Hi

I couldn't decide which notebook computer i should buy?

Both cost exactly same. but Compaq seems to be having strong network then toshiba.

in looks + keyboard, Which one you think is better - toshiba or compaq ?




choice 1#
Compaq PRESARIO 731
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Presario 731 (Athlon 1.2Ghz OR 1.1GHZ DURON, 128MB, 20GB, 24XCD, Modem, NIC, WinXP, 14.1"TFT)


Dimensions :31.6cm x 26.6cm x 4.2cm (Width x Depth x Height) (2.9 Kgs)
Processor :AMD Mobile Athlon™ @ 1.2 GHz with PowerNow! Technology
System Bus :200 MHz System Bus
Cache :128KB L1 Cache, 256KB L2 Pipeline Burst Cache
RAM :128 MB SyncDRAM - 133 MHz (Upg: To 384 MB without discard)
Hard Disk :20 GB Ultra DMA hard drive (ATA 100)
CD-ROM Drive :24X CD-ROM Drive
Modem :56Kbps ITU V.92 Data/Fax Mini PCI Modem
Network :10 /100 Base TX Ethernet
Diskette Drive :3.5-inch 1.44MB diskette drive
Graphics Card :S3 Pro Savage with 4X AGP
Support :1024 X 768 X 16M colours
Display :14.1" TFT Active Matrix XGA Display
Video RAM :16MB Video RAM default with UMA Architecture
MPEG :MPEG2 Digital Video Playback
Audio / Speakers :JBL Pro Audio with Bass reflex
Easy Access Keys :4 Way Internet Scroll, Instant Internet, Digital audio, Retail central & e-mail launch Key, Digital One Touch control for Volume Up and down
Keyboard :Full size keys and separate cursor control keys (88 Keys)
Touch Pad :Synaptics Touch Pad
Battery :Smart High Capacity Lithium Ion Battery
Interface :(1) Parallel, (1) RJ11 Phone Jack, (1) RJ-45 Ethernet port, (2) USB Ports, Two Audio Ports, Mic-In, External Monitor Port, (1) PS/2 Port, One S-Video TV-Out
PCMCIA Slots :One Type III / Two Type II (2) PC card slot with 32-Bit Card Bus
Compliance :Plug and Play, NSTL Year 2000, Ethernet compliance
Additional Software :Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 6.0, Internet Explorer 6.0, Windows Media Player 7, Money 2001 (CD), Norton Anti-Virus 2002 (CD), Documentation (CD), Recovery CD.



Choice 2#
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Toshiba Satellite 1100
Mobile Intel® CeleronTM Processor 1.2GHz, 133 MHz PSB
32KB L1 Integrated, 256KB L2 Integrated, 128MB, 20GB, 24XCD, Modem, NIC, WinXP, 14.1"TFT


Processor
Cache Mobile Intel® CeleronTM Processor 1.2GHz, 133 MHz PSB
32KB L1 Integrated, 256KB L2 Integrated
Memory 128 MB PC133 SDRAM, expandable to 1024 MB
Display
Internal
External Video Modes
14.1” TFT active matrix 16.7 million colors at 1,024 x 768 resolution
Max. 16.7M colors at 640 x 480 resolution, 800 x 600 resolution, 1,024 x 768 resolution, 1,280 x 1,024 resolution Max. 64K colors at 1,600 x 1,200 resolution
Mass Storage
Hard Disk
Built-in Optical Drive
Integrated Diskette Drive
20GB S.M.A.R.T.
24X (max.) CD-ROM Drive
Built-in 3.5”, 1.44MB diskette drive
Integrated Communication Device Integrated international V.90 modem (56Kbps data, 14.4Kbps fax) and 10/100Mbps Ethernet
Keyboard 85-key Ergonomic Keyboard, TouchPad with Scroll function, Windows® Key, Application Key and hot key functions
PC Card Slots Type III x 1 or Type II x 2 (CardBus supported)
Expansion Ports Parallel, RGB, USB x 3, External Microphone, Headphone (stereo), RJ-11, RJ-45, DC-in
Sound Sound 16-bit stereo SoundBlaster Pro and Windows Sound System compatible, 3D Sound supported, built-in stereo speakers, volume dial
Bundled Software/CD Toshiba Utilities, Microsoft® Internet Explorer, Microsoft® Media Player, Toshiba Recovery CD,Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
Weight(w/battery pack, FDD & DVD-ROM) 3.2kg (with battery pack, FDD and CD-ROM drive)
Dimensions (WxDxH) 322 x 277 x 36/38.5mm (front/back)


thanks for your openion. :)

i have this one http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/products/model_inspn_1_latit_x200.htm

tosh all the way. esp in your climate. maybe ibm at a pinch. forget dell or any other make like compaq. terrible build quality compared to ibm and tosh. if compaq made laptops like they did 10 yrs ago id say compaq but they dont, their servers still are good but the laptops and desktops are terrible. stick with tosh or ibm, they charge a hefty price premium but it pays for a lot of quality. ive had my ibm for well over a yr now, getting on for 18 months, anything of mine that lasts that long must be built well :) hell it goes in my rucksack and goes mountain biking if i wanna work in the middle of nowhere with a mobile phone for a day.

thanks richy, the dell cost here around $2k where as above configuration cost $1.5k and i am tight on budget,

do you think its worth to invest on dell which cost too much then toshiba or compaq?

also i guess not much people in wht lounge use laptops :(

dell are more expensive then tosh and ibm lol, thats certainly not the case normally.no i wouldnt invest in a dell, i have sold them in the past and they are better then the rest of the clones but they cant hold a candle to ibm or tosh. theres a simple way of looking at this, go look at the 2nd hand market, ibm and tosh are predominant with a few compaqs about. this is because ibm and tosh had the business market sewn up and they made the laptops so well they last forever. ibm and tosh are all about quality, a clone may have a p4 52 Ghz processor but your buying a laptop not a desktop so i would place durability over raw speed. I have an ibm a 21 m now and previously had a Toshiba Portege and they are both amazing machines. Both have taken very extreme conditions, and very rough handling, been round europe a few times, and dealt with extremes of heat and humidity.If you can afford tosh or ibm and they are up to your required spec then dont even think twice. Buy the tosh. oh and do yourself a massive favour and buy a decent leather case, targus make a nice executive case which does a very good job of protecting my ibm for about 200$ i think, and theres a company called airtek which make excellent cases with an air filled tube round the edges which come cheaper. plus its less of an advert to theaves if your carrying a nice leather briefcase then a case with dell written in big blue letters of toshiba in big red ones. whatever you get good luck and i hope you enjoy it.

Notebooks in choice of preference:

Toshiba, IBM, Dell

The rest are rubbish and don't hold any of the good battery/screen patents :)

you seen the new tosh battery thing where they use the base of the case as a battery cos its made of some new polymer. now thats a company that has a r and d budget :)
personally i put ibm over tosh as i prefer the keyboards and screens but thats entirely subjective. both are superb. dell are the best of the rest but still pale in comparrisson.

My order of preference...

Dell, IBM, Toshiba.

I've got a Toshiba Satellite... many problems which took almost a year to get resolved. I will *never* buy a Toshiba again and know many people with similar stories.

I've got a Dell Latitude LM (Pentium 166)... fantastic machine that lasted many years until an accident with a glass of coke seen it go... it still works but the keyboard acts up sometimes. My dad currently has it.

I've also got an IBM 600X... absolutely fantastic laptop. Small and light.. Unfortunately a rather nasty lightning strike at the family property took it out (it's in an area prone to lightning). This was probably my favourite but was quite expensive.

--Shaun.