Well after getting the server up and running our office is now expanding and I need more offices. Rather than spring for another desktop my thinking is just to move mine to someone else's office and get a laptop instead but I wasn't sure which one people recommend.

I am currently looking at the Dell Inspiron 9100....
Any thoughts on this?

I want something with all the power of a desktop....weight not an issue (only lug it to and from the car).

 

I'll take one of these: http://www.alienware.com/product_det...de=SKU-EXTREME

 

I found this lying around at work too:
http://www.freakazoid.org/reference/tosh/tosh430c.htm

Looks closer to a folder than a useable electronic device.

 

I would go with Dell, for a laptop. Just make sure you purchase an extended warranty. I bought an Inspirion 8100 two years ago, and my screen just went out an extended warranty would have cost $100, a new screen will cost me $600 1/2 the price of what I paid for the laptop. :cry:

 

If its just for the usual office work, another vote for Dell.

 

I have a Dell and it's been great. So one more for "Dude, You're getting a Dell."

 

I got a Dell Inspiron 8200 but my dad just got a Gateway with comparible equipment as it was cheaper than the equivalent Dell. But I still prefer Dell.

Dude, get the Dell w/ a port replicator and you'll be set!

 

I have had a Sony Vaio laptop for five years. It has been a great computer up to 6 months ago. I had to get some capacitors replaced ($100) and now I think my LCD may be going out.

My next laptop will probably be a Dell or Toshiba

 

As someone who has personally worked on computers and worked with quite a few laptops... I avoid Dell. My dad had a Dell, it was cheaply made. The clasps that Dell uses to hold their laptops closed often break. I've seen at least 2 with broken clasps. They run slower compared to Toshiba's with the same specs. They cost more. And their customer support has gone to crap. My girlfriend spent over an hour on hold, then when she got someone, they didn't speak english and hung up on her. Finally got an english speaking tech support and they couldn't fix her problem. Sent her 3 new DVD drives, and each time it didn't fix her problem. In addition to that, they run hot and have noisy fans.

Now, I've had two Toshiba's now, and had several friends with Toshibas. They run forever with little to no problems. And my dad recently bought an AWESOME Sony Vaio for incredibly cheap at Costco. Only downside to his Vaio is the weight.

 

I have a Toshiba Satellite and I love it. 2.4ghz, XP, Office 2003, linksys wireless, all for just over $650 after rebates. Only drawback is waiting on all the rebates. Otherwise I would have been up around $1200.

It's a bit big compared to the laptops that my Japanese co-workers just brought over from Japan (you should see these things, they are miniature!)

 

i have a HP and like it so far... it's a HP compaq nc6000 w/ 2.4 ghz processor, 512 MB ram and 40 gig hd with cd burner and dvd player. not a bad setup.

 

jamie,

i've purchased two dell laptops thus far, including my current one, an inspiron 4100. it's still performing w/o any flaws. my previous one survived grad school and you know what i'm talking about---that's a torture test!

similarly, i've purchased three dell desktops. all w/o any problems aside from hardware like cd-rom players wearing out. the one that i'm writing on right now, an xps t600, i've owned since 1999 and its still running like a champ. i replaced the rear fan the other week, so now it is much quieter.

dell customer support: this problem they had w/ outsourced indian labor is now history. moreover, it only applied to the optiplex and latitude laptops. its now become such a big internet story and used so many times by dell-bashers: http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/biztech...ll.centers.ap/

so to set the record straight, dell does not use indian tech support anymore.

lastly, i've NEVER had problems getting through to dell. the longest i've ever had to wait was about 5-6 minutes. and if anyone here is surprised you have to wait 15-30 minutes because you call monday morning instead of sunday evening (when traffic is light)...ok, no value judgements their CS has been outstanding for me. warrantied parts are sent the same day by overnight mail. put in the old one w/ the return label and you're done w/ it. my wife's computer had a faulty power supply and the guy came the next day w/ a brand new computer.

bob

 

I have a dell lattitude and a dell desktop. the desktop is great but the lattiude is really disappointing. there are issues with the video driver that causes it to crash all the time and it does seem really cheap in construction. Before this laptop i had an ibm thinkpad. it was fast quit and very durable. In a couple yrs ill be getting another thinkpad

 

Although the Alienware laptop looks very cool I can't see how to justify it to my Board at the next meeting.....I would certainly get a few chuckles and quite a few UFO jokes too.

Sounds like Dell is the machine to get but I was contemplating which one. I prefer to get an inspiron just for the performance because I will replace my desktop with it and I want the ability for high end graphics (so I want the best video I can get in a laptop.....yes, I know desktop is way better in this category). I just want to maximize how the money is spent if anyone asks me to justify it.

I looked at the XPS and it didn't seem to justify the price/performance.
Would the 9100 be the best bang for my buck all things considered?

Also why is the 8600 priced so high with a slower chip?

 

Haha...probably true. But you wanted to know the "Best Laptop". It's pretty damn slick! They have nice waranty options too. I bought a comp from them 5 years ago...still have it. Runs GREAT...I did have a quirk here and there...tech support fixed me up in a jiffy.

 

I'll toss it out there IBM (thinkpads) and Dell which you have alot of vote for now already. Thinkpads are tough. I will say I have seen all brand of laptops broken and many are due to user neglect not the laptops stop working on there own.

 

I have an IBM thinkpad, and love it! At college a lot of my friends had trouble with Toshiba and Dell.

 

Umm.. from reading that article, it just applies to corporate computers. My girlfriend's laptop is an Inspiron(not mentioned in the article), and her problems were recent. That article was written in more than 6 months ago.

 

Nothing Better than an IBM Thinkpad. You pay for what you get.

Just my 2Cents

Mvcrash

 

I looked at the IBM thinkpad and it looks good but the video card in it is not too hot (Intel extreme graphics vs mobility Radeon 9700!!!). Looks like I will order myself the Dell 9100 on Monday because now their special is a free upgrade to a 7200 RPM Ultra ATA 100GB hard drive.....definately need the space. Will report back when I get it.