What Will My New Laptop Be?
July 29th, 2009 by Phil Hughes
The Z3300 has been a great travel machine with reasonable battery life but the small keyboard and screen makes it less than perfect as a day-to-day machine. As much as I love the ThinkPads, I am less than thrilled by their battery life. So, I am thinking it is time to consider my future laptop.
I don't have a specific machine in mind yet but I do know some characteristics I want. They are:
- A full-sized keyboard.
- A reasonable screen size which probably means 14 inches, plus or minus an inch.
- Decent battery life. Two hours would be fine as I am seldom far away from a 12V outlet.
- No "Microsoft tax".
- An LED back-light for the screen. Less power and it should last longer than I will.
- If possible, something other than a touchpad pointing device. I, well, hate touchpads but, as long as I can turn off "tap to click" I hate them a little less.
This is a very different list from when I shopped for the Z3300. Having the N800 addresses the "travel machine" so, while I may drag this new machine with me for extended stays, I no longer need something small and light enough to accompany me on an overnight trip.
Is speed an issue? No, not at all. Ages ago I had a little Toshiba—I forget the model—that ran vi just fine. Today, more of my work is with a web browser than vi so it needs a bit more speed but I am not going to be doing much beyond vi, browsing and occasionally running a word processor.
Ok, your turn. What is your suggestion for the best fit for my
requirements?
__________________________
Phil Hughes
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December 2009, #188
If last month's Infrastrucuture issue was too "big" for you then try on this month's Embedded issue. Find out how to use Player for programming mobile robots, build a humidity controller for your root cellar, find out how to reduce the boot time of your embedded system, and if you're new to embedded systems find out the basics that go into one. You can also read about the Beagle Board, the Mesh Potato and a spate of other interestingly named items. And along with our regular columns don't miss our new monthly column: Economy Size Geek.
What Will My New Laptop Be?
On September 24th, 2009 cheap computers (not verified) says:
If possible, something other than a touchpad pointing device. I, well, hate touchpads but, as long as I can turn off "tap to click" I hate them a little less.
Thinkpadz
On August 19th, 2009 Ferodynamics (not verified) says:
I will probably buy another Thinkpad, mostly because of the keyboard and Trackpoint. Someone else said it, Thinkpad keyboads are great and I don't think they have much competition. Last time I was at the store, the Sony and Apple keyboards were embarrassingly shoddy, Toshiba wasn't as bad though.
I want this to be my last machine with a fan or HD. My complaint with this SL400, my left wrist gets hot and bothered because I think the HD is spinning directly under that part of the machine. Plus I hate the hum of fans. I heard many people are now deaf at this frequency where machines hum.
I love having a Trackpoint. Yes, I have a nice wireless mouse too. Like right now I'm writing in bed because I broke my ankle and I wouldn't want a mouse. Trackpoint is great for editing text because you can shift-select without moving your fingers much, for example. Probably IBM sold the Trackpoint patent to Lenovo? So it's unlikely I would buy a machine without a Trackpoint, as crazy as that sounds.
As for speed, ram, storage, I don't really care! Also, I don't want a screen with a matte finish, why unnecessarily blur your vision? Give me slick, glossy, gorgeous pixels! So that's also a deal-breaker. I was a picture framer for years, so I know what anti-glare is all about, but this Lenovo VibrantView is just awesome, I'll never go back to a blurry, distorted "anti-glare" screen. I don't have any trouble with glare, even outside in the Texas sun, just turn up the brightness!
Low power lappy
On August 6th, 2009 moldor says:
Hey Phil - I know this is a little out-of-spec, but have you considered an ASUS 1000HE Netbook ? Claimed 9.5 hour battery life, mine's running Eeebuntu (Ubuntu 9.04 suitably customised) and it runs like a dream.
Let's look at the specs:
Yes, it comes with Windows XP - hardly worth arguing about what would probably amount to a $15 refund for not having it, and ASUS (in Australia at least) won't entertain a refund - but I'm still working on it.
Granted, this is no powerhouse, but with its' dual-core 1.6GHz Atom N280 processor is seems to churn through most tasks quite nicely and is small / light enough for me to carry it almost everywhere rather than the 15" MacbookPro.
Re: Battery life - They claim 9.5 hours, but an insider at ASUS tells me that the tests were done on minimum brightness, all radios turned off and the hard drive spun down. Typical... With Eeebuntu, operating normally, I get a shade over 7 hours, and a shade under that if I turn on bluetooth as well.
As I said, slightly outside your specs, but definately worth considering.
__________________________---
Running Windows, ANY version, is like paying to get kicked in the 'nads daily.
Phil Hughes?
On August 1st, 2009 Salvadesswaran Srinivasan (not verified) says:
Well, the name Phil Hughes rings a bell, isn't the author the Aussie opener? And I'd suggest a Dell Studio which my friend got. No buttons on the edges, I like that, and he got it with no OS. The icing on the cake it was, without Vista. It is beefy too, three VMs ran at a time like a charm.
Low cost from asus
On August 1st, 2009 Fabian (not verified) says:
Hi,
i think about ordering this one: ASUS X5DIJ-SX018L
http://www.amazon.de/ASUS-X5DIJ-SX018L-Notebook-Pentium-Dual-Core/dp/B0028QHAJ8/ref=pd_cp_pc_2
- great battery time
- stay always cool
- no ms tax :-)
and it has a really low price: 400€ at amazon.de
New ThinkPad T500 is excellent for Linux
On July 31st, 2009 Adrien Lamothe (not verified) says:
The new ThinkPad T500 and T400 series is excellent for Linux. Battery life is around 2.5 hours, give or take depending on use. They also run Linux perfectly, the new Intel hardware is well supported. The keys are awesome, the best. I haven't found a better keyboard, even for my desktop systems. They also use DDR-3 RAM and SATA2 hard drives. The Intel GM4500 graphics controller is much better than the older Intel models. The little night light LED at the top of the screen is great at night when you don't want to turn the lights on but feel like working, it casts a soft illumination over the keyboard.
Some Accessories + System 76
On July 31st, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
1) Forget the built-in trackpad or stick. Get yourself an external mouse or trackball unit. My choice has been the One Finger Mouse (widely available trackball, e.g. cyberguys.com) with USB. An added benefit is that you can jack into a partner's system for joint work on a project. Also, don't forget to pack several zip-lock bags for cables and gadgets. Even the best of bags can turn into a pack rat's nest with all the essentials (some might say junk) one has to carry (power supply, mouse, headphones, USB hub, thumb drives, network cable, extension cord w/ filter). Yes, I sometimes feel like a pack mule.
2) System 76 is a nice bunch with some decent rigs. That's where I got my laptop. Just DO NOT get the cheapest configuration. Bump it up a bit in terms of CPU speed and RAM. You'll be rewarded quickly enough when you try to do something gnarly (Oracle XE + their SQL Developer + FF + Mozilla + Opera + Open Office + Konqueror).
Acer Timeline 3810
On July 31st, 2009 rg (not verified) says:
This laptop is great, cheap and has an excellent keyboard. 13.3" screen and a button to turn off the touchpad. Everything works well with linux except a few suspend/resume problems and the whole thing weighs only 1.5kilo and is superthin. 6 plus hour battery life also :)
Got the perfect laptop for you
On July 31st, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
I'd go for the System76 Gazelle Ultra for $859:
Display: 13.3" WXGA Glossy
Ultra-Bright LED backlit (1280 x 800)
Graphics: Intel X4500HD
Audio Output: Intel High Definition Audio
Networking: Gigabit LAN (10/100/1000), WiFi
Wireless: 802.11 agn
Expansion: Express Card 34/54 slot
Ports: VGA, 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Jack, Microphone Jack, S/PDIF Output Jack, SD Reader
Camera: Built-In 1.3 MP Webcam
Security: Fingerprint Reader (beta),
Kensington® Lock
Power Management: Suspend & Hibernate
Battery: includes one 4 Cell Lithium Ion
AC Adapter: includes one AC adapter
Dimensions: 12.125" x 9.125" x 1.3~1.44" (WxDxH)
Weight: 4.4 lbs.
http://system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=89
System76
On July 30th, 2009 marcofsky (not verified) says:
Definitely the place to go!
Their laptops are a bit expensive, but the hardware is phenomenal and perfectly working with Linux. The Pangolin series is amazing (I have one and my wife has one too) and with the nVidia card with dedicated memory, the performance is excellent! This is an acquisition you will not regret.
System76
On July 30th, 2009 Casey (not verified) says:
System76 specializes in Linux-based computers and their laptops look to be pretty nice. Not sure about the battery life, but it can't hurt to check them out.
http://www.system76.com/
Off Grid Equipment Selection
On July 30th, 2009 John and Dagny Galt (not verified) says:
Our recommendations for equipment are based on individual customer needs, what they currently use/own, what their future requirements might be, and how the current and future marketplace trends can benefit them fiscally. We routinely counsel against buying new at retail when the used market is incredibly vibrant and the cost savings are definitely welcome in these failing economic times.
We might recommend that you use a USB keyboard and mouse with your Z3300 for full-size utility and comfort.
We're watching the LED flat-screens with interest and will be making purchases once a used market becomes established.
We'll also be converting for off-grid use similarily to this:
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Alt/alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt/2007-04/msg00030.html
Sincerely,
John and Dagny Galt
Atlas Shrugged, Owner's Manual To The Universe!(tm)
.
I'm eager to read these comments also
On July 30th, 2009 anonymous (not verified) says:
I am still looking myself. My own fleet has a 12" Lenovo X60s, with a dual Core processor, which I like a lot for small and light, but the screen is simply too small. My 15" MacBook Pro is a wonderful machine. Altho' I have Ubuntu as a dual boot on several machines, I find that getting work done on the Mac is much easier. As for Screen Size, bigger is better (at least up to 24") ... Parallels and/or Boot Camp allow me to run Windoze programs when I have to. It is possible that I'm just not good enough with *nix, but the Mac is a love to use. I used to run a SGI box, and it was a delight; the Mac is easily as much fun.
Next laptop
On July 30th, 2009 Eats Wombats (not verified) says:
I've gone from an Asus EEE 1000 running Ubuntu (great but too small if you type) to a Samsung R60+ (great value but big and bulky) -- temporarily -- before settling on a Thinkpad X200. It's terrific. I'm still running Vista but planning to make it dual boot with Ubuntu.
Nothing I've seen since buying it has made me regret it. I did wonder about the MSI X320 and 340, knowing they were coming, but the keyboard quality and overall build quality is poor and the price is not a rational markup but a discount to the Macbook Air.
The Thinkpad is quality through and through. I could only be happier if this came with Ubuntu pre-installed and with the same level of hardware support (currently linux battery life is a bit less than windows, from what I've read online).
I have a base station for the machine for the rare occasions when I need to use a DVD or CD but this is less and less often.
I got the machine at a good price, MUCH less than a Mac. I've bought a 500Gb drive for it and doubled the ram to 4Gb, and I can replace the battery whenever I want to.
Buy with no OS
On July 30th, 2009 Glock24 (not verified) says:
I bought a Compal HEL80 with no OS from http://www.xoticpc.com a few years ago, because I didn't want to pay the "MS Tax" and would run only GNU/Linux. They have various models which you can cuztomize, and also you can specify "no OS" for most of them.
You can also try http://www.powernotebooks.com/ which is a similar business to xoticpc.
Mac wars?
On July 30th, 2009 Phil Hughes says:
Wow, I didn't expect to creata a "Mac war" with the post. As much as some people like the OS, I am getting pretty close to 30 years of working with UNIX and its relatives. It is not very likely I am going to switch to OS/X in this lifetime.
Besides being a Linux user, I am a KDE user. Have been since KDE 1. While 4.2 is less than perfect, it is getting close. (Sorry Miguel. :-) ) Many times when I say I am a KDE user, people say I like it because it is more like Windoze than Gnome. Well, maybe it is but other than using a browser in an Internet cafe, I have not used a Windoze system for over 10 years so I sure wouldn't know.
The ZaReason system (and two others they have) look pretty interesting including the OS choices. Now, how about alternatives to a Touchpad? And an LED backlight?
__________________________Phil Hughes
the SlidePad?
On July 31st, 2009 johnD (not verified) says:
The slidepad is a cool alternative. You probably know it already but since it's coming from my home country I'll post it up here anyway ;)
http://www.dencologic.com/showpage.php?pageID=18
We have to wait a little longer to see it in action but personally I think it'll be awesome! (not a big fan of touchpads myself)
By the way, you haven't started a MacWar (haven't you seen a REAL MacWar yet? :>) but I'd be careful about mentioning KDE if your a pacifist ;)
cheers
MacBook
On July 30th, 2009 Amgad (not verified) says:
I vote for the 13 inch MacBook Pro too. Nothing beats the hardware.
I would consider a netbook,
On August 13th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
I would consider a netbook, they are extremely cheap and additionally have a lot of the features you specified. (Plus some come pre installed with linux) .
Oki (www.oki.com , the
On July 30th, 2009 Anonymouse (not verified) says:
Oki (www.oki.com , the manufacturer of printers) sells laptops with Ubuntu preinstalled.
OKI company
On August 1st, 2009 VMSGMAN (not verified) says:
I finally got rid of my OKI printer after 3 years of promises that a linux driver was on the way, the best thing I got was a guy from the community that provided a very decent .ppd file I liked it so much I sent him some $$$.
hp notebbok
On July 30th, 2009 Gergely Jozsef Otto (not verified) says:
I recommend a HP Elitebook. They are very solid, rugged with business feautures like additional battery expansion slot. And they are cheaper than a Dell. My personal choice the 6930p type.
mac like a merc/bmw: paying for the posh-ness
On July 29th, 2009 freakalad says:
Either another netbook (still have a eee 701), it'll probably be some form of tablet; likely the iTablet some form of Ubuntu NBR/Moblin loaded on it
Laptop..Mac
On July 29th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
The 13 inch MacBook Pro. Great battery life and it is rugged
A Mac?
On July 29th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
The 13 inch MacBook Pro. Great battery life and it is rugged
The only thing worse than the Windows-tax, is the Apple-tax.
Mac?
On July 29th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
You think that even though he does not wish to pay the Microsoft tax, he will happily pay the much larger Apple tax???
Mac
On July 30th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
At least the Mac tax is worth it. Personally I love Linux, but when I need to get actual work done I avoid both Linux and Windows and use a Mac. Decent battery life, software that's easily compatible with common formats, and it really does just work (i.e. no crashes or swiss cheese security holes like Windows and no configuring 50 config files and software packages to handle a new format either).
You must be nuts, this is Phil Hughes we're talkin' about here!
On July 30th, 2009 Sum Yung Gai (not verified) says:
'Scuze me, but the biggest reason we who use Free Software do so is because of the Freedom it gives us. Apple is about as proprietary as it gets, even worse than Microsoft (and that's sayin' something). I don't care how "pretty" the jail is, it's still a jail.
Phil, I give a +1 for the ZaReason boxes. They're reasonably priced and come from a company who actively supports Freedom. Also, they've helped out Ken Starks's Komputers4Kids over the years, so they're good folks.
--SYG
Definitely a mac.
On July 30th, 2009 johnD (not verified) says:
The only thing better than Linux is Linux running on a MacBook (Pro)! :)
Personally I think the box is worth the tax - haven't found a better lap yet. While the os is definitely not. As a freelance programmer I got an apple to impress my clients and it does the job real well. However I really started getting the actual job done after os x went into the trash. For me Ubuntu and a Macbook Pro is a match made in heaven.
cheers
linux+mac
On July 30th, 2009 JosephM (not verified) says:
Well I can see how that would work for you, and it's fine if you're in the IT industry, either in programming, web design, or something similar. But I for instance am a translator, and while I enjoy Linux as a hobby at this point it's just too much work sometimes to use as my desktop system. Plus I'll occasionally get clients that send me proprietary applications to translate on (Windows unfortunately), and if you've ever tried configuring a virtual machine on most Linux distros you can see why this is a problem. Mac OS X might not be quite as configurable, or update as frequently as some distros do, but it requires much less work for those of us whose profession does not revolve around the IT industry. Eventually I hope that will change, and Linux has gotten easier to use, but I think it will be a while yet before it becomes more mainstream on the desktop (not disputing the server side, since it already has a sizeable percentage of that market - with good reason).
I am running RHEL5 at work
On July 30th, 2009 SaschaM (not verified) says:
I am running RHEL5 at work and use VirtualBox to run my Windows applications. This setup has been working very well for me for at least a year. The only issues I have experienced so far are that some applications take a while to start but once up, they run just as fast as on a dedicated Windows machine. So, don't shy away from using Linux as your primary desktop and Windows in a VM.
Another RHEL 5 desktop user here...
On July 30th, 2009 Sum Yung Gai (not verified) says:
...and Slackware, and Debian, and Ubuntu, and a couple of others.
Actually my RHEL 5 box is really a CentOS 5 box, but pretty much the same thing. When I need it to absolutely, positively work in the field, I call for my old Dell Latitude laptop from 2003 which runs CentOS 5. It has yet to fail me, even once.
Actually, the Dell Latitudes have proved to be good machines, and with the exception of that Broadcom wireless junk used in 2005-6, they've got a good Linux-friendliness record. Yeah, I know, Dell loves Microsoft same as all the other Tier 1 vendors, so ZaReason's still my first choice. But if you want a decent Tier 1-manufacturer box, they're pretty good.
--SYG
System 76
On July 29th, 2009 octopusgrabbus (not verified) says:
I'd vote for a System 76. I like mine.
ZaReason
On July 29th, 2009 Earl (not verified) says:
Check out the new 14" laptop from ZaReason.
ZaReason in Europe
On July 30th, 2009 Anonymous (not verified) says:
Clicking on any of the European flags at the top of the page takes you to the German ZaReason site which is (naturally) in German. It is impossible to change it to English without either registering or using SSL which sends additional identity information. As the pages are obviously available in English, there is no reason why they cannot allow (non-registered) visitors to see them other than they want to harvest my information. Unless they change this, ZaReason won't get any business from me...
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