Computer gurus-laptop

jbryant · 10-04-2005, 11:03 AM

Computer gurus-

I am looking for a new laptop to replace a HP zd 7000.
I am thinking about this:
http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_pages/MJ-12m_7700/mj-12m_7700_features.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-MJ12M-7700-CP&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT

Does anyone have any experience with Alienware? I run a lot of mapping programs and store a good amount of data that I like to get to quick.
Who makes the best all around laptop under $4K?

Thanks,

Jim

skipdup · 10-04-2005, 11:32 AM

IBM.

MysticLlama · 10-04-2005, 01:27 PM

Personally I only buy Dell midrange to high-end Latitudes (not Inspirons). And aim for the most common model also. (check ebay to see what there is the most of) This makes parts like keyboards/batteries/etc. easy and inexpensive to find later.

I get the 3 year complete care warranty, covers everything, and have had to use it plenty of times to make it worthwhile. (I support several in the office)

A little spendy, but I have several that are 5+ years old and running just fine, and some of the 3 year old Compaqs are crap.

I'm also partial to Panasonic toughbooks, they just rock. I have an old one I'm playing with right now, it's too bad it's so slow, it's the hardcore mag case one.

The new IBMs look really cool, but I don't have any long term experience with them.

Saintly · 10-04-2005, 01:42 PM

alien are more of a expensive gamming rig.
I would be looking at an IBM or a Dell. IBM for the fastest machine (they tend to be a little better graphically) and Dell for the best bang for buck. (IMHO)
Get a good firewire / USB2 external drive to backup onto.

david.avery · david.avery's Garage

go to http://notebookforums.com and look it up. AW doesn't have the best rep.

I am currently using a Dell XPS Gen2 notebook, it's video card is faster than my desktop x800!

jriera · 10-04-2005, 05:24 PM

My wife is fairly happy with eMachines.

I have use about any laptop out there, to me IBM still the best ones for business use (and not because I work for IBM), very reliable, takes normal use and abuse very well, good drives and easy to keep up-to-date.

stomachmonkey · 10-04-2005, 06:33 PM

Not impressed with Dell. Every IBM I've encountered has been rock solid.

Scott

HardDrive · 10-04-2005, 08:31 PM

Alienware......droll....

You'll have geeks like me fondling you computer.

They really are geared more towards the gaming community, but in the past year they have branched out in to business systems.

IBM boxes are excellent, but they have just been sold to a Chinese company (Lenova). Not nessecarily a bad thing, but it does mean a changing of the guard.

Dells are good, but not great. Its their service that keeps them going. They generally back up their products quite well.

I'd like to throw a little love towards Acer. I bought an Acer tablet PC last Nov. Had some minor problems when I first got it, and their service was excellent. I teach and do technical presentations and the thing is on 16 hours a day. Flawless.

Joeaksa · 10-04-2005, 08:38 PM

IBM or Dell. Support on both is excellent. Will not own another HP again after they refused to sell parts for a 2 year old laptop a while back.

JoeA

FrayAdjacent911 · 10-04-2005, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MysticLlama

I get the 3 year complete care warranty, covers everything, and have had to use it plenty of times to make it worthwhile. (I support several in the office)

I work at Dell in support, and I can say, Complete Care is worth it. Our normal warranties only cover failures of parts due to manufacturing issues or whatever. Complete Care is actually INSURANCE.

You knock your notebook off the desk and shatter your LCD?

Normal warranty: So sowwy, you must pay $$$ to get it replaced.

Complete Care: We send you a whole new unit. Not a penny out of your pocket.

HardDrive · 10-04-2005, 09:42 PM

I would also like to take a moment to rip Sony.

Computers are junk, their support is adverserial and worthless. Their motto seems to be "Don't fix it unless they can nail us in court".

The ancient Sumerian word for "sucks donkey shlong" is Vaio.

rob macdonald · 10-05-2005, 03:44 AM

Over here in sand land we're beating the snot out of Dell Lattitudes, and to a lesser degree, Panasonic Toughbooks...we hotseat, so they're running 24/7/365, and we run lots of programs like what you've mentioned...few problems with either system. Lately, uncle sugar has been buying Imperials (?). We haven't had'em long enough to praise or hate.

For my small business back in the world, me, I currently have an Inspiron. After four years the video card is crapping out. I used to run Thinkpads until they priced themselves out of my budget.

Oh...and the air quality here is...poor. You can wipe your cover clean and write your name a couple hours later...that said, both the aforementioned machines have done well. The Panasonics have "closed" keyboards. The Dells don't.

Rob

It's good the newest uniform doesn't have branch on it anymore...cuz they're gonna take away my crossed rifles and give me crossed laptops...LOL

Iraq=Vaio...

jbryant · 10-05-2005, 05:02 AM

JoeA- I had the same problem with HP. The power jack connector broke (poor design) and they want you to buy a $800 mother board to replace a $1.00 part.
Apparently it's a common problem (they have since changed the design) and I was able to get the part on the web.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I was getting caught up in the "coolness" of the Alienware product. It's nice to be brought back to earth.
I did not even think about the IBM's. They need to work on their marketing.

Jim

jyl · jyl's Garage

In the past year I've had a IBM T42p and my current IBM X40. Both have been great machines.

Excellent battery life, great keyboards, good performance, handy features/utilities, portable and compact, and solidly constructed. I get 5+ hours battery life with the extended battery and all power conservation enabled. I like the IBM trackpoint and find it more precise than a touchpad, but the T42p has both. I switched to the X40 for its smaller size.

IBM has traditionally focused on the corporate market. Their notebooks are pure corporate machines - all flat black, no silver accents, no DVD/MP3 buttons, no curvy styling. Reminds me of the black slabs in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The PC business has been sold to LeNovo, the leading Chinese PC vendor, and LeNovo is now led by an ex-IBM CEO and headquartered in New York. I wouldn't expect any major changes in the quality etc of the IBM-branded notebooks.

Some of my colleagues have the IBM Tablet, X41. It is a conventional keyboard-based notebook that can be converted to a pen-based tablet. I had a Compaq tablet PC a couple years ago and wasn't convinced, but apparently Windows Tablet XP has improved a lot, and the people here now like their tablets.

I've had Compaq, Dell, and Toshiba notebooks as well, but I like the IBMs best. Probably 70% of the notebook PCs used in my industry are IBMs.