POLL: Which laptop has the best build quality?

[WayneTeK]

Just curious, which brand you guys think is the best.

My vote is for IBM. Solid build...

My votes go like this:

1. IBM - best build quality
2. ASUS - Love their mobo and laptops are pretty decent.
3. Fujitsu - I love their LCD screens.. sooo clean, however, the laptop has heating/venting problems
4. DELL - I hate dells.. build qualitys are sooo cruddy.. yet it's a step above Gateway.
5. HP - Eh...
6. Gateway - Nuff said... POS..

 

[fbrdphreak]

Also notice that with this list, the price pretty much increases as you go from 6 up. However, IMO, you get a lot for your money from Gateway & HP. My list would be the same except with Dell at the bottom. The Gateway Centrino series seems solid enough with a good warranty, with 5 hours of batt life @ $1200 you can't beat it. The A64 Gateways are the same as the eMachines M68XX, which a lot of people know are some awesome machines for the money. It all comes down to that in the end you really do get what you pay for

 

[WobbleWobble]

You forgot to throw in some other big names like Toshiba, Sony, Compaq (even though they are HP, but different line) and even e-Machines (also Gateway, but different line).

I love IBM's build quality, followed by Toshiba. Dells just plain suck (even though I have one, it was cheap!)

 

[RobsTV]

Another thing important is cost of consumables and upgrades.
Toshiba and IBM rule that area as well, with lowest cost replacement batteries, AC adaptors, memory upgrades, etc.

 

[Abhi]

IBM

 

[jamesbond007]

I've never owned an IBM, but I have always heard praises about them. I have owned some Toshiba laptops before and was extremely disappointed with the lack of driver updates. Dell, on the other hand, has excellent support for the latest updates for all aspects of my laptop, even covering various OSes.

I can't state how IBM stands against this or if they do the same thing, but driver support is more important as I am not hard on the items I own...thus I do not feel it is necessary for me to spend a few hundred dollars more to get a laptop that can stand a bigger beating, physically.

I own a Dell 600m and couldn't be happier with it.

My $0.02.

 

[aamsel]

Well, I must say, this is one "IBM Thinkpad loving group"!!!
I just received a new T42, model #23795VU. It is:
Dothan 1.6 725, 512MB, XGA with 64MB ATI 9000 card (brand new model).
Yes, it is XGA with an ATI 9000 card!!! (which is what i wanted, I don't want high resolution.)

I must say, I also am really taken with the Fujitsu's, other than the heating issues.
I understand that the new S6231 has resolved these issues???
Anyone know???

Andrew
Austin, TX

 

[trikster2]

aamsel

What screen did you get? How do you like it? Is it bright or dim/faded. Can you play games with the ATI 9000?

 

[phisrow]

I've got to agree with the general praise of Thinkpads, as I very much love mine; but there are good things to be said for some of the others. IBM makes pretty much the best laptop keyboards ever, and(though this is more of a subjective thing) the best mouse interfaces as well. General build quality is quite good, and little extra features like the inertial sensors to protect the hard drive, and real hardware volume control(that actually works outside of Windows, unlike a fair few Dells I've used), and the Thinklight(I wouldn't buy just for that, but it is fun to have) really give the system that extra edge.
For myself, I tend to value build quality quite highly in laptops, which makes me willing to go for IBMs(that and I don't need any of the more esoteric configurations, say the A64 mobile gaming beasts, the dual HDD P4EE mobile workstations, or the ultramini pseudo-palmtops, none of which IBM sells). When it comes to pure computer for your dollar, though, it is hard to ignore the other players. Dell's line of business notebooks, in particular, has a decent feel to it and is quite a bit cheaper. Their home models just suck, however.

 

[BlamoHammer]

My HP zt3000 has been nothing but solid. Until they give me a reason not to, I will be sticking with HP for awhile

 

[jdiddy]

Originally posted by: Abhi
IBM

No contest.

 

[vegetation]

Originally posted by: RobsTV
Another thing important is cost of consumables and upgrades.
Toshiba and IBM rule that area as well, with lowest cost replacement batteries, AC adaptors, memory upgrades, etc.

I'd say Dell takes the top of that position due to its sheer numbers. Tons of spare parts available on ebay for cheap and they use a lot of cross platform sharing of parts so it's ridiculously easy to find what you need in case something gets broken. I'd go with Dell if I had little money to upgrade my laptop every few years and needed something to last me, say , a good 5 years or more.

 

[KiLLaZ]

I've been looking at getting a Fujitsu S6000 and wasn't really aware of the heat/vent issues? What were they and are they fixed now?

 

[MDE]

IBM, everyone I've seen\felt\used was biult like a rock.

 

[Spikesoldier]

two words, infuse them into your mind.

PANASONIC

TOUGHBOOK

that is all.

 

[eshtog]

I just got my ibm t42 2378fvu
1.7 dothan
sxga
radeon 9600

I am very impressed with the build quality and love the laptop

 

[aamsel]

It is regular XGA.
It is neither bright nor dim.
Kinda so-so in screen quality.
I don't game, but you can play anything other than DirectX 9 games.

Andrew
Austin, TX

Originally posted by: trikster2

aamsel

What screen did you get? How do you like it? Is it bright or dim/faded. Can you play games with the ATI 9000?

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

I've owned aout 3 Toshibas, 1 Dell, and 1 IBM.

The 3 Toshibas were old clunkers and felt very solid (and mighty heavy too). No complaints with them.
The 1 Dell Inspiron 8100 I had was as much plastic as you can get in a laptop. Very cheap feel to it. Sqeaks and bends quite easily. Didn't mind the 9lb weight....until I got the T42p.

The IBM when I got it came with high expectations of build quality. And for the most part I'm satisfied. What I don't like about it is the squeak where the left palm rests (right above the PCMCIA slot) and the right thin strip of plastic directly above the removable CDROM unit flexes easily. And you can tell there's quite a big gap between that strip and the CDROM unit itself. If they could have made it flush with the CDROM unit then that wouldn't be an issue, but I guess it was a matter of asthetics?

The keyboard feels just right. The pointing stick device is practical, and the mouse buttons also have a unique feel and style to them. The thinklight is a neat feature to have as well in very dark situations. The 3 volume buttoms are a nice bonus. The LCD case although is very thin, is incredibly sturdy.

I've also had the opportunity to use a X31 and must say that it is built slightly more solid than the T series.

 

[WayneTeK]

holy moly.. ibm seems to be winning... i like i like..

 

[WayneTeK]

Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
I've owned aout 3 Toshibas, 1 Dell, and 1 IBM.

The 3 Toshibas were old clunkers and felt very solid (and mighty heavy too). No complaints with them.
The 1 Dell Inspiron 8100 I had was as much plastic as you can get in a laptop. Very cheap feel to it. Sqeaks and bends quite easily. Didn't mind the 9lb weight....until I got the T42p.

The IBM when I got it came with high expectations of build quality. And for the most part I'm satisfied. What I don't like about it is the squeak where the left palm rests (right above the PCMCIA slot) and the right thin strip of plastic directly above the removable CDROM unit flexes easily. And you can tell there's quite a big gap between that strip and the CDROM unit itself. If they could have made it flush with the CDROM unit then that wouldn't be an issue, but I guess it was a matter of asthetics?

The keyboard feels just right. The pointing stick device is practical, and the mouse buttons also have a unique feel and style to them. The thinklight is a neat feature to have as well in very dark situations. The 3 volume buttoms are a nice bonus. The LCD case although is very thin, is incredibly sturdy.

I've also had the opportunity to use a X31 and must say that it is built slightly more solid than the T series.

the x series is built for super mobility.. it's soo compact and nice..

 

[dym]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
two words, infuse them into your mind.

PANASONIC

TOUGHBOOK

that is all.

agree