List your favorite Notebook/Laptop Pick

[Cybordolphin]

Both of my laptops are failing at the power socket (sorry.... 2 solder joints just does not cut it).

Seems the power socket is the Achilles heal of ALL laptops?

I'd like to see a robust (has a power socket that won't fail). I hate the prospect of having to take apart my lappy just to solder a pigtail in place and knott it, to replace a weakly soldered power socket.

What is your favorite pick. No $$ limits. Just THE kickass notebook to own.

 

[Commodus]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin

Seems the power socket is the Achilles heal of ALL laptops?

I'd like to see a robust (has a power socket that won't fail). I hate the prospect of having to take apart my lappy just to solder a pigtail in place and knott it, to replace a weakly soldered power socket.

How about a laptop with the MagSafe connector?

We have yet to see production MacBook Pros, but people have tried the MagSafe power connector and it seems to work as advertised. It stays put in normal use, but if something yanks the cord quickly, it comes out cleanly - you can't rip the power socket loose by accident.

People complain that Apple laptops are expensive, but good ergonomic designs don't come cheap. I'd get a MacBook simply because, from all indications, it does well those things you need in a laptop - it doesn't just have bigger numbers.

 

[Cybordolphin]

Woah.... Dude (or Dudette),

Now that is good design. You may convert me to Apple just for this simple logical NEEDED design.

So... can an Apple run Windows applications without problems? Can I easily convert over say.... Outlook email files, and I have lots of MSWORKS files that would need to be converted? Can I run programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot search and destroy, Moosoft Cleaner, Norton Antivirus, etc.?

I have long admired Apples ability to put out what appear to be superior computer products. Could be a turning point for me.

I really enjoy using my laptop as a replacement desktop computer. I appreciate good sound coming from my laptop. Any particular models from Apple that excel in multimedia? Any particular Apple models that have exceptional speakers?

Thanks!

 

[Zuke]

My Inspiron 8600 has a power connector that doesn't "click" together in any way. The cord easily slides in and out - the result is that it can't be a point of failure. Any tension simply pulls the power cord out of the back of the laptop. Nice design

 

[Cybordolphin]

Zuke...

It sounds like your power socket is the same as all the rest. And they always fail. Eventually. Apple constantly is looking at what does not work.. and they come up with a fix. IBM/PC makers jus need slappin.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin
Woah.... Dude (or Dudette),

Now that is good design. You may convert me to Apple just for this simple logical NEEDED design.

So... can an Apple run Windows applications without problems? Can I easily convert over say.... Outlook email files, and I have lots of MSWORKS files that would need to be converted? Can I run programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot search and destroy, Moosoft Cleaner, Norton Antivirus, etc.?

I have long admired Apples ability to put out what appear to be superior computer products. Could be a turning point for me.

I really enjoy using my laptop as a replacement desktop computer. I appreciate good sound coming from my laptop. Any particular models from Apple that excel in multimedia? Any particular Apple models that have exceptional speakers?

Thanks!

I've had numerous ThinkPads and never had this problem... That said the magnetic connection is freaking cool... but I have to question the amount of power they can actually deliver via that type of connection, and after repeated use if the connectors don't get scratched/oxidized and prevent current from flowing as it did when new. It will be interesting if anyone does a study of the charge times of the new MAC's.

 

[modedepe]

Originally posted by: Commodus

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin

Seems the power socket is the Achilles heal of ALL laptops?

I'd like to see a robust (has a power socket that won't fail). I hate the prospect of having to take apart my lappy just to solder a pigtail in place and knott it, to replace a weakly soldered power socket.

How about a laptop with the MagSafe connector?

We have yet to see production MacBook Pros, but people have tried the MagSafe power connector and it seems to work as advertised. It stays put in normal use, but if something yanks the cord quickly, it comes out cleanly - you can't rip the power socket loose by accident.

People complain that Apple laptops are expensive, but good ergonomic designs don't come cheap. I'd get a MacBook simply because, from all indications, it does well those things you need in a laptop - it doesn't just have bigger numbers.

That's pretty slick. Could have used it the other day when my gf hit the cord and flipped mine off the table

 

[chcarnage]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin
So... can an Apple run Windows applications without problems? Can I easily convert over say.... Outlook email files, and I have lots of MSWORKS files that would need to be converted? Can I run programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot search and destroy, Moosoft Cleaner, Norton Antivirus, etc.?

I have long admired Apples ability to put out what appear to be superior computer products. Could be a turning point for me.

I really enjoy using my laptop as a replacement desktop computer. I appreciate good sound coming from my laptop. Any particular models from Apple that excel in multimedia? Any particular Apple models that have exceptional speakers?

Thanks!

Apple laptops still run Mac OS X and running Windows XP on them is the challenge for a handfull of geeks right now, but it's not sure if they are going to succeed. It might become easier with Windows Vista (because it supports the BIOS successor EFI which the new x86 Macs use) but who knows.

The program Apple Mail and a few other mail clients for Macs can import Outlook emails. You can open MS Works files with MS Office for Mac. All things considered the transition to the MacBook Pro is possible but it requires some time for the imports and additional money (for MS Office).

But it'll take another 3-4 weeks until a good quantity of MacBook Pro reviews is online. The MacBook Pro is the first laptop Mac that has a x86 CPU. The iBook and the PowerBook have a PowerPC CPU and no MagSave Connector.

 

[Commodus]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin

So... can an Apple run Windows applications without problems? Can I easily convert over say.... Outlook email files, and I have lots of MSWORKS files that would need to be converted? Can I run programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot search and destroy, Moosoft Cleaner, Norton Antivirus, etc.?

I really enjoy using my laptop as a replacement desktop computer. I appreciate good sound coming from my laptop. Any particular models from Apple that excel in multimedia? Any particular Apple models that have exceptional speakers?

Thanks!

You don't need programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot, Moosoft Cleaner, or Norton Antivirus. There are, essentially, no viruses, spyware, or worms for the Mac right now. And if you're worried, OS X does have a built-in firewall you can turn on. As far as system maintenance: OS X automatically defrags files under 20 MB in size upon access and there's no registry, so you tend not to see a performance decay over time as you do with Windows. There are tools like MacJanitor that will help shape things up, but they're not essential.

MS Works has already been covered: get Microsoft Office 2004 for the Mac if you need compatibility in that area (there's a student edition if you qualify). iWork 06 can also do the trick if you're not dependent upon spreadsheets.

As far as Apple laptops that excel in multimedia: the MacBook Pro will very likely be the best when it arrives. It has Front Row (Quicktime needed for that page), which is an across-the-room interface for music, photos, and videos. It's particularly great if you want your laptop to double as your stereo. Because it uses a Core Duo processor, you should be able to play even 1080p videos on it without a hiccup. The MBPro has a combo analog/optical audio out jack; you probably need a Dolby decoder in your speaker system to get surround sound, but it's there. The one catch on the MBPro is that it only has a 4X DVD writer. This isn't a major problem unless you'll be doing lots of movie creation or backups, but it's something to consider.

Speakers... well, Apple has never placed a high priority on high-quality audio from built-in speakers, so that's one investment you'd want to make if you haven't already. I'd rather have a thin-and-light laptop than a thick one with a subwoofer built-in. I will say, though, that the line-out quality from a Mac is miles above the usual integrated audio you find on many mainboards. You just need to get good speakers; for 2.1s, I recommend Logitech's Z2300s ($103 at Newegg!) - 200W sustained power and good overall quality.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: Commodus

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin

So... can an Apple run Windows applications without problems? Can I easily convert over say.... Outlook email files, and I have lots of MSWORKS files that would need to be converted? Can I run programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot search and destroy, Moosoft Cleaner, Norton Antivirus, etc.?

I really enjoy using my laptop as a replacement desktop computer. I appreciate good sound coming from my laptop. Any particular models from Apple that excel in multimedia? Any particular Apple models that have exceptional speakers?

Thanks!

You don't need programs like ZoneAlarm, Spybot, Moosoft Cleaner, or Norton Antivirus. There are, essentially, no viruses, spyware, or worms for the Mac right now. And if you're worried, OS X does have a built-in firewall you can turn on. As far as system maintenance: OS X automatically defrags files under 20 MB in size upon access and there's no registry, so you tend not to see a performance decay over time as you do with Windows. There are tools like MacJanitor that will help shape things up, but they're not essential.

MS Works has already been covered: get Microsoft Office 2004 for the Mac if you need compatibility in that area (there's a student edition if you qualify). iWork 06 can also do the trick if you're not dependent upon spreadsheets.

As far as Apple laptops that excel in multimedia: the MacBook Pro will very likely be the best when it arrives. It has Front Row (Quicktime needed for that page), which is an across-the-room interface for music, photos, and videos. It's particularly great if you want your laptop to double as your stereo. Because it uses a Core Duo processor, you should be able to play even 1080p videos on it without a hiccup. The MBPro has a combo analog/optical audio out jack; you probably need a Dolby decoder in your speaker system to get surround sound, but it's there. The one catch on the MBPro is that it only has a 4X DVD writer. This isn't a major problem unless you'll be doing lots of movie creation or backups, but it's something to consider.

Speakers... well, Apple has never placed a high priority on high-quality audio from built-in speakers, so that's one investment you'd want to make if you haven't already. I'd rather have a thin-and-light laptop than a thick one with a subwoofer built-in. I will say, though, that the line-out quality from a Mac is miles above the usual integrated audio you find on many mainboards. You just need to get good speakers; for 2.1s, I recommend Logitech's Z2300s ($103 at Newegg!) - 200W sustained power and good overall quality.

Apple laptops, if I'm now mistaken, have fiber-optic audio output on many of the high-end models. Fiber-optic (S/PDIF) gives far better audio quality than a line-out, and can be used with many extremely high-quality stereos. (Yet another reason why I want a Mac.)

Also, it's not impossible to fix the motherboards, if you know how to use a soldering iron and can work around SMD components.

 

[Busithoth]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin
Zuke...

It sounds like your power socket is the same as all the rest. And they always fail. Eventually. Apple constantly is looking at what does not work.. and they come up with a fix. IBM/PC makers jus need slappin.

slapped on the back, you mean, for making the 600 series thinkpads, which still work fine after 8 years of use?

flamebait, anyone?

though I like the new mac lappys plenty, and won't reciprocate the hate.

 

[Shiizu]

I have 2 Fujitsu P7000 series (7010D and 7120D). I would not consider any other notebook. I am immeasurably satisfied with both.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I'll second Thinkpads for robust designs. The Thinkpads up to T4x series and everything else before the Z-series & T60 use a 10.8V power supply, and the connectors are a little small. I've never had charging issues on my T42, but after about a year and a half of use & abuse (I treat my laptop like a paperweight some days ) the power connector isn't as snug as when new.

The Z-series and T60 use a 20V power system now, and the power plug on them is a good deal thicker and much more robust feeling. Also the T60 & Z-Series use a new roll cage design to improve rigidity and I'll tell ya, they feel solid as hell. Even better than the previous T-series if that's possible. :thumbsup:

Also Fujitsu makes great laptops; can't speak to the power plugs but overall they're awesome machines.

 

[aigomorla]

thinkpad user here.. previous sony user... The Z505, i had a problem with the connector. T41p ive had no problems with it. People have trip over my cable, yet, the cable works fine and solid.

The hard drive lock is something IBM had on there eariler T series, that the macbook has. The luminated keyboard is nice, but my T series has a cool LED at the top of my LCD that shines on my keyboard so essentially its almost the same.

I really dont have much crap to talk about my thinkpad. Its durable as hell and its pretty quick. I dont play games on it as i have a fairly powerful desktop i can game on. But as for school stuff like word, mime emulators and email, i dont think i'll have to replace this laptop anytime soon.

 

[max2]

IBM THinkpad.

I can even game on it. Sure not the latest games but DX7 games work great and look great to! Not that I really need to game on it but its a nice option to have!

I as well have a fairly powerful desktop I can game on instead!

 

[max2]

I have seen a thinkpad dropped about 8 feet high and it still works fine.

 

[Busithoth]

Originally posted by: max2
IBM THinkpad.

I can even game on it. Sure not the latest games but DX7 games work great and look great to! Not that I really need to game on it but its a nice option to have!

I as well have a fairly powerful desktop I can game on instead!

I think the gaming is the weakest part of thinkpad's performance.
there's a reason they never brag about gaming.

I'm happy with my lappy's video card, but I'm also trying to game less.
it also is better than the typical 7500 solution so many thinkpad's come with.

someone on the fora left their thinkpad on their car, and drove @ 40MPH, it only sliding off when they took a corner. it cracked the hinge, but booted fine.

 

[Away]

Thinkpad T Series. Best damn notebook ever made.

 

[trikster2]

If you can hold out for a bit just about everyone is upgrading their lines with the new core dou's.

My current lappy's are a M70 and a T43. T43 is OK but the M70 is great.

 

[pulse8]

Acer Travelmate 8200

 

[herm0016]

everyone seems to hate them, but i love my 600m and its serial port. never had troubles with the cords of any laptop. seems to me people just need to manage their cables better.

 

[RedWolf]

Well, the title says favorite. I can't say it's the most durable but my favorite laptop has to be the eMachines 680x series. Athlon 64, decent widescreen, Radeon 9600, 6 in 1 card reader, cdrw/dvd. A great jack of all trades laptops. Another would be the Gateway 505XL. Great multimedia machine, Pentium M, 9600, DVD burner, very good sound for a laptop. Finally, I'd have to give some kudos to the Dell 9300 (and now the 9400). Not a better deal in the laptop gaming market can be had today.

 

[sigs3gv]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I'll second Thinkpads for robust designs. The Thinkpads up to T4x series and everything else before the Z-series & T60 use a 10.8V power supply, and the connectors are a little small. I've never had charging issues on my T42, but after about a year and a half of use & abuse (I treat my laptop like a paperweight some days ) the power connector isn't as snug as when new.

The Z-series and T60 use a 20V power system now, and the power plug on them is a good deal thicker and much more robust feeling. Also the T60 & Z-Series use a new roll cage design to improve rigidity and I'll tell ya, they feel solid as hell. Even better than the previous T-series if that's possible. :thumbsup:

Also Fujitsu makes great laptops; can't speak to the power plugs but overall they're awesome machines.

I own a Thinkpad T42 and it's been excellent. Flawless Linux and Unix (FreeBSD) support.