Spec me a laptop biznitches

friznit · Post by **friznit** » August 20th, 2009, 21:44

This isn't exactly for me. My laptop is currently commuting daily between Newport and London in the luggage rack of GWR Intercity 125. Or more likely some fucker has walked off with it and not handed it into lost property.

My brother has been using a Dell M1330 for some time (about a year), and recently the graphics card / screen went kaput, which is apparently quite a common fault. It still works with an external screen, but that rather defeat the whole laptopiness point.

So, can you geeks recommend any good laptops that are reliable?

Post by **FatherJack** » August 20th, 2009, 22:10

In about ten years I've had two Sonys. Needed to buy new batteries for both, but nothing else has failed. I don't really take it with me anywhere though and I hear it's a bitch to get parts replaced if they do fail. (like postage to Germany level of bitch)

My Dad's had a Compaq fail on him and worn out a Toshiba, IBM and a Fujitsu. His Sony, older than all of them is now still going (last I heard) in a school in an African village.

Toshibas offered the best performance/£ when I ran benchmarks on a number of models while evaluating suppliers for work a few years back. Fujitsus seem a good price for their quoted specs and Acers are very popular, too.

I'll be buying my own at the end of the year and have seen a nice-looking HP, the fact they were Compaq puts me off a bit but not sure I can justify another Sony when it's my own monies.

Stoat · Post by **Stoat** » August 21st, 2009, 0:05

I've only had an Acer and a Fujitsu, but I can't really recommend either for reliability. The Acer lasted about a year before I destroyed the keyboard, mouse buttons and audio connections. It still works though- I use it for headless backups. My current machine- a Fujitsu- is faring much better, though the WIFI module gradually crapped out and had to be replaced with the one from the Acer.
Bear in mind that I tend to go for quite cheap SKUs though (~£450). Could well be a false economy.

cheeseandham · Post by **cheeseandham** » August 21st, 2009, 21:13

"Avoid Sony" is my only advice. We see more dead Sony's than anything else.
IMHO/YMMV/IANAL etc...