Recomendations for a new laptop

[Big Country 3]

I am trying to find the best computer for the money and still want good performance. The programs I run the most is GX Developer, RS Logix,ACAD 2002,GT Designer, PanelBuilder 32, and some times Solid Works. I am a big fan of Toshiba and have nothing but problems with ACER. Please give me some good recomendations,wether you have had problems or good luck.. Also I really would like to get one with a COM port as all my programming cables a DB 9 pin connections.

[Ken Moore 23]

I'm currently using a Dell Latitude D610 (more mobile than the 810), works nice, and has a serial port, I believe the D810 (has larger display) also comes with a serial port. The price will be in the $1400-2000 range, depending on options. Ken

[Chris Elston 78]

I am running a DELL Latitude D800 with a "real serial port" and Wide Screen. WOW...Wide Screen is AWESOME. You can see a whole lot more rungs!

[gravitar 3]

I wouldn't use anything but a Panasonic Toughbook. Ultra-durable, decent performance, and a pretty reasonable pricetag (on ebay anyway.. new ones are big $$). My main one currently is a CF27, I have also had a CF25 for many years that still works fine. Some day I'll have enough money scraped together for a 29..

[Guest HalBishop]

I am running both the Dell M60 Precision with the wide screen and a Dell Latitude as a backup or when I don't want the wide aspect ratio of the M60. We have been running Dell laptops for years and have had no major problems. (And yes, the REAL serial port is a nice touch in today's market) W I D E - S C R E E N S - R U L E 1680 X 1050 Resolution Edited 16 Sep 2005 by HalBishop

[Big Country 3]

Well I finally decided on what kind to get. I got a Sony Vaio VGN-FS790B, So far so good only complaint is it doesnt have a com port have to use a USB convertor. But I did gain the wide screen, the graphics card on this thing is unbelivable. Thanks for all the sugestions.

[gravitar 3]

Be careful with it.. those plastic notebooks are fragile you know

[PdL 71]

Tell me about it.... 2 weeks ago I needed my colleagues brand new lappy for two minutes. Was in a cramped room on the floor, had it on my lap and wanted to grab some papers lying in front of me. Closed the screen, reached out, put my elbow on the screen, reached out some more, and heard a teriffying cracking noise. Opened the screen, yelled some ugly words and showed my colleague his brand new crack from bottom left to top right... Although stupid enough, was really surprised how easy that was ... I knew we had a few of those in the office so I mailed the boss to ship one without HD ASAP. Why ? Because we need one

[fosy 0]

Great choice Big Country, I have had a Sony Vaio for 4-5 years now. Its endured abuse from my three kids and its still going good. Smart kit.

[larry818 0]

One of my programmers used a Vaio at one time. It seemed far too delicate for field use, and it did break a lot. I currently use a Toughbook I've had for years. The first time out with it I left it connected to a plc in a hotel basement, ran upstairs to see how the project was working, and came back down to find some idiot core-drilling the concrete wall and my brand-spanking-new Toughbook buried under concrete dust. I just shook it out and it's been fine ever since. Also cool is you can take it apart without tools. I changed the HD in it once and no tools required. I would like to replace it tho. The screen is only 800x600, ok for medoc but way too small for gx dev. However, everything I do now has a touchscreen and I find the touchpad or nipple useless for graphics work. My Toughbook has a trackball that is acceptable for graphics work. I would love to find a new laptop with trackball. L

[Big Country 3]

I have been using it for 3 days now and I hate a touch pad mouse, I also don't care much for the light colored case, but other than that I couldn't be happier with it. I had a tough book before and I agree they don't make them any better than that. They are the greatest and also very expensive. Guess I better be very careful with this one sounds like.

[gravitar 3]

Heh.. I think we all have stories like that. Mine gets mistreated on a regular basis, but keeps on coming back for more. Just a couple weeks ago, I was plugged in behind a machine.. I walked away for a couple minutes and in my absence, the operator thought he'd be a nice guy and blow off all the crud from the fixtures. Unfortunately he blew it all into my poor notebook! Oil, coolant, weld slag, you name it. After showing the guy what he did and him apologizing profusely (I guess.. he didn't speak english), I just had him blow it all out with the blowgun. I took it offline but I never had to exit out of windows.. I just wiped it down with a rag and some degreaser after that and you can't even tell now. I can't say for sure this would have ruined a consumer-grade notebook, but I don't think it would have been the same after that!

[OIDMBTRTECH 0]

I had a VIAO and it survived globe trotting right nice. It vanished with my car one day. Got what was left of the car back but no laptop. I now have a Gateway and it too has been thru some ruff service too. My Sony did not like running Step 7 and some Nikon camera software. They fought for control of it. I removed the Nikon stuff and all was well. My gateway came with XP and slowed down quite a bit when I installed step 7 but a bunch of ram and a little start up changing in msconfig cured that.

[wwyatt 0]

I am using a Dell 610D, I run RS Logix 5, 5oo, Control Logix, RS View32 Works, most all of Rockwell software packages. I also run Wonderware, Auto Cad 2004, VB.Net and many other softwares. I have not had any trouble with the laptop, it is not to expensive but I do suggest you upgrade to atleast 1 gig of ram. The laptop is light weight and easy to lug through airports as it has been with me on my trips to Europe and Mexico. I highly recomend it.

[gravitar 3]

Whenever someone says "upgrade" and "atleast 1 gig of RAM" in the same sentence, I start to feel REAL old :) Edited 1 Dec 2005 by gravitar