Taiwan works for me, specially for the price...
Posted on 03/03/2013 5:17:13 PM PST by Lexinom
Looking to spend $400-$700 for a decent notebook to be used primarily for software development and graphics. Need some speed and horsepower, and durability. These things typically last me about five years, and this one here (a Sony Vaio) is nearing the end of the line.
Brands you'd recommend? Lenovo is highly regarded but very, very Chinese. I'd like to stay away from that. And I hate Apple with a passion.
This will be running Linux.
I also hate Apple with a passion. Like I posted before. Just to prove a point at how UNSECURE the really are. I hacked one in 1 hour. If your looking for a realistic laptop that’s tough and not based on “pretty”. Go with an IBM. They are very good. Likewise, their price will be high also. In fact I still have an IBM Lenovo Thinkpad T60 and T42. Yes, they are old. And yes, guess what. They still work. I put Windows 7 32 bit on the T60. In fact I actually spilled, try not to laugh, a Latte on the T60. A complete 20oz. Turned it off immediately, pulled the battery out, dried it off quickly, and turned it back on the next day and it’s still running. You will NEVER be able to do that with a Dell, or other laptop unless you buy a Toughbook. There’s not need for that when you can buy a Lenovo for less.
IBM all the way, yes. Rock-solid hardware. It’s a shame they sold off their computing interests to companies like Lenovo.
That was unforgivable! F Toshiba! I have nothing with that name in the house, and I sold nothing with their name when I had my store. I paid more for floppy drives that WEREN'T Toshiba.
Concerning Lenovo:
There was a post on FR within the past couple of years — I don’t have the link — by a Freeper with a son who works in US intelligence. This poster asked his son what laptop to buy. The son said to buy any brand other than Lenovo. He was unable to say why, but he was adamant that the parent should not buy Lenovo under any circumstance.
Why not dual boot it since you are getting one OS included and one for free...HDDs are so riduculously large now. Linux is nice but not fully complete when dealing with the rest of the world. Not sure what the Ubuntu load is now but shouldn’t impact your HDD storage concerns. Have you played with any solid state drives yet. Man, those things are fast.
My issue with lenovo..
wifi card white list.
if it’s not on the list, it won’t boot with it in it. It will just give you a message to remove it.
Not a problem if you are going to leave the stock wifi card in it.
A problem if you install a 4g/wifi/bluetooth card in it. Or the original card goes tits up out of warranty.
That tips the scales for me. Thanks. NO Lenovo.
Wow, I thought your link was to a joke (e.g. a link to a blank page showing “computers made in the USA”). Systemax... Made in Ohio... Checking them out. Many thanks!
“I’ll be slapping Ubuntu onto the thing as soon as I get it home.
Linux: The Ultimate Windows Service Pack “
Ubuntu sux since it went to that stupid Unity Interface.
Mint: The Ultimate Ubuntu Service Pack
I found the link to the thread about the son who said not to buy a Lenovo.
Time for a new laptop - Freeper Help Needed
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2779397/posts
See Post #28.
You’ve also answered a question posed by many:
What American manufacturers assemble notebooks?
Answer: Lotus computers.
(The others on that list did not make laptops).
MSI
ALL laptops except Panasonic laptops are made in either China or Taiwan. I believe the Panasonics are still made in Japan, but they start at about $1,500. However, they are very, very good laptops. I personally own a Panasonic CF-53 Toughbook with Windows 7 Pro x64, upgraded with 8GB RAM and a 750GB 7200RPM Hitachi hard drive.
If you don’t have that kind of dough, try a Latitude E5x30 with Windows 7 Pro x64. You can pick up bargains at dell.com/outlet. All the Dell factory refurbs have the exact same warranty as a brand new machine.
Whatever you do, don’t buy Windows 8. You’ll hate yourself if you do and truly regret wasting your money.
The trick with Dell is to buy only their business lines of PCs. Their consumer lines are only marginally better than HP PCs.
The trick with Dell is to buy only their business lines of PCs. Their consumer lines are only marginally better than HP PCs.
“My issue with lenovo..
wifi card white list”
HP does the exact same thing, not to mention that HP laptops as a group are just horrible, horrible pieces of garbage.
Taiwan works for me, specially for the price...
WOW! I didn't though they improved quality that much.
In fact, I paid $121 just last week for the one I'm typing on at this moment.
In addition to the *LOW* cost, they have near netbook size, high-res graphics, tremendous audio and a 64-bit AMD CPU.
I've got external monitors and wireless keyboards and mice on a couple, so they can serve me as regular desktop workstations.
So, that's my notebook tip for the week ... FWIW! :)
(I do look forward to installing Kubuntu on one some day soon)
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