Cache~1333 FSB
XP Pro
2GB DDR2/800
DVD (As above)
160GB SATA 3gb/s 7,200 RPM HD (8MB cache)
Additional 8-cell Smart LI-Ion battery
HUM Ground loop

$ 3,079.00

SONY VGN-AR770 Configure-to-Order
LCD 17"WUXGA (XBRITE-HiColor™)
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4GHZ)
WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n w/Integrated Bluetooth®
DVD±R DL / DVD±RW / DVD-RAM Drive
400GB (200GB x 2 @ 7200RPM) SATA Hard Disk Drive
4 GB DDR-SDRAM (DDR2-667, 2 GBx2)
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
Extended Battery (BPL9)

$2,709.99

I'll have to add the Sony AR 150 my Daughter has for school works very well and that was a heads up from dadkins See Profile back a year ago and she plays games to boot! I know some get tired of a brand push, but I can tell anyone that a Sony won't make you a sad camper at all! I just need a more intensive video solution if I'm going for a laptop and I do like the idea of XP Pro verse VISTA. I know it's really possible to get a decent Sony without VISTA, but for my needs, in this particular case I do need a better video solution. In that it's a true Desktop replacement.

yazdzik See Profile I do understand components and appreciate your input. I can't find reference to the latest and greatest video solution past the 8800M card though, for a laptop. Quad core are for those that think they are getting something :D Unless of course they have the bucks to part for a 1333FSB chip.

Cheers

]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20061026 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:50:15 EDT Re: Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20056215 yazdzik : Sager are top notch machines - I buy sager whenever I can, and the machine in question is very nice for the price, albeit I am not sure I would not prefer the nvidia fx 1600 card for video editing. That being said, the 8700 card is really enough, and, as to unix like systems, I ran debian on my sager for three years, before my daughter absconded with it.

Cinelerra eats memory, and 4 gig is needed, although I have no idea what windows video editors need.

I have to say there is another model, 9262 which for about the same price uses the 6850 processor and the 8800 gpu. That having been said, the 8800 is porbably overkill for anything one would ever really do....

Avoid the quad core chips, as few programmes use the extra threading, and some reason to believe that this may slow things down.

At any rate, the sager kit are, in my experience, ulstra durable and reliable, and their tech support first rate.

best,
Martin]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20056215 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:14:26 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20053949 Kiwi : I'm going to add this site, though rather informative and in depth, they certainly lack updated material. If it's a Sony nothing less than an AR series will do, Sager appears like the next or equal game in town.

»www.notebookreview.com/reviews/

»www.notebookreview.com/default.a···sID=4056

Sager NP5791 Review

"With the 8-cell battery, I was pleased to get 2 hours and 40 minutes of battery life. I surfed the Internet and edited text files the entire time with the brightness on level 3 out of 7 (7 being the highest). Needless to say I am impressed with the result because let us not forget this unit is housing a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 17-inch screen, 512MB video card, and 7200RPM hard drive. The relatively long battery time is an unexpected bonus with this machine."

Pros:
Top notch build quality
Powerful performance
Gorgeous display
Unique looks
Reasonable price tag
Available with Windows XP
Measurable battery life
Runs cool

Cons:
Loud fans
Only one internal hard drive
Odd keyboard/number pad layout



Sony VAIO SZ6 User Review

Pro:

powerful, you won't miss your desktop
bright, white, color saturated and crystal clear display
decent battery life far better than average
form factor, light and thin
solid and well made, touch and feel

Con:
No built-in DVI and TV-out, only VGA (docking station and NVIDIA Speed Mode necessary for DVI)
keyboard noise reduced WLAN signal reception with closed lid, no Draft N Wi-Fi for European models power button not reachable without having to open the lid VISTA/driver glitches (display driver forgets dual monitor settings, display resolutions, desktop icon positions; slow file copy/access speed, sleep and hibernation modes often result in reboots).
Preinstalled bloatware
No Microdrive/Compact Flash (CF) Type II slot (useful for the coherence between D-SLRs and the SZ)

I went window shopping yesterday, no store had a 17" Sony at all and even more interestingly nearly all the laptops sold where sub $1,000 (entry level rigs). I would have thought technology and access to it would have firmly planted ranges from the $500+ offered to around $1,600+ at least. Not one store had a "I'll bait you" laptop with a medium to high end system.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20053949 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:41:04 EDT Re: Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20053116 PeteC2 :
said by Kiwi See Profile :

Thanks for the input Pete :D

Oh, BTW just to clarify, I do completely agree with your statement regards one or two lemons, or a bad batch. Unfortunately I'm discussing an eight year period and multiple batches of large orders of both PC and laptops [Like 3.1 million dollars per order]. PDA's as well, but don't appear problematic, I couldn't fix one either if it was a problem.
If I had probems with any brand on that extensive a basis...then I am sure I would avoid it as well!

Over the years, I have had some fairly consistent exposure to certain brands of computers, but have not really had any as distinct/consistent with problems as you have experienced.

I do not actually have a lot of experience with Dell computers at all. Used a few here and there, but never owned one or had one that was a "fleet" machine (either in the military or with my current employer).
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20053116 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:45:41 EDT Re: Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20048157 Kiwi : Thanks for the input Pete :D

Oh, BTW just to clarify, I do completely agree with your statement regards one or two lemons, or a bad batch. Unfortunately I'm discussing an eight year period and multiple batches of large orders of both PC and laptops [Like 3.1 million dollars per order]. PDA's as well, but don't appear problematic, I couldn't fix one either if it was a problem.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20048157 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:10:03 EDT Re: Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20047916 PeteC2 : Kiwi, the Sager has a very good reputation, however, like almost all brands, really, you get what you pay for! Sager does even build some low-cost models, that while decent, are not anything that I would buy, including Celeron models with Windows Vista...a very poor combination, IMHO!

However, the model that you are looking at? Well, it ain't cheap...but I sure as hell would be happy to own one! :)

Now, did you notice that you can order it with Windows XP Pro, if you really dislike Vista? Personally, I like Vista, and this model Sager will make it fly, but, if you do not want Vista, it is only $35 additional to have XP Pro pre-installed...and that is $35 well-spent! Many notebook owners have learned the hard way that changing the pre-installed OS can be surprisingly "painful"!

HP and Dell (I know you do not like Dell though) also have options in some of their models to select XP versus Vista.

I am kind of sanguine about "brands", because almost all of them have had successful models...and then a lemon or two, and it is too easy to get either over-loyal, or over-negative based on limited experience. For example, we used to use Toshiba Staellites where I work, and we had an entire "batch" of 'em that had problematic inverter boards...so everyone (including me) got the impression that Toshibas were "junk". Yet, I would wager that there are many very satisfied Toshiba owners, who have never had a single issue with their laptops...
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20047916 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:02:51 EDT Desktop replacement laptop http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20045732 Kiwi : I'll repeat the question the OP asked, it's now half way through Feb, 2008 and life can change with technology these days in a blink of an eye.

Have always built my PC systems, during the day I'm supporting [Hell, I lost count] THOUSANDS of PC's and laptops and all are DELLS, I would never, ever, buy a DELL; nor Alienware owned by DELL, increasing the price just won't cut it; it's still a DELL.

I bought my Daughter a Sony AR150 a year ago and it's been fantastic, acts like it was bought yesterday, never had to break the case on it!

Hate to do it, but it's seriously time, I had PC parts all picked out and then decided I really need to take a look at laptops before making that decision.

What I'm looking for must be reliable ;) No brainer request, eh. 17" LCD and 'n' wireless capable. I have speced out two:

VGN-AR770 custom for $2,279.00, can't find a reference to the video though and does not offer the Robson chip. Known reliability though.

Sager NP5793 $2,583.00, but have no idea about reliability, specs are super nice and as an idea ~
17" 1920x1200 WUXGA
8700M GT/512
2.4 Core 2 Duo
4g DDR2
[1g Intel memory-Robson]
160g SATA/3g/Sec 7200rpm
DVD writer
[Cringe] Vista Ultimate, as the OS is a separate item, Linux looks like a possibility, if so desired; or any other OS.

The Segar appears listed for gaming, but much the same requirements are for what I want, video editing.

Anyway, anyone with customized laptop experiences?
Desktop replacement for video work, VPN and will use AT&T cell 3g hook for the lake. Of course programing, but for that I'll add an external detachable drive.

Might be interesting, might not!
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384 BC.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20045732 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:37:52 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20038181 err0r67 : Lenovo ftw. They're rocks solid, and something about IBM's notebooks that make them still look good when they're 10yrs old.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20038181 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:46:22 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19540884 Sureshot : Another Acer vote here. Two Acer Aspire 5610Z's, an Acer Aspire 5570Z, and an Acer Travelmate 4000 bought from a member here. I love all of them.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19540884 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:49:13 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19539966 TDOG : Yes...Sager

»www.sagernotebook.com/default.php]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19539966 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:59:10 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19517197 PeteC2 : Where I work, we have had Toshiba Sat. for years, and although generally serviceable, did not seem all that well constructed...lots of little "issues".

In the last couple of years we have switched over to Compaqs (HP's "low end", of course),low-cost units, and they have held up surprisingly well.

IMHO, a lot of this however remains in the hands of the end-user...I do not beat up on my laptops, and although they travel with me daily, don't take a lot of abuse. Frankly, in years of schlepping them around, I have never dropped one.

My wife has a Sony Vaio (thin & light) notebook that has held up just beautifully, and I currently have (personal, not work) a HP "Entertaiment" model notebook. I can see where someone might need a truly "rugged" notebook for specific applications/environments, but otherwise? I have used and "checked out" quite a few different brands of notebooks, and to me, most of them were really more similar than not. In fact, I have found more of a difference based on configuration (processor/ram/HD/optical drive etc.), even within the same brand, than from different makers.

The other issue seems to be service, and again, this is a tricky area, as one's personal experience, good or bad, will tend to color one's judgement on a global scale! In other words, one good, or bad interaction with customer service or a technician, may make one either too positive, or too negative towards the company's service as a whole.
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...something is happening here but you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19517197 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:59:30 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19435753 NgtFlyer : Here's another thought to add to this post.. I just got an old Thinkpad 600 laptop from a friend.. retired because it's just old and the battery is basically shot. The laptop still works. It was used daily for almost 5 years and has sat for awhile. It booted right into Windows 2000. I'm replacing the hard drive with a larger one and plan to upgrade ram. Might put Ubunto on it.

Everything on that Thinkpad is still tight, even the screen hinges.

Meanwhile, I have a newer Dell Lattitude that is falling apart after just 3 years of daily office and travel use.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19435753 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:53:42 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19407027 Boricua65 :
said by bcruze See Profile :

Dell.

dell parts are more readily available than ANY other manufactor

everyone has parts that go bad. not all of them have replacement parts avail ;)
I beg to differ. I haven't had any problems getting parts for the Thinkpads I've worked on. My primary location for parts is of course eBay, but I've found parts in other online stores.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19407027 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:35:47 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19405253 bcruze : Dell.

dell parts are more readily available than ANY other manufactor

everyone has parts that go bad. not all of them have replacement parts avail ;)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19405253 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:45:39 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19374019 ropeguru : Yeah. The wife currently has a new Lenovo and loves it. Stills seems to be pretty rugged with the way it is made. I purchased a Dell D820 and have loved it so far. Running Ubuntu 7.10 with the Broadcomm wireless and have been able to work with it pretty well.
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FWD#: 223611]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19374019 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:42:48 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19371546 Bigzizzzle : Lenovo and HP]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19371546 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:38:44 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19369072 LeeBee :
said by ropeguru See Profile :

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 :o]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19369072 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:24:00 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19336621 La Luna : 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]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19336621 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 22:47:35 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19260444 Boricua65 : I agree with you NgtFlyer See Profile. 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19260444 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:17:05 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19258510 NgtFlyer : 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19258510 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 03:32:40 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19252947 HappyFrappy : 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)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19252947 Sun, 14 Oct 2007 05:08:17 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19247469 Telly Boot :
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.)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19247469 Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:26:49 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19243354 CMoore2004 : 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]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19243354 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:40:45 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19241008 anon : 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. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19241008 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 04:14:10 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19195388 NgtFlyer : 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19195388 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:01:44 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19179805 bkjohnson : Thinkpads here. They've outlasted all others in our group. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19179805 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:46:01 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19146652 ropeguru :
said by Boricua65 See Profile :

said by ropeguru See Profile :

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 :huh:.
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]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19146652 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:15:27 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19146611 Boricua65 :
said by ropeguru See Profile :

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 :huh:.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19146611 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:07:54 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19144082 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.
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FWD#: 223611]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19144082 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 22:10:11 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19143453 Frossty : for Consumer I say HP, Apple

Business I say IBM]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19143453 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:30:20 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19143422 ricep5 : 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19143422 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:25:51 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19141176 ropeguru :
said by icyura10 See Profile :

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]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19141176 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:00:02 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19140873 Boricua65 : 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19140873 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:07:18 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19138096 pacojoebob : 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. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19138096 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:35:43 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19137173 Devanchya : 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.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19137173 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:05:33 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19135900 dadkins : AR Series VAIO. ;)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19135900 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:19:32 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19134235 moonpuppy : Have 2 Toshibas (mine and g/f) and one older Thinkpad x21. Friend's wife has an HP. All 3 do well and have had very little problems. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19134235 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:50:12 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19134155 roc5955 : According to PC Magazine, Apple makes the best computers period, end of sentence.
They break down far less frequently, tech support is much better, and they are far more reliable than ANY other PC manufacturer, bar none.

I don't own one myself, but I have had the opportunity to get my hands on one for a couple of days, and I WILL buy one. Their desktops are also number one.

If I had to buy an "IBM" based laptop today though, I would purchase a thinkpad. They are built better, and more reliable, and have better tech support than most of the others.
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"Understanding is a three-edged sword."]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19134155 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:36:01 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133512 trparky : I can't stand Acer's myself. I've not had any problems with HPs myself so, maybe I'm biased when I say this but I say HPs are good.
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Tom]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133512 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:05:37 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133498 jcr46385 : IBM Z60M ThinkPad and it's dock on 2504-10U with DVI video out to Eizo lcd monitor. My desktop HomeBrew powerhouse is now my backup and it's turn OFF!! saving couple bucks a month and it's lot cooler in the computer room. :D]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133498 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:59:24 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133237 AlterEgo : my vote goes to IBM/Lenovo, primarily because of their kick-ass keyboards.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19133237 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 07:10:11 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19132331 art : I bought a Toshiba Qosmio a couple of months back and even though it was double my initial budget, I don't regret one penny of it. Mega features that work well. Best screen of the many makes and models I saw. Decent video card, best sound system and with the DVD-Ram drive and included Bluetooth, it made my computing life a lot simpler and enjoyable.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19132331 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:17:16 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19131487 tallytime : ThinkPads without a doubt.Rock solid machine and great support.
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Go Seminoles]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19131487 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:50:30 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19129414 CMoore2004 : I should've known not to accept a Gateway as a replacement for my Compaq. When I was working at the school, we had a classroom full of Gateway's miniature towers, all overheating. I suspected I'd have the same problems with the laptop, and I was close... burns the hell out of me, but I can't get it to die.
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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]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19129414 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:05:11 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19128459 jbryan : If you want video quality, you must buy a SONY!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19128459 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 09:28:04 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19128450 sbyte2 : I have the acer 5570-2052. Best laptop I've ever had.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19128450 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 09:25:05 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127910 decx :
said by CMoore2004 See Profile :

For the record, I have a Gateway and wouldn't ever buy a Gateway again. In fact, I didn't buy this one.
Same here, while not a notebook, I do have a few years old Gateway desktop. With the lack of quality (hardware and custom driver issues), lousy support, and unresolved issues, I wouldn't buy or recommended a Gateway. In fact the only two things I liked about the system was a fairly solid steel chassis and the nice cow print box it came in.
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Go Leafs Go!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127910 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 03:07:56 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127800 CMoore2004 : For the record, I have a Gateway and wouldn't ever buy a Gateway again. In fact, I didn't buy this one.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127800 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:18:35 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127797 Telly Boot : Fujitsu still makes its own notebook computers in Japan, but they are not that expensive: the Lifebook A6025 Notebook that I just bought is on backorder at Newegg / on sale for $648. It's a basic 2 Ghz Core-Duo notebook with a great screen and numerous nice features.
Discussed here: »Older notebook centrinos: how hot?
My wife has new Toshibas at work, her new Satellite A100 VA9 is very good quality, although it did drop a battery latch button right away. Her previous one was very reliable, and my brother has failed to kill his lower-end Toshiba despite two years of muddling through [not a computer whiz...].
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Dawn,n,The time when men of reason go to bed. (Ambrose Bierce.)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127797 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:16:37 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127729 anon : Acer had a deal with ferrari for a while for a really nice laptop. I doubt a company like ferrari would waste their name on a crappy company but I don't like how gateway will now be part of the acer manufacturing capacity.

Panasonic and fujitsu are the only two companies left that sill make their laptops in japan. They are great and very different but cost a lot of money. Forget sony just forget them from now on they are all made in china like everyone else probably by the same 50 or so workers that make everything else lol.

I don't like toshiba anymore not since I've had to deal with so many of them overheating regardless of how well I setup the heatsink or cleaned them. Some of them have just died right out of the store. Try acer and if you don't like it move up to a panasonic if money isn't a big limit for you. Remember that panasonic is part of matsushita electroncs which I think is the biggest manufacturer in the world.

You know... I still have an old panasonic REAL 3DO game system from way back in the mid 90's that still works even now lol.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127729 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:50:50 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127482 MemphisPCGuy : May have been mentioned .. but look for a MIL-SPEC (Military Spec) notebook for the most rugged.
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»www.memphispcguy.com]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127482 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:26:49 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127342 Somnambul33t : dell or apple
i do a lot of work on retail laptops and acers are by far the worst pieces of crap on the planet. theyre made of cheap plastic and have horrible, horrible support. their recovery partitions rarely ever work and most of them dont even come with adequate CD burning software.

ive probably had my hands on over 5000 laptops, of which maybe 300 were acers, and not one impressed me or convinced me they're worth buying.

gateway's are OK, but i like HPs much more, and Dell more so than them. of course apple is a whole different ball game with OSX and such, can possibly cause some headaches if you do a lot of work on PCs and then try to do some of it on your apple, but once you get the hang of it or the quirks of xferring files and such in the different formats it's not so bad.

acers do give you more bang for your buck, but only until the bang breaks and you gotta replace it after 13 months.
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Somnambulator - t3h 5133pw41k3r


~Choosy moms choose Jif~]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127342 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:45:52 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127218 Ctrl Alt Del : I own a Dell Inspiron 8600, a Toshiba Satellite A45-S120, and a Apple MacBook Pro.

The Dell is 3 years old and really shows it. The hinge that holds the monitor is broken on one side. Now the monitor has little resistance holding it up. The button that detects when the monitor lid is closed no longer works. So when I close the lid the machine doesn't detect it. I now have to manually put Windows into sleep. I've used this machine for 3 years of college, so it's been put through lots of use.

The Toshiba works great. Some of the keyboard buttons are not responsive sometimes. I'll push the Windows key and nothing happens. Push it again and it works. The hardware is solid, but it's a big heavy laptop from the Pentium 4 mobile era. Not fun to lug around.

And now I have a new MacBook Pro 15 inch. The hardware is top notch. It's the hottest notebook I have when running the CPU hard, but it's also the fastest, the only dual core notebook I have, and the thinnest. I love the machine. My MacBook Pro is by far the best machine I've used. It feels solid, doesn't make noises when I open and close the lid, it goes to sleep and wakes up faster than XP or Vista, and is now my main machine.
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less talk, more music]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127218 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:14:11 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127022 Jahntassa : I'm looking into an Alienware for a colleague right now. We have several Panasonic Toughbooks floating around that have been pretty good. Especially since the guy who usually ends up destroying his laptops hasn't been able to break the Toughbook yet.

Dell laptops are definitely not so great, and my experiences with HP/Compaq are about the same opinion.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19127022 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:25:47 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126989 joako :
said by mromero See Profile :

Apple

MacBook or MacBook Pro
Maybe the MacBook Pro, but IMO The MacBook is built with very poor quality components. Apple's design philosophy leads to some very nice looking hardware but that entails certain compromises. The power cords for example in Apple laptops have been very poor. Expect to buy a new one every 1-2 years.
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Am Heimcomputer sitz' ich hier, und programmier' die Zukunft mir]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126989 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:18:59 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126905 catchy : Acer]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126905 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:03:31 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126604 mromero : Apple

MacBook or MacBook Pro]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126604 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:06:34 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126285 kw : Bah, I meant to mention Thinkpads. They are solid machines. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126285 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 20:03:46 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126214 signmeuptoo : I am amazed that hardly anyone mentioned Lenovo. Sure, they aren't IBM now, but are still just about the best serious notebooks out there for the non uber enthusiast.

But why is this thread in this forum, doesn't this belong in the laptop oriented forum? Wouldn't more input come from where the laptop users are?
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You know your life has gotten "DICEY" when it turns into an episode of LOST, like my ex wife, who I swear is one of "The Others". Do something useful with your computer, join Teams Helix and Discovery and help find a cure, you could be the ONE that does!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126214 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:51:41 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126064 BarneyBadAss :
said by icyura10 See Profile :

This is the best one..

No batteries required; no screen to break; never reboots;
Hmmm... I wonder how well it plays WOW!?
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---Barney]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126064 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:19:19 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126048 kw : My girlfriend has an Acer but it runs extremely hot.

Other then that, it's a great computer. Solidly built, doesn't feel cheap. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126048 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:15:25 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126026 robnelle :
said by hkancyr See Profile :

Take a look at Sagernotebook.com. I checked out the NP2070 upgraded a few things(processor to 2.2Ghz-Memory to 2 Gig's-HDD to 120Gigs-Bluetooth) for around $1100. Sager usually gives a lot of bang for the buck.
Once you do decide on something, go to Notebookforums.com and see what problems people are having with that particular model to avoid walking into something that was avoidable.
I agree, the sagers are awesome. Notebookforums is a great forum and if you have time to do more research, I suggest you also check out »notebookreview.com . You will find out more than you ever thought you needed to know about pretty much every notebook on the market.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19126026 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:10:20 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125925 icyura10 : This is the best one..

No batteries required; no screen to break; never reboots;
]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125925 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:49:38 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125845 unsub : Lenovo T series are the best made notebooks hands down. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125845 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:33:37 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125703 joako : I like the Lenovo Thinkpads & the HP compaq business series. They both have decent warranty service and pretty good build quality. I haven't used the newer 4 digit model HP's, I am refereeing to the ncNNNN series but I assume its just a marketing change.
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Am Heimcomputer sitz' ich hier, und programmier' die Zukunft mir]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125703 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:01:31 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125412 SuperNet33 : Apple !]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125412 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:51:13 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125388 kdshapiro : I recently bought two Dell Inspiron 1521s and am about to purchase a third. Best however is subjective.
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Ken]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125388 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:45:35 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125381 JimmySask : Two of my brothers have purchased HP notebooks recently, and I refuse to buy HP/Compaq at his point, due to the experiences they have had. Both run hot enough to fry an egg, have had problems with keys falling off, and there was an impressive amount of trial software crap.
I know several people who have recently bought Toshiba Satellites, and been pleased with them. I was happy with what I have seen of them, including software and build quality.
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I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me too....]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125381 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:43:31 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125343 pro7070 :
said by banditws6 See Profile :

This is a timely question for me; my wife is in need of a new notebook computer and I'm looking at our options. She currently has a four-year old Dell Inspiron 8600; to its credit, it hasn't had too many things go wrong with it, but the build quality right out of the box was atrocious (with a key popping off the keyboard on day one!). It creaks and groans and feels like it's going to come apart at any moment. The screen also failed about 1 year into the extended warranty, which you can believe I was glad I purchased.

I myself use a Dell Latitude D620 when traveling on business, which is far and away a better machine than most of Dell's Inspiron series. But the Latitudes aren't made for entertainment -- mine has just one cheesy mono speaker, for example.

One thing is certain, I'm not buying any more Dell machines.

I'm surprised at all the good remarks about Acer. For some reason I thought Acers were only good in Asia and that the machine bearing the Acer name in North America were of poor quality. For those who like Acer, what store or website would you recommend I purchase one? My wife herself is from Asia and had an Acer notebook in 1998 which she liked.
NewEgg has a great selection of Acer notebooks.

»www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi···hInDesc=]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125343 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:35:15 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125329 EchoD : My mistake. I guess I missed that they purchased Gateway. I should pay more attention! :D]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125329 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:31:15 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125317 PrntRhd : "There are fewer of 'em, so fewer people complain about 'em! "
not true, Acer is one of the largest PC manufacturers in the world with the purchase of Gateway.
Acer has great bang for your buck.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125317 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:28:36 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125288 EchoD : Apple. :D
Good sturdy design, quality hardware, excellent support, and they'll run any OS you want them to.
Of course, you've got to pay a bit for that quality...

If you're not an Apple fan (read: refuse to purchase for some reason), I'd say Acer. There are fewer of 'em, so fewer people complain about 'em! :p
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The Apple is yummy.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125288 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:22:06 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125146 ROCINANTE 2112 : Asus.

You get a lot of features for your money: »www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi···r=RATING
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CRUNCH THIS! ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125146 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:57:21 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125007 s bassaw : I've owned Dell, Gateway, and HP notebooks.
The quality of the Dell notebook was a huge letdown. I ended up sending it in for warranty servicing several times. I was very pleased with the quality of the Gateway system. It is built solid and has a stellar technical support department. I really liked HP because when I was shopping around for that notebook, they were the only notebook maker that offered the amount of RAM, Hard disk, and other features that I needed.

I'd say either a Gateway or HP...]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19125007 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:23:15 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124987 Tsume : Acer, Panasonic (toughbook)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124987 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:19:25 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124878 Lsdmeasap : Asus or Toshiba]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124878 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:56:52 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124798 hkancyr : Take a look at Sagernotebook.com. I checked out the NP2070 upgraded a few things(processor to 2.2Ghz-Memory to 2 Gig's-HDD to 120Gigs-Bluetooth) for around $1100. Sager usually gives a lot of bang for the buck.
Once you do decide on something, go to Notebookforums.com and see what problems people are having with that particular model to avoid walking into something that was avoidable. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124798 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:37:51 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124771 dbennett1106 : Toshiba, hands down.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124771 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:30:10 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124710 HardwareGeek : Toshiba]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124710 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:16:09 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124573 DKS : I've had two Lenovo ThinkPads and liked them both. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124573 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:48:30 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124546 banditws6 : This is a timely question for me; my wife is in need of a new notebook computer and I'm looking at our options. She currently has a four-year old Dell Inspiron 8600; to its credit, it hasn't had too many things go wrong with it, but the build quality right out of the box was atrocious (with a key popping off the keyboard on day one!). It creaks and groans and feels like it's going to come apart at any moment. The screen also failed about 1 year into the extended warranty, which you can believe I was glad I purchased.

I myself use a Dell Latitude D620 when traveling on business, which is far and away a better machine than most of Dell's Inspiron series. But the Latitudes aren't made for entertainment -- mine has just one cheesy mono speaker, for example.

One thing is certain, I'm not buying any more Dell machines.

I'm surprised at all the good remarks about Acer. For some reason I thought Acers were only good in Asia and that the machine bearing the Acer name in North America were of poor quality. For those who like Acer, what store or website would you recommend I purchase one? My wife herself is from Asia and had an Acer notebook in 1998 which she liked.
--
"I'll follow the law until it's just stupid." -Ted Nugent]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124546 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:43:12 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124132 Gordo74 : I also agree with Acer...

I would also throw Apple's name into the bunch.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19124132 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:05:36 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123968 dbmaven : Good point. No metrics provided or requested, so it's a "touchy-feely" response.

I bought an Acer TravelMate 8210 about 10 months ago because I needed a high powered portable system. Given that it's primarily a "business desktop" in portable form - those were my requirements. It had to be portable enough to fit in a business case, which meant no 17" widescreen units.

On a price-performance basis, this was the unit that fit the bill for me at that time. 15.4" Widescreen with DVI and VGA outputs (plus S-Video if needed for presentations). Core 2 Duo T7200 (@ 2.0 Ghz), 2GB RAM, 160GB Hard Drive, Dual-Layer DVD writer, Bluetooth and 802.11g wireless.
It is solid (Carbon Fiber case), very fast, has good battery life, and with Dual Core I have all the power I need for the programs I end up running on a daily basis.
Additional decision points for me: generally good reports of trouble-free performance of Acer units over the last 2-3 years, generally satisfied customers, equivalent warranty to other brands.

Hope those details help put my choice into perspective.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123968 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:20:42 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123889 gate1975mlm : Thanks for all your good advice.

One last thing :)

I would like something that is not too heavy and has good battery life like at least 4 hours. Also The main thing this labtop will be for is surfing the net and playing videos like the HD ones on quicktime. So how powerful of a cpu would I need to handle 720P and maybe even 1080P ones from quicktime? As for the price would love something around $500 but could go upto $1300 or so if needed.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123889 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:04:34 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123736 Ken Peterson : I've had good experience with the budget Compaqs - told two friends and they also got them - no problems and very happy.

Granted HP & Compaq are the same company, it appears that some of them are still built on different assembly lines.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123736 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:26:20 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123536 BarneyBadAss :
said by ChiTang See Profile :

BEST in terms of WHAT?

Price/Cutomer Service/RMA Policy/Features/Warranty/Integration/etc...

I am amazed so many people can give a straight answer to such a vague question.
Doesn't everyone use their notebooks for second base like I do? And when it's not base-a-ball season, I use it as a door stop! :D

Hmmm... I thought it was obvious! :p
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---Barney]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123536 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:27:08 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123104 ChiTang : BEST in terms of WHAT?

Price/Cutomer Service/RMA Policy/Features/Warranty/Integration/etc...

I am amazed so many people can give a straight answer to such a vague question.
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I used to be indecisive, now I am not sure.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19123104 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 04:00:19 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122858 pro7070 : I have had good luck with Acer as well. Excellent customer service. I like my old Acer than my new Core Duo Dell. Much more solid feel.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122858 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 01:44:08 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122417 decx : I've had NEC, Dell, Toshiba, and Sony notebooks, but my current favourite would be Apple. My current Apple MacBook Pro 17 inch Hi-res has better build quality and was designed with a higher attention to detail (not to mention a lot better looking :)) then the other notebooks I've used.

My Sony notebook did have fairly good initial quality but long term wise it developed an annoying screen issue after the 3 year warranty ran out. Sony also had the annoying distinction of having the most, often useless, pre-installed software.

Toshiba and NEC were ok, but both had chassis that flexed much more than I would've liked and the Toshiba's heat management is lacking and would cause some stability problems with PCMCIA cards when the notebook heated up.

The Dell I used (an Inspiron 8100) was the worst. It combined design flaws (eg W2K and the notebook's power management was unable to turn off the LCD when the lid was closed) along with poor QA (problematic LCD panel). In the end I just returned it after almost a month and an on-site service.

I've also used a HP notebook and I've found them to be quite well built. But of their current offerings I found them to be somewhat overpriced for their specs. Although they would make excellent corporate notebooks, consumers and power-users would be better served by something else (like an Apple ;)).]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122417 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:46:07 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122125 GadgetsRme : Toshiba, Acer, HP
I have a Toshiba myself, which has been great.
Two of my customers swear by their Acers as does "lilhurricane".
My son-in-law has a HP that he uses when traveling and he
would break your arm if you tried to make him change.

edit for one word.
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Gadgets]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19122125 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 22:44:20 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19121892 Locutus65 : Toshiba. I've owned and sold several. Never had a problem one with any of them.
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M-O-O-N, that spells assimilation...Tom Cullen of Borg.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19121892 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:58:18 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19121268 dbmaven : Excellent build quality.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19121268 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:56:55 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120914 bbrcat : Agree]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120914 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:49:59 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120851 gate1975mlm :
said by dbmaven See Profile :

Acer

Same or more features
Lower price
Good build quality?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120851 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:40:50 EDT Re: Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120832 dbmaven : Acer

Same or more features
Lower price]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120832 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:38:28 EDT Best Notebook computer brand? http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120606 gate1975mlm : So who makes the best Notebook computers nowadays?

Gateway,Dell,HP anyone else?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,19120606 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:59:15 EDT