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General discussion

Business Laptop

Aug 11, 2004 4:50AM PDT

It is time for me to get a new laptop. I would greatly appreciate some recommendations from you all regarding laptops for business. I travel frequently, 50% or more of the time.

I work from home when not travelling and so a computer with convenient docking capabilities is also a plus.

I am not locked into any particular brand. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Business Laptop
Aug 11, 2004 5:54AM PDT

First, you should consider the video chip. If you can live with shared memory video it'd make choices much easier.
For a business laptop you care about reliability not performance. Get a SLOW but sturdy harddrive, and buy a product that COMES WITH 3 year warranty. The QC is much better on a product with default 3-year warranty then a 1-year.
Also consider the battery life. Pentium M models with 5 hours and above makes huge difference on the road.

In fact you don't need a dock, you just walk in and communicate with your desktop using wireless preferably 802.11g, share anything connected to your desktop as you desire through the network and you're set. Remember to use a WEP key for improved security of the wireless network.

IBM and Toshiba are the best business laptop brands around. Personally, I own a Toshiba Portege R100. I called the support desk once only for upgrade information. It's fine now I'm typing this with it.

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Re: Business Laptop
Aug 11, 2004 1:50PM PDT

Business notebooks are built to a more rugged standard and IBM tops this list if they meet your needs.

But a 3 year warranty does not guarantee anything. Business notebooks have 3 years standard in many cases and their prices are higher to reflect that,'

Many business notebooks don't have firewire and most don't have a LCD larger than 14.1" but if you don't need or want those they are great.

The notebook industry is moving towards making the 5400rpm standard and many are installing the Hitachi 7200 hard drive now as an option. They are not less reliable. But if you mostly web surf the 4200 is ok for many people.