Would you buy either, and if so, which?

[swee'pea99]

I'm thinking about buying a new laptop. Don't want to spend a fortune, don't need anything fancy. Basic Office stuff, browsing, email, not a lot more. I'm a lot more concerned about sturdy and reliable than sexy.

I got sent this in a flyer from Morgan, and was quite tempted. I rate HP/Compaq stuff, and the spec looks right. Good for the money. Then I came across this - again, I like Thinkpads - it's a tad pricer, but it has 50% more RAM. Any thoughts?

 

[CopperBrompton]

HP has a higher-res screen, but Thinkpads are the tanks of the laptop world: ugly as fsck but they just keep going.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Wow, that's incredibly lucky, Mort. Usually Thinkpads are the most reliable beasts around.

 

[beanzontoast]

Wow, that's incredibly lucky, Mort. Usually Thinkpads are the most reliable beasts around.

I only recently got rid of one that was a Pentium 1 something-or-other dating from when everything round here was trees. No CD/DVD (Windows 95 installed by floppy - took ages!), tiny screen (yes, it was a 'netbook' years before they were invented!). Never once went wrong all the years I had it. Tough as anything.

 

[benb]

Depends on what screen size, but I rate Acers. The battery lasts for ages and they're small and light.

 

[meenaghman]

Thinkpads when made by IBM were built like Brick outhouses. I remember flinging one halfways across the room, picking it up, and working with it.. thats what you had to do to unfreeze OS2( remember that operating system anyone ). The latter ones made by Lenovo seem slightly less robust. I also remember the old "butterfly" keyboard on one model of Thinkpad. I'm sure if the patent wasn't going to cost so much, other manufacturers would look at implementing that again on some netbooks.

 

[jay clock]

+1 for Thinkpads. I like the look, and the keyboard is a good compromise between full size and unusable.

My work one is an X61s. They are pricey but excellent. http://www.coastwaycomputerstore.co...thinkpad-x100e-neomv-40-1.6g&idProduct=183090 for £328

 

[MossCommuter]

Not sure of the build-quality of Thinkpads since the brand was sold to Lenovo (by IBM).
I cannot fault the build quality of HP kit (but I would say that considering I work for um

)

HP kit is dearer but I genuinely believe it is of a higher build quality, YMMV

 

[Carwash]

HP kit is dearer but I genuinely believe it is of a higher build quality, YMMV

Replace 'HP' with 'Apple' and you'd need asbestos underpants for all the flames you'd get.

 

[Keith Oates]

We all have different opinions but I find Sony very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MossCommuter]

We all have different opinions but I find Sony very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blimey!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't know we could afford a Sony....

...yeah, get a Sony

[edited for typo]

 

[swee'pea99]

Got me daughter a Sony. It's pretty, but man it's been flakey. To be fair, I don't know what she gets up to on it. But it hasn't been the most reliable machine, that's for sure. 

I ended up going for the HP in the end, by the way. Thanks for all advice. I think the fact that it was a Lenovo TP rather than an IBM TP finally swung it...just. (Also I found out that I can get another 2Gb ram stick for the HP for about £30.)