Comparing two laptops

boon94 · #1 19-01-10

Ok so im comparing these two laptops which have caught my eye because my 4 year old compaq has died, permanently.... (and no im not concerned with your opinions on whether or not the brand produces reliable products).. However if you have handled either of these laptops and can comment on how well designed they feel (stiffness of chassis, keyboard ergonomics, etc) that would be cool.

The first is this Toshiba e205 it caught my eye because of the

core i5 processor

backlit keyboard (jealous of my roomates apple with backlit keyboard and can think of a TON of times in which i wish i had one)
Slot loading drive (just gimmicky but cool)
looks pretty sweet
Intel Wireless Display technology (pretty much cordless HDMI) which would be awesome for sitting on your couch at home and just hitting a button to connect to the TV.
2 year warranty included
Price: $899
Cons: feels kind of flimsy, intel graphics suck, for example WoW benchmarks at 23FPS at 1024x768 resolution with everything set to low...
6 hour battery

http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite/E205
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+...701191&count=1

Toshiba:

The second laptop on my list is the Lenovo Ideapad Y550p

Cheapest core i7 out there i think (about 30% faster than the toshibas i5, but the i5 is still about 3.5 times faster than my old laptop)
Nvidia GeForce GT 240M (about 100 times faster than the intel graphics)
cons: no backlit keyboard, no wireless display tech, doesnt look as cool....
$999 + $60 1 year warranty extension from newegg
3.5 hour battery (toshiba = 6 hour)

But the lenovo only comes with a 1 year warranty and getting a 2 year on it like the toshibas would push the price of the lenovo up to ~$1059, a $160 difference.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834146613

So I go all out for power or I spend less and get the one with the goodies? I know which one seems more practical but that sweet blue toshiba at best buy seems like its calling my name! someone help me out here. I mean do I need all of that power for my laptop??? I have my desktop and consoles for gaming right? And i cant even remember the last time I played a game on my computer... Is the powerhouse speaking to the teenager in me who plays computer games all the time? The toshiba is part of best buys blue label program and is designed to spec for what best buy says customers want most... But am i just getting sucked into the gimmicks?.. The toshiba does have better battery life and would be easier to take to class...

UGH i feel like im being torn in 1/2 between these two machines.!

Lenovo

TooMany2cvs · #2 19-01-10

Quote:

Originally Posted by boon94

UGH i feel like im being torn in 1/2 between these two machines.!

Toshs haven't impressed me much of late.

ThinkPads started to drop off in (certainly perceived) quality after the rebrand - a crying shame, since they used to be THE laptops if money was no object...

I'd always lean towards Dells - Gawd knows how many I've got through over the years, without any problems at all. Latitudes are considerably more solid than Vostros - and the current Lat Es are damn nice machines to stroke, too.

ski · #3 19-01-10

i cannot comment on either of the laptops, but it sounds like you want this to be a desktop replacement? Spend the money for the little extra things if it is going to be the computer you use the most.

Is the toshiba not available with dedicated graphics, seems odd they wouldnt offer that especially with the "wireless hdmi" you speak of.

battery life is another thing, id go for a high cell battery even if you think you won't necessarily use it very much unplugged.

TurboBlix · #4 19-01-10

I've never owned a Lenovo, but have had 2 Thinkpads and can't compliment them enough. They never crashed on me and that's saying volumes.

In one of my last finals in law school (we took our exams via laptop in a classroom), some knucklehead was waving his arms around right before the test started and knocked my laptop off my desk, cracking its casing in multiple areas. I was this close to murder, but the little machine started up without a hitch and continues to run smoothly.

Lenovos seem to have done a good job continuing IBM's quality. They still are widely used as corporate machines, including where I work. This past Xmas I bought my dad a Lenovo desktop bc he needed a replacement for his HP and I read good reviews of Lenovo's current offerings. He hasn't had the time to destroy it yet, but he hasn't had any problems thus far.

*SaabKen* · #5 19-01-10

Boon, are you buying online or from a bricks & mortar store ? If from a store, any chance of them giving you limited-time trial so you can take a store demo model (or both) home and play around with 'em a bit ?

raquettelaker2 · #6 19-01-10

Have you looked at Dell? Sorry, both of those laptops would be low on my list. In my opinion Toshiba makes disposable laptops. They last about three years if you're lucky... sort of like Compaqs, haha. Lenovo... eh.

If I were shopping right now I'd check out Dell's Studio XPS 13 or 16. They both have back-lit keyboards, slot-loading drives, are well built, and I think they look pretty sexy, haha. I have the Studio XPS 13's older brother, an XPS m1330. Other than the POS graphics card issue (I'm on my third motherboard under warranty) which does not plague those systems anyway, I really love mine. This is my third Dell laptop and not my last.

*SaabKen* · #7 19-01-10

Anyone seen the new Acer Ferrari line ?

http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptop...6in-Netbook/p1

justin.graeff · #8 19-01-10

I think the original poster is trying to decide between the two, not what other laptops he should look at.

When I worked at Circuit City, we had both Toshiba's and Lenovo's. In my opinion, the Toshiba's felt a little bit more flimsy than the rest. Fortunately, it sounds like the Toshiba has some pretty solid internals despite the lack of dedicated graphics. If you have a desktop, don't worry that the Lenovo has a better graphics card. I would go for the Toshiba because it sounds like it has more of what you want. Plus, if it has the two year warranty, that helps out a lot!

I also have the XPS 1330 and I love it! I also have the same issue as a previous poster in that it overheats like it's its job. I am on the second motherboard/graphics card too and heatsink. As soon as my 3-year warranty runs out, I'll probably take it apart and try and fix it myself. Other than that issue, I really like the laptop!

*SaabScott* · #9 19-01-10

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooMany2cvs

ThinkPads started to drop off in (certainly perceived) quality after the rebrand - a crying shame, since they used to be THE laptops if money was no object...

Not to split hairs, but ThinkPads have never been rebranded.
A ThinkPad is a ThinkPad ... made in the same plants they were before IBM sold them as they are today, by the same people for that matter.

Lenovo makes Lenovo branded notebooks and they are not even close to the same.

As for the choices given, it depends on what the priorities are.
For me, I need better video, so the Intel chipset just wouldn't cut it.
Otherwise, the Toshiba would win me over I think.

boon94 · #10 19-01-10

I know the toshiba is a little more flimsy but the fact that it comes with 2 years standard warranty is pretty impressive... Intel owns the rights to its wireless display technology, thus, no discrete graphics available.

I'll have to take a look at the dells too....

The toshiba is only available through best buy but i've never heard of time trials, usually they have a hefty restocking fee

I normally dont go after toshibas but there's just something about this particular note book that makes me itch.

Its not exactly a desktop replacement. The desktop is at home for doing stuff that requires more video power. But i still want the laptop to have a fast processor...

edit: just looked at the dells, configured the same way as the toshiba, costs $300 more, so a no from them.

TooMany2cvs · #11 20-01-10

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaabScott

Not to split hairs, but ThinkPads have never been rebranded.

Apart from having said "IBM" and now saying "Lenovo"...

Quote:

A ThinkPad is a ThinkPad ... made in the same plants they were before IBM sold them as they are today, by the same people for that matter.

Sure, but the quality of the components seems to have gone down. A customer of mine had entirely IBM - laptops & desktops. Never any problems. Once the first "non-IBM" models started to come through, the failure rate soared. They moved to another brand, I forget what.

Jezzadee · #12 20-01-10

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboBlix

In one of my last finals in law school (we took our exams via laptop in a classroom), some knucklehead was waving his arms around right before the test started and knocked my laptop off my desk, cracking its casing in multiple areas. I was this close to murder, but the little machine started up without a hitch and continues to run smoothly.

You sure that wasn't part of the exam? Sue them and demand compensation and you get a handshake and 'welcome to the law firm.'

Throw them on the floor and break bits off them and you get fast-tracked into law enforcement.

*CleveSaab* · #13 20-01-10

Toshiba all day. I support laptops and have supported many major brands.
Dell, IBM, HP, Compaq, Toshiba.
Of all of them the Toshiba's had far less problems and were twice as reliable as the second place computer.
In order of reliability in my experience:
Toshiba (these things just DID NOT BREAK)
IBM
Dell
Compaq (junk and worst phone support of the bunch)

The one thing I loved about IBM was that the support center was located in ATLANTA GEORGIA. Nothing like talking to someone that speaks perfect english when you need help. Not sure where Toshiba support was because WE NEVER CALLED THEM.

saab19 · #14 20-01-10

my dad loves his toshibas, and claims he's never had a problem with them (this is complete BS, since he's just trying to prove a point to my mom, my sister, and me since we're all apple users), but his new one seems okay enough. but that's all I can do to help you.

*SaabKen* · #15 20-01-10

FWIW, my work laptop is a Toshiba Tecra S2. In the 4 yrs I've tote and abused that thing, it's never malfunctioned. Battery life ain't too good, tho ..... I get an hour at the most out of it

boon94 · #16 20-01-10

decided to go with something in between.

A Vaio CW

I went back to best buy and was just kind of playing around with the different brands and the sony just felt a lot more nice and solid. It has some cool features like web access without booting up, an LCD off button, and overall just feels really nice. I could pick it up at the corners without flex, screen didnt wobble, etc...

Geforce 310M discrete graphics just in case, not as powerful at the GT240M but enough punch and still way better than the intel graphics.
Core i5
7200RPM hard drive, something neither of the others offered.
The electrostatic touch pad is really nice to use.
14" screen is a bit more portable than the lenovo too.

pretty good compromise between the two i think, I'll still be wanting a backlit keyboard but i guess i can suffice.

raquettelaker2 · #17 20-01-10

Quote:

Originally Posted by boon94

decided to go with something in between.

A Vaio CW

I went back to best buy and was just kind of playing around with the different brands and the sony just felt a lot more nice and solid. It has some cool features like web access without booting up, an LCD off button, and overall just feels really nice. I could pick it up at the corners without flex, screen didnt wobble, etc...

Geforce 310M discrete graphics just in case, not as powerful at the GT240M but enough punch and still way better than the intel graphics.
Core i5
7200RPM hard drive, something neither of the others offered.
The electrostatic touch pad is really nice to use.
14" screen is a bit more portable than the lenovo too.

pretty good compromise between the two i think, I'll still be wanting a backlit keyboard but i guess i can suffice.

Actually, that looks like a decent choice. I know it's not as cool as the back-lit keyboard, but I have something like this and it's pretty useful when I use my laptop in the dark.