So, I need a new laptop. I’ve always had good luck with Fujitsu, but last time I got a Toshiba, which is adequate but no more.
I’ve been reading current reviews, but I can’t find anything that compares Fujitsu to other brands, and I don’t know what I’m looking for because I’m pretty ignorant about the internal workings of computers. I need a durable workhorse (I carry it to and fro every day) and I mostly do word processing, spreadsheets, and occasionally manipulate large files like .pdfs, but no games or intense graphics. I need a VGA port (or one that can be adapted), a USB port, and otherwise my needs are pretty simple. A good screen that won’t wreck my eyes would be nice, too. Don’t care about weight. I’d like to spend under $1000 but would consider more for the right machine.
The only thing I won’t consider is a Dell—I’m still waiting for an apology from 1992.
Does anyone have any recommendations? There’s also no hurry—Tosh is limping along. Help! & Thanks!
I agree about Dell. They act as if the customer were their enemy. I diagnosed the problem; they disagreed and decided to “fix” what they diagnosed. I sent it for “repair” and it came back exactly as I had sent it. It was still under the 30 day warranty so I returned it for full refund. I was never able to talk to anyone who was capable of understanding the problem.
I had a sequence of Toshibas and they were okay. Oddly enough, what sold me on the LeNovo was that it uses a 2 prong plug. I should probably have my house rewired, but in the meantime, that’s a real convenience.
HP’s are cheap but their exhaust is crap (loud) and the battery runs hot.
However if your budget is in the high 3 figures and the only real computing need you have is that it has an VGA port, then I think you’re going to be pretty happy with whatever is out there. Word processing and PDFs are non-issues for pretty much any computer out on the market today. It’d be like asking what new car is best for your $25,000 budget when all you really want is the AC to work and have a CD player. They all pretty much fit your bill.
Asus/Toshiba/Sony have the best ( lowest) three year failure rate. For build quality I think Sony is > Asus > Toshiba, build quality meaning “how nice the materials are, quality of components, does the laptop feel cheap or not etc.”
Lenovo/Dell have slightly higher 3-year failure rates, I like Lenovos and they tend to have a more “rugged/workhorse” type feel to them but the Dell Latitude line (I believe you need to go to the small business section to order them) are similar.
The only brands I say to really stay away from are HP, Acer, and Gateway. They have the highest failure rates and to be honest feel the cheapest of the major laptop brands.
For non-Apple I think Sony probably has the nicest “industrial design” and premium hardware styling but you pay a little more for that while a good Lenovo or Asus is just as good in all the ways that really matter.
Something to always keep in mind with laptops is any computer you move around regularly while it is running, and in such a confined case, is going to have greater hardware failures and heat related issues. So even the best laptops in my experience wear out rapidly compared to a desktop. I like a laptop to last three years without major component failures but there is a reason the “best” 3-year failure rate is still like 15%, the form factor and current heat generation of laptops just guarantees even the best made ones will fail rapidly when compared to say, a well built desktop PC.
I’ve had good luck with Toshiba three times in a row. And I seem to always find the best price on a Toshiba with the specs I’m looking for, which is why I bought three in a row.
For many years my daughter listened to me. Now, I listen to her. She said, buy an Apple. I bought a MacBookPro. Sure it costs a few bucks more, but WOW! A nice machine. Durable. No virus worries. Quality. But buy the extended warranty. I had to replace my battery after three years. The warranty paid for itself.
I too can’t say enough good things about lenovo branded laptops. I got mine on the cheap and it has been an amazingly good laptop with absolutely no failures whatsoever in the 2+ years I’ve had it now. I’m thinking about getting a new one only because I want a more powerful mobile gaming machine, otherwise it’s still a fantastic little thing that I got for less than $400 bucks.
My work laptop is also a lenovo which has had absolutely no problems either.
I have owned Sony and HP laptops as well. I would not recommend them.
Another vote for Lenovo - I have one from my company, who gives everyone a laptop. I’d never had any experience with them previously, but so far, I like it. It stays cool, seems to be a workhorse, and does the job. Nice & light, too. I’d consider buying one if I were in the market.
IMHO if you want a laptop to last, you should get a “business class” laptop. For the most part electronic components are practically commodities, and even the slowest new laptop will suffice for ordinary web browsing and home office uses. So rather than paying extra for the fastest processor which will save you a whopping 30 seconds of waiting each day, you should pay extra for build quality and durability. Essentially that’s what differentiates the “business class” laptops: a big corporation wants to buy something that’s reliable and easy to maintain.
Every laptop I’ve owned has eventually died due to some sort of physical damage: a hinge works loose, a plug doesn’t connect, the keyboard fails, I break the screen, etc. With the cheap “consumer” laptops, repairs are tricky to do yourself, and parts are expensive and hard to find. With “business class” laptops, parts are cheap and plentiful and repairs are easy.
I’m very happy with my Lenovo Thinkpad. My wife has an HP EliteBook that’s held up very well, and it came with a truly outstanding 3-year warranty that we took advantage of a few times.
Thanks. My mistake with the current Toshiba was the plastic casing. I will have a serious look at Lenovo (which, conveniently, is sold locally) as well as Fujitsu. Nice to see this thread echoes M³’s poll, as well.
