Generic Question & Source for Option

[Roanzz]

Hey folks...

This is my very first post on this board. It has great reviews and a great forum. So here is my generic question. I am looking to buy a laptop(my first) and I have a basic set of parameters that I am looking to fulfill. I wanted to know if anybody has any Price Concious decisions.

Primary use of the laptop will be for work (software development). So I need to install Visual Studio .Net and will also need some other microsoft stuff Platform Builder. I will cart in in between Work and home. Hope to load it up with music and such stuff. Also want to have the possiblility to dual boot into Linux, (currently old school with RH9 but may check out debian.) Maybe a game or 2 every once in a while we'll see.

Here are my parameters:
Pentium M 1.6 or higher
512 DDR RAM (expandable to at least 1GB)
Wireless 802.11
Minimum 5400 RPM 40+ GB HD
Loaded with Windows XP Pro.
14.1" is actually a pretty good size, 15.4" is sexy, 17" is obnoxious.
DVD/CD-RW.
Weight isn't a big factor lets say less than 8.0 lbs
Want decent battery life, but will spend a bunch of time plugged in.

I have done some searches on www.notebookreview.com but the search only gets me so far.

Would Love an IBM. There are some T41 that are out there that are at a good price. What's the difference between T41 and T42.
A reasonably priced Fujitsu isn't out of the question
Acer would be good, but haven't liked what I have seen with expandable ram
Averatec ???
Toshiba???
Has anybody dealt with Winbook?

Finally what are good places to order from?

TIA

 

[fbrdphreak]

In response to the title of your thread, if a manufacturer doesn't list the HDD speed it is 4200RPM most of the time.
Your parameters seem decent overall. Check out the hp zt3000 series. 15.4" screen, optional 15.4" screen, Pentium M, etc. For IBM's, I don't know the exact difference between T41 & T42, expect that T42 is newer and will have newer options, most notably the Dothan Pentium M versus Banias in the T41's. Check out thinkpads.com, the mod of the forums there (Bill) might be able to get you a good deal on a Thinkpad. All Thinkpad's come with at least 5400RPM, optional 60GB 7200RPM. The new T42's with the 14.1" SXGA+ screens are nice, really portable but powerful. However, expect to pay a premium for them.
I can't speak as to other non-retail brands. Toshiba's are okay, but you can't custom order them and thus I doubt you can get a 5400RPM on a semi-portable model. Avertec is nice & cheap, but no P-M and no higher specs as you are looking for; thus I would stay away from 'em. IIRC, all Pentium M notebooks have a max of 2GB RAM, so that shouldn't be an issue.
Honestly, I would say IBM is your best bet, but it will be more expensive.

 

[Roanzz]

Oh thanks for the reply. I'm still in the process of looking.

The thing I keep reading about buying a t42 right now is to wait for the price drop. (Since the T43 is about to come out.)

I am thinking about getting a Pentium M based Acer and ordering a 5400 RPM HD and an extra 512MB or Ram with it then start up the system with closer specs to what I want.

I posted this question on another forum, but will add it here too.
What is the Radeon 9600 or 9700 really good for in a notebook?? I.E. is it there simply to provide the umpah to make the display flow smoothly when resolution is up at the max SXGA setting?