Another computer purchase question

[magician]

Is there an IBM store in Vancouver? What about computer store that carries the IBM notebook computers? I am interested in the IBM Thinkpad T42p due to its mobility and performance with great tech support. The only problem is I have not been very successful in tracking one on display. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[static]

go to ibm.com, look up their canadian website, and send them an email for store location.

There used to be one in Metrotown, but its gone now. Thank goodness too, they were more expensive than radio shack.

 

[magician]

Thanks for the quick response Static.

 

[Buntoss]

FYI - all the IBM retail stores have closed down for good.

You can only buy from www.ibm.ca

 

[magician]

Thanks for the suggestion Mario.

Anyone know if ibm.ca offers educational discount to students? I did some browsing in their online store and it doesn't seem like they offer it. I am still waiting for them to reply to my enquiry.

By the way, if anyone has suggestion on other mobile workstations, I would love to hear it.

 

[Hit Man]

Majic,
Depends on how hard you are on a notebook. IMHO, the IBM is the best for performance and one of the worst in the ruggedability (is that a word?) department. I have used the IBM a lot and find that, as long as you are careful not to jar the harddrive, it's a very reliable unit. I also have a Dell and it is excellent for the coin. However, if you need rugged you can't beat the Panasonic ruggedized line. One of our employees left his CF-27 (several years ago) on the roof of his car and the highway department found it two weeks later... after a brush hog had run over it. The blade went between the keyboard and the screen. It was pretty beat up looking when they brought it to me. A little clean up and I fired it up. It worked fine and was used until it's life expectancy was up. I'm sure the newer models are just as good.

 

[Commander Chode]

On educational discounts, they do, but usually through a official campus dealer, like a computer store associated with the official campus book store.

A laptop is really defined by trade-offs. Performance vs battery life. 3D performance vs price. Everything vs weight. If you want a 9 pound behemoth that you will always plug in you can get some pretty cool laptops. You can also get the 'I'm too wife whipped to get a sports car for my mid-life crisis, so I'll get a sports car branded laptop instead'.

I've been looking at laptops so if you post your answers to:

• Budget: $1000, $1500, $2000, $2500, $3000, I'm to rich
• Screen size: 10", 12.1", 14.1", 15.1", bigger
• Resolution: 1024x768, 1400x1050, 1280x800
• Built in Wifi: Yes no
• Battery life: 2 hours, 4 hours, 6+ hours
• Max weight: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 pounds
• Performance: 1.0Ghz-3.0Ghz
• 3D performance: Don't care, care a little, max me out
• RAM: 256M, 512M, 1G, 2G
• OS: Windows, I'm l33t and need Open Source support

I can give you some pointers.

 

[magoomba]

Have you considered ordering one from a US website? Get it shipped to a mailbox across the border.
The loonie is strong right now and you'd only have to pay PST & GST at the border.

 

[magician]

Hit man - I thought IBM notebooks have some kind of shock resistant device added to the hard disks to make them have a higher survival rate in case of 'accidents'. Maybe it doesn't work as well as they advertised it to be. At any rate, the Dell M60 is definitely a contender since they are substantially cheaper than a comparative IBM Thinkpad model. I feel ashame for admitting this, but one of things I have reservation on buying the Dell M60 is it looks fugly. How do you find the tech support from Dell?

Magoomba - I thought about mail ordering from the US, but afraid of getting raped by the brokerage fee and duty.

Commander Chode - I appreciate your assistance and here are my answers.

• Budget: < $5000
• Screen size: 15.1
• Resolution: 1600x1200 (minimum)
• Built in Wifi: Yes (b/g)
• Bluetooth: Yes, but not a must have
• Battery life: > 4 hours
• Max weight: < 9 pounds
• Performance: > or = 1.8Ghz
• Video card: 128MB
• RAM: 512MB is fine, since it is cheaper to shop for RAM elsewhere
• OS: Windows

The Thinkpad T42p is tough to swallow at $7000 without educational discount. Heck, even with educational discount, it would still be significantly over my budget.

 

[Hit Man]

Magic, They do claim a certain shock resistance but I can't speak to it since the one I have used it about 3 years old. As for Dell's tech support, it's great if you speak Indian... such is the way with most. Your budget should allow for a very good unit and perhaps support, while usually at or near the top, would drop a spot or two since price usually indicates quality.

 

[drromance]

Is there a way to still my have notebook output a running program to the TV when the lid on the laptop is closed ??

 

[Commander Chode]

With that sort of budget you have a butt load of choices:

Asus W1N - $2800
Alienware Area-51m Extreme $3000 USD
Voodoo ENVY m:860 Athlon Cinema Notebook $4000 CND
Sony VGNA170P6C $3400
Dell Inspiron XPS $2600

You've already looked at the IBMs.

They all don't match your needs exactly. It all matters what you want to do with them. If you want portable gaming, the Alienware, VoodooPC, and the Dell will all kick ass. If you want a really bright large screen, then the Sony is good, but not fantastic on the support. If you want support IBM or Dell is the way to go.

I would drool over all of those laptops so remember to get the additional plastic spray coating

 

[timec]

... As for Dell's tech support, it's great if you speak Indian... such is the way with most.

Ya, that Indian English is a real bitch.

Outsourcing - bad: but c'mon, there's a reason India has garnered 80%+ of the outsourced corporate IT operational & call centre business... cause they have a skilled resource base and they speekee English.

 

[Buntoss]

Here are my 2 cents.

Dell does have their Tech. Support in India. So does IBM.

Panasonic Toughbooks are quite weather and drop resistant depending on the model. Some do have a gel pack some don't. They are very heavy due to their titanium alloy frame. Depending on the model, the do break if you drop them onto a cement floor, I know from personal experience. They are also more expensive than a comparable model from IBM, Dell. Some even have a touchscreen LCD display. So, cool looking, and drop resistant, but heavy and expensive.

IBMs such as the T41 and T42 are pretty good, light weight with lots of features. These newer ones are fairly drop resistant, I saw one that was dropped on a corner and was badly cracked. However, it booted up and worked OK. There was another one where someone smashed the keyboard and screen with a hammer!! It too booted up and worked OK.

If you are concerned about possible damage to your laptop conider extra insurance coverage which includes:

NEW! IBM HelpWare ThinkPad Protection
This plan is designed to give you ultimate comfort and peace of mind knowing your valuable new IBM ThinkPad is safe from today's common accidental mishaps:
Liquid spills on the keyboard,
Accidental drops,
Electrical surges, and
Broken LCD screens.