The best non-16:9 laptop?

@t456 is the man.

 

http://business.panasonic.com/toughbook/fully-rugged-laptop-toughbook-19.html

4:3 display and all the goodies. What's not to like

 

OP wan't 15" or bigger.

 

Hi,

These are all the current laptops that comes with 16:10, 4:3 or 3:2 resolutions: screen filtered .
You can see and change the search parameters using the "Refine results" button in the upper-left part of the search results page. You can also click on the laptops for more information.

I don't know which one to say it's the best. Most of them are 12-13 inch. The Apple is 15 inch and 16:10 and the Surface is 13.5 inch .

 

I think I'll go with an 8740w as per t456's advice. One question for him (or any 8740w owner for that matter) - is it compatible with low-voltage (DDR3L) RAM? I have an 8GB kit of the low-voltage variety but I'm pretty sure DDR3L wasn't around in the heyday of 16:10. Don't want to fry the RAM or motherboard by putting low-voltage RAM into a computer that can only work with the regular-voltage stuff. (The ones I'm eyeing up have only 4GB, and in this memory-intensive day and age that's not a whole lot.)

 

It is indeed a 1.5V system, but my 1.35V banks did fine for the short period I've tested them. Have used both 1.5V on 1.35V systems and vice versa extensively and never ran into any stability problems with either scenario. YMMV of course, but frying, at least, is very unlikely (voltages are almost within normal operating bounds).

One thing to take into account is that >4GB needs a quad core and another is that this old system probably won't like modern, high-density ram, meaning 512MB per chip:

• high density example (8 chips per bank of 512MB each)
• low density example (16 chips per bank of 256MB each)

The quad-core models, at least, have four RAM slots, so you could do (2+2)+(2+2) or (4+4)+(0+0) and all such combinations. Just make sure they're matched per slot set, ensuring dual-channel operation. Doesn't matter if first set is fast and second slow; each will run at its own pace. For that reason don't do (4+2)+(4+2) or (4+0)+(4+0) or such, (2+2)+(0+0) being a third faster than (4+0)+(0+0). A (4+4)+(2+0) is fine again, having 8GB at dual-channel plus a spare 2GB running at single-speed when the occasion demands it.

For a definitive answer as to an exact bank nr. you might better inquire within the 8740w's Owner's Lounge (still active).

Do let us know how you like the system .

 

Oooh, that's a good point. The RAM I had in mind is high-density. I'll have to see if I can't find some low density sticks. I went ahead and purchased a low-end dual-core model (560M/4GB/M7820/non-DreamColor). I'll see how it performs as is, but I'll probably end up upgrading to a 920/940XM and 8GB. The dual-core board will work with the i7, right? I read somewhere that I might need a different heatsink?

 

I don't recommend you getting such an old laptop, esp since that one is an i7 1st gen...

 

Dell Precision M6500 was the last one from Dell that was 16:10. It has a 1920x1200 option which isn't at all hard to fine on eBay. Fastest processor is an i7-940XM (this is newer than Penryn, which was Core 2 IIRC). They're easy to find parts for.

I'm looking to upgrade my M6500 for faster image editing performance (I don't mean the kind of quickie stuff people do with phones, put it that way). Screen issues -- specifically this problem -- are a big part of the issues I'm having. I specifically want something no less than 1920x1200, which these days usually means 3840x2160. The problem with that is that most of those displays are Pentile, which isn't really the stated resolution.

Then there are also problems with (lack of) multiple 2.5" bays, but I'm getting OT.

 

It will work fine. The heatsink may be necessary if you want to overclock, but the i7-9x0XM does not have so much overhead (TDP is high and Clarksfield isn't as efficient as the die-shrinked Arrandale). Main thing is a good paste, preferably liquid metal. Only if you're comfortable with that, but I use it with good results on every copper-heatsink laptop that gets in my hands, even Penryns and Intel Atoms (bought it oem, so cost isn't an issue).

Wouldn't fret too much about cpu power. Bottleneck is often legacy, single-threaded parts of the code, not the optimised, multithreaded x64 parts assumed by synthetic benchmarks. For encoding, mining and heavy batch jobs the playing field is quite different and a modern cpu is much more advisable. Instead, if you find it's struggling with a certain game to drive medium settings at 1200p+60Hz then look into finding a better gpu (the systems uses MXM 3B, the 'latest' revision). For reference; the M7820 and upgrades with their respective game fps scores. Apparently even a 980M is possible, but can't expect that to be used to its full potential, the cpu will be a bottleneck here. Look into @triturbo 's 8740w pimping thread for possible upgrades (he's also your man for all 8740w questions):
EliteBook 8740w Ultimate Upgrade Guide (mSATA mod, GPU upgrade, cooling and etc)

The M6500 is also a nice option; same era, chipset and configuration. Also very much a DTR and equally upgradable, cpu and gpu alike. For a non-16:10, WUXGA+ replacement you may want to check out systems that run the B173ZAN01.0. It's almost as good as the Dreamcolor, is 3840x2160 and certainly not pentile. All of the Clevo systems, at least, should have two 2.5" bays (plus 2x M.2), either set being RAID-able. For exact measurements of that panel see this thread and search within for posts by @victorwol .