Best Budget Laptop with Track Point

[ClockerXP]

I'm looking for a midrange/budget laptop with a 15" screen and trackpoint (Touchpads suck, IMO). I really like my Compaq M700 (500Mhz) with trackpoint but I know I'll be replacing it in the future.

Other min specs: 512MB RAM.

I just saw that some have a backlit keyboard. That would be REALLY cool and I'd be willing to pay extra for that!

Any suggestions?

CxP

 

[arcas]

Seems there aren't many brands out there with trackpoint-style devices. Those that do exist tend to be business-oriented so depending on your definition of "budget" you may or may not find any that qualify.

If you're not looking to do much gaming, I don't think you can go wrong with a Thinkpad. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better laptop keyboard. The R-series can be had pretty cheaply, especially if you buy refurbished. They're not as portable as the T-series but that doesn't matter for most folks.

(caveat: I'm a T42p user so I'm probably biased towards Thinkpads)

 

[fbrdphreak]

Dell Latitude and Lenovo Thinkpad only

 

[The Linuxator]

Fujitsu offers trackpoints on their ultra portabale line too.
To be honest I have ordered a Thinkpad R50e that only comes with a trackpoint so you get rid of the space occupied by the touchpad.
The base model celeron M 1.4 ghz / 1mb cache goes for $ 599 shipped but I opted for the 1.6ghz pentium M 2mb/ cache in addition to some other featrues for $ 849 shipped from IBM, concerning the keyboard light IBM has The thinklight on most of their thinkpads which lights from the top of the lcd onto the keyboard, nice feature , but I can't say more unitll my thinkpad arrives to day @ noon, will keep you informed 😉

 

[ClockerXP]

Please do....Thanks!

 

[The Linuxator]

ARRRGGHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!
Freakin customes had my Thinkpad miles and miles away In Kentucky for 3 days already, after calling Lenovo they told me it will not reach my place untill thursday, FCK LENOVO and FCK UPS, next time I am ordering from newegg and shipping via FEDEX and avoid all that customs BS.
Sorry dude I will have to wait till thursday then ARRRGGHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!

 

[trikster2]

Which Dell lattitude 15" has a trackpoint?

I don't see one on the D510 keyboard picture, so it's either ibm or a used dell if you want a budget trackpoint in the 15" format.

Linuxator, I feel your pain! What kept me from newegg when considering TPs was lenovno's 30 day no questions ask return policy. Not sure if newegg will match that?

 

[The Linuxator]

Originally posted by: trikster2

Which Dell lattitude 15" has a trackpoint?

I don't see one on the D510 keyboard picture, so it's either ibm or a used dell if you want a budget trackpoint in the 15" format.

Linuxator, I feel your pain! What kept me from newegg when considering TPs was lenovno's 30 day no questions ask return policy. Not sure if newegg will match that?

The only reason I didn't order from newegg.com is because if I get a deadpixel in the LCD there must be 6 others for me ato get a replacement , and I wasn't going to take my chances with a $ 1000 lappy.

 

[trikster2]

Originally posted by: The Linuxator

Originally posted by: trikster2

Which Dell lattitude 15" has a trackpoint?

I don't see one on the D510 keyboard picture, so it's either ibm or a used dell if you want a budget trackpoint in the 15" format.

Linuxator, I feel your pain! What kept me from newegg when considering TPs was lenovno's 30 day no questions ask return policy. Not sure if newegg will match that?

The only reason I didn't order from newegg.com is because if I get a deadpixel in the LCD there must be 6 others for me ato get a replacement , and I wasn't going to take my chances with a $ 1000 lappy.

That's funny, we both had the same concerns but came up with different answers.

While Lenovno will take the laptop back, with a full refund and no restocking fee, no questions ask within 30 days, Newegg has a pretty bad dead pixel policy:

# ** This item is warranted through the product manufacturer only. what's this?
**Dead Pixel Policy: There must be 7+ dead pixels in order to obtain a replacement notebook.
# In Stock



To me one dead pixel is unsat (not a single one on my last 6 notebooks or any of the my LCD displays). So I went with lenovno......


Now I understand the egg can be better in practice then their policies dictate, but when it comes to a $2000 laptop, I'd like that in writing please...

But it's all good. T43 so far looks good and I hope your thinkpad does to linuxator....

 

[Hacp]

Didn't they come with a 500 dollar model Thinkpad that has a trackpoint but no touchpad?? Celeron M only though.

 

[The Linuxator]

I have finally received my Thinkpad r50e 2 days ago and i have to tell you it's awesome , I made a mini review about it
here
if you guys want to check it out. I have the centrino model, that comes with pentium M dothan 1.6 ghz 2 MB L2 cache, cd-RW/DVD rom intel wireless 2200 BG 768 MB DDR333 ram and all.
for the OP if you just want a cheap Thinkpad go with the celeron model, but for the couple of hundred dollars between the Pentium M model and the Celeron model I opted for the Pentium M , due to the fact that the celeron model doesn't come with speed-step which will kill you battery life time, and it's more crippled less cache no CD-RW/DVD rom ...etc