i'm happy with the lenovo sl400 i bought two and a half years ago. inexpensive, quiet, stable, and good for what it's used. web browsing, streaming music and vids, netflix, ms office, etc. i use it constantly and the only "problem" it's given me is the battery which stopped holding much of a charge. part of that is just my lack of properly turning off the unit most of the time. i will just put it to "sleep" which will drain the battery more. just bought a new 9-cell battery for it and it's good as new. i am also a big fan of lenovo's keyboard and their track pointer/nub/nipple-mouse/****-mouse.

 

Get a Mac.

I got both my parents to get Macs because I got sick of working every time I "visited". I haven't worked a day since they got them. They just work.

My dad took a LOT of convincing to switch over, being a died in the wool PC guy. He is a full fledged Mac convert, now.

 

I really like how you mentioned no apple products without any animosity and yet the fanboys still try to convince you regardless.

I've used both and owned a mbp 15, but have much more experience using windows. As of now, I'll go PC. Here's why: Intel is in the (delayed) process of introducing their Sandy Bridge platform, which means that their 15/7 lines are going to get cheaper. This is a huge plus if price is a concern (let's face it, it's always a concern no matter how anyone slices it). Apple is also set to release a new MBP sometime soon (within 4 quarters I believe) With regards to quality, yes there are some **** companies but its a mixed bag. Lenovo has great quality, equal to apple if not better, the only difference being their usage of materials. Right now as it stands, W7 is just as capable as OSX imho. Out of the box, W7 is not set up properly in most cases, as 3rd parties and manufacturers try to get users to use their own programs. Due to differences in business models, Apple doesn't have that problem.

So here's my take: why buy a mbp when there is the distinct possibility of there being a new product soon for the same price point? You'd probably be able to buy the current mbp at a cheaper price while they phase out the plastic ones. Also, why buy an air if the mbp 13 is cheaper (if similarly spec'd), more powerful and barely an inch thicker? That's just buying a product for its novelty and not much else. Plus, with tablets on the rise, it really makes the air obsolete. Also, if you're saying that a mbp will last 3-4x as long as a PC laptop, odds are you're not using real heavyweight programs on there regularly, in which case why shell out more bucks on something whose technological relevance has the same lifespan as its counterpart?? Of course if you got a nice bonus check or had a great weekend selling your ***, then why the hell not, right? I can certainly justify buying things simply bcs their physical design is so beautiful, but not if there are budget constraints.

Also, SSDs draw more power than say, a 5400rpm SATA drive and PCs have less battery life bcs it's a 6 cell battery vs an 8 cell.

 

I have to say that macs aren't bulletproof. I have a 15" mbp and I've had to replace the screen twice. First time the screen went black and was replaced under warranty. The second time I replaced it myself because I droped it and cracked the screen.

Currently the optical drive on my mbp needs to be replaced as well.

The main things I like about the mbp is the trackpad and the overall "feel" of it. Though I've never had higher end pc laptops to compare it to only cheaper ones.

Also personally I find a 17" laptop to be too big. I much prefer the 15" when I'm using it on my lap.

 

This.








And I want a 17 inch because I'll be staring at the screen for a long, long time and want something that's more comfortable on the eyes. Size/weight be damned, I pick up and fling 200lb+ men for sport anyway.

 

His post contradicted itself asking for reliability and ease of use, but not a Mac. Pointed out that ease of use and reliability were both conveniently available in the mac. And fanboy? Please, PC people are just the same.

Suby vs. Evo
Republican vs. Dems
Canon vs. Nikon
Guns vs. Gun laws

Both sides always do the same things but accuse the other or being irrational, pig headed, or "fanboys."

There was actually very little. if any "X is better than Y because I say so" argument, only personal experiences. But you can still throw around your ***gy terms like "fanboy" if you please. That is what creates the animosity and hostile attitude reflected onto the entire group and impedes actual discussion and debate.

 

I say check out ASUS, Lenovo, or MSI. Get something with 1920x1080 resolution.

To stay within your price range, check out sites like techbargains.com, ***************, or newegg.com.

Good luck with the search.

 

Tigerdirect.com also. They have (or at least had) a selection of Business HPs.

 

BTW, if you need a docking station Macbook is not an option. Get a Thinkpad or HP Elite

 

Calm down sweetheart, it wasn't a personal attack on you. If anything your OG post was quite the biased piece, but since is edited, I'll leave it alone.

 

agreed with the suggestions about ASUS, Alienware, and depending on you usage, some newer netbooks ...

check out bensbargains.net or costco as well - pretty good deals (and costco extends electronics warranties an extra 2yrs for free)

 

I have a very good condition Lenovo Thinkpad T61p for sale. I honestly think it fits your needs quite well.. very good screen with a high resolution.. easy on the eyes. You don't need the latest and greatest processor with the type of usage you're doing. Save your money for other things. PM me if you're interested.

Price is close to half of what you want to spend on that ****ty HP. I've had 2 HPs go out on me a month after warranty went out. There's a huge lawsuit about who is responsible since HP sold laptops with bad NVIDIA chips in them.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3889

 

http://www.officemax.com/catalog/sku...^return_skus~Y
Sony Vaio E Series i3-370M 2.4GHz 4GB RAM Bluray 17.3 LED Display 500 GB HD ATI 5470 $699

It has a similar processor capability, 2GB less RAM, 140GB less HD space, less video processing power, but it does have a blu ray player and costs slightly cheaper than the laptop mentioned in OP.

 

Or buy using a credit card that extends warranty. Some of them do that (or all of them?). In my case my Macbook Pro was on it's second year and mfr. warranty was out. Amex paid $400+ for the repair.

 

What HP's were that? I was checking HP Laptops at Best Buy and Frys and liked non of them But business series are completely different and not sold in "regular" stores. They remind me old IBM Thinkpads in build quality.

Not only HP, my Macbook also had a "bad" Nvidia chip. Although Apple replaced the motherboard for free (known bug).

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3889[/QUOTE]