What's your laptop of choice

[flowdam]

I apologize if this topic has been covered before, but didn't see it after searching. I'm in the process of spec'ing a new laptop and wanted to see what the fellow programmers are using or would like to be using. I've had Thinkpads, Compaqs, and a Panasonic Toughbook in the past. Overall, I've got the most reliability out of the IBM's, but it seems everythings heading down the light and thin road w/ fewer and fewer available com ports and PCMCIA slots w/o going to a port replicator.

I definitely want a RS232 com port on board... the constant use of the USB slot has already shorted out one of my slots and killed a converter.

I also want a minimum of 2 PCMCIA slots...

The rest would be the standard high speed, large RAM, hard drive and so on.

Last, I want proven reliability w/ good warranty.

I've been told that I can get an R60 w/ the above, but may be special order. Our vender is checking into it. If anyone already knows then please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

 

[allscott]

I've got a T60 that I think is the best laptop I have ever owned (and I've had a few). It doesn't have the built in comm port though. I've been using a USB - serial adapter with it for about 8 months now with no troubles.

 

[Voltimus]

Any laptop that isn't a Dell...

 

[Sergei Troizky]

I definitely want a RS232 com port on board...
QUOTE]
This requirement significantly narrows the choise, probably to just several models so your choise will be much easier.
I would consider embedded wireless adapter a must and avoid these new extremely reflective screens.
Quantity and location of USB ports may make difference.
My preference would be the left side, so that the cables do not conflict with mouse and the notebook itself may stay on a relatively narrow shelf (a control enclosure top).
The brand does not make difference from my previous experience with several ones and I would not trade extra disk space, RAM size, processor speed, etc for a brand name.

 

[MarkTTU]

ThinkPad T series w/ 3yr warranty (standard on most, but not all model numbers). My first was a T23, now I'm using a T42p, and most of our guys are using T60s now. We use them with docking stations and none of us have a desktop; they are by far the most reliable computers I've found in the last 10 years. We do need USB-RS232 adapters, but even the cheap ones seem to work pretty well.

 

[AGENTTINFOIL]

I like the Dell's

Any laptop that isn't a Dell...

I really like the Dell Latitude line, I have owned a D510, D610, D600,D800 and the newest one that I have now is the D620. I have had great success with these and I really like the newest one that I have now 2.13 centrino core duo, 2 gig ram, 120gig hard drive, bluetooth, 256mb graphics, 14.1 widescreen, DVD/RW, of course RS232 port, PCMCIA, the rest of the ports are the standard USB, VGA, etc. 3 year next day buisness warranty, and complete care warranty. I break it they fix or replace it, and absolute must have. Expect to pay around 2000.00, but money well spent. You can still get the earlier D series Latitudes from Dell with a good warranty for about 600.00 and yes they all have the RS232 port. But they only have 1 PCMCIA slot, not really sure why you want 2. that is my 2 cents.

 

[rdrast]

Two PC Card slots? I don't know, but for one slot, and an honest serial port, I'm liking my Dell Latitude D810. I also have a Dell Latitude D610, and both work well with everything I've thrown at them.

For any laptop used in an industrial enviornment (or any that you care about), the very best option is the highest 3 year service contract you can get. I blew up the D610 once when I plugged a serial cable into an UNGROUNDED FLOATING 480VAC system. Smoke came from everywhere, and I had it replaced completely in 2 days. Dell even sent a courier WITH a box to pack it up and ship it off.

NOTE: I didn't exactly tell them what happenned, just 'Some smoke came out'

 

[jstolaruk]

My best history is with Toshibas and I always get the widest in pixels that I can get (1680x1220 right now) so that ladder logic is easier to view. It would be nice to have the built in serial port but the last two years I haven't had an incident where the USB-serial hasn't come through. I do wish I had the type III PCMCIA for our Modbus card but thats only about once a year.

 

[BobB]

I have good success with HP over the years. My current one is a rebadged Compaq and it is fine.

One of the things I do like about many of the HP models is they have a push button in front of the touch pad and you can turn it off and then back on again. That way you do not finish up typing in all the wrong places.

The one Dell I had was a shocker and an NEC was even worse. Then bouight a HP and have stuck with them since.

They have quite a few with real RS232.

PCMCIA - do you need 2 x type II or III? If type III I have not seen one with 2 slots.

 

[jstolaruk]

The Modbus card we have is the thicker type III. Electrical all of the types are the same, its the thickness that differentiates them. Type IIIs were made thicker for removable hard drives. And IIRC, a type III will work in stacked type IIs just fine.

 

[Kyle Grathwol]

I love my fully rugged Toughbook. Has a real serial port and didn't come bundled with a ton of crapware. The hinges on this thing are huge. I didn't get the swivel or touchscreen. I have to crawl up and down on machinery so the suitcase handle is perfect. Very expensive but in my opinion worth it.

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

I just bought a Latitude D620. It has a serial port, Ethernet, modem, 4 USB, VGA output, 4Hr battery, 1140x900, 60 GB HD, and 2 GB mem.
It is for traveling.

I have a monster pre core Duo, Prostar laptop with a 17 inch screen. It weighs a ton and is obviously big. It has a built in camera, nice sound, 1920x1200, 60 GB HD and 2 GB ram.

The big monster has a better wireless and I think is still a little faster.

If I had to choose between the two I would pick two D620s because they cost half as much too. It isn't necessary to have a big screen when home because I connect to an external 20" or 24" ws monitor.

I think it depends on what you want to do.

Note, I purposely bought the D620 just before Dell started shipping Vista so I have WinXP with an option to upgrade. I will wait until Rockwell is Vista compatible and Vista has a service pack. Is the new RS5000 V16 vista compatible?

 

[jgreenewv]

Our company has basically standardized on Dell. I have a Latitude D610, and we just bought a new technician a Latitude D620. They aren't monster laptops, but are pretty darn good for what we need. I also agree with rdrast. We now buy all our laptops with a 3-year warranty, plus accident coverage. That way, even if it gets run over by a forklift, they'll still replace it.

 

[flukie]

Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook E . Powerfull, 2 GByte RAM, 120 Gbyte HD, serial onboard. I don't like expensive rugged notebooks anymore. I prefer to buy a powerfull classic laptop which I replace each 2 years

 

[MarkTTU]

We've had a couple of Lifebooks here and they were decent, but as flukie points out they need replacing every 2 years or so.