durable laptop

[kosherdill]

Would you happen to know what would be the best 'take a beating' laptop outthere for $1,500 or less (prefer $1,300 range)? Prefer 14.1 tft minimum, 40gig HD, 32 to 64mg video card, dvd/cdrw, memory stick/sd slot, 256mg minimum (prefer 512mg) long battery life with cheap battery replacement costs, thin and light, optional IR and media slot (that would be the sd slot), solid case, well built, cpu (either intel or amd is fine), but decent/fast speed? Originally was looking at Panasonic Toughbooks, but they are steep! How about ACER?

Whatever you might be able to pass on would be appreciated.

[Brian]

Well, Panasonic does make one of the toughest models around, and yes, they are steep. Acer is a fine brand, but they don't have a ruggedized model, which then opens up the field to almost any notebook. I know a few IBMs have drive shutdown if you drop the machine, so that might be something to consider as well.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

[nesbo]

Some of the mid/higher end IBM's historically have been extremely durable...but you might want to take a look to see if you can find something in your price range.

I would recommend staying away from the Dell Inspiron series for durability (which would fit in your budget and specs)...they are fine computers when it comes to speed and upgrades, but I question their durability (I wish their cases were more solid).

My recommendation is IBM if you want durability. My medical school has been using Thinkpad's for the past 4-5 years, they have taken a beating and still work great. The ones I have used have solid builds to them. And if something were to go wrong, I have heard their customer service is outstanding

[kosherdill]

Brian and Nesbo, thank you both for the information.

[Brian]

Not really an appropriate solution, but I came across this article in Popular Mechanics that may be of interest on this topic:

If you're in an industry that requires you to use a laptop in less-than-optimal situations--such as on an oil rig, in a mining shaft or under enemy fire--you need a ruggedized notebook. Two new models from Rugged Notebooks definitely deserve a look.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/tech_tuesday/2003/12/tech_tuesday_12_23_03/

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

[Voldenuit]

You can get an IBM Thinkpad R50 for just over $1500 US.

The build quality is very solid (as expected of IBM) and the hard drive is mounted on rubber shock absorbers. It has APS which automatically parks the hdd in response to shocks, but since I often use the laptop to watch divx in bed or on the bus, I ended up turning the feature off.

You can read my hands-on assessment of the R50 here:
http://www.notebookreview.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=70

Cheers
V.

Also, be warned that the Panasonic Toughbook W2 (the ultraportable), despite its name, is not nearly as "ruggedised" as other Toughbook models. I'd feel comfortable dropping a regular Toughbook, but not a W2.

[Brian]

Vold - I tried to email you but it got bounced. Drop me a line when you can. bbeeler@bargainspots.com

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

[ohlip]

If you want durability and take a beating, I recommend panasonic toughbook.It can take a bullet too.

[Illegal Operation]

Here is another option that may or may not fit into your price range based on config.

The durabook...

http://www.gowin.com/cgi-jsp/index.jsp

[Kdawgca]

Guys,

This thread is ~3 years old...Old thread contain outdated information and besides, the OP is long gone. Please look at the date of the last post before deciding wether to bring back an old(in this case ancient) thread.

Thx
Kdawgca