So any of you people know about or have a lot of experience with the current laptop brands? I heard IBM were the best bar none, mainly for build quality. Build quality is what I am looking for primarily. However, I'm not sure what the concensus is, now that IBM personal computer division is owned by a Chinese company, Lenevo.
IBM Thinkpads are still built very well, even though Lenovo owns them. Mac does make some nice laptops and they have great screens, but they do not compare to Lenovo when it comes to build quality or keyboard. You also can not get accidental damage protection on a Mac.
Thinkpads are pretty much bulletproof but ugly as sin.
Dells are nice because they're customizable but if you don't get a Latitude you get stuck with a bunch of plastic.
MacBook Pros (IMHO) are the best looking notebooks if you like the whole brushed aluminum thing. With MacBooks though you'll probably have to learn OS X, unless you want to play games and you will have to install Windows and in my experience the drivers are really unstable.
For what it's worth I'm getting another MacBook next week (17" this time).
as a side note I find it amusing that "MacBook" is not in the Apple spellchecker.
IBMs are unbreakable, but ugly as sin and have never really seemed like a brand to look to if you want performance for gaming. Dells are alright, but not great. There will be a lot of Asus recommendations probably, but mine, while reliable, has been very quirky. If you get one, then familiarity with Windows and trouble shooting skills will be very helpful.
The new Dell XPS M1330 laptops with LCD screens are probably the best laptops I have ever seen. Very nice combination of looks, build quality and performance.
If you want a durable laptop with the best laptop keyboard ever made, I'd go with Lenovo.
I took my Lenovo T60 to Europe this year. Used it everyday and on the planes with no problems. I love the no flex screen and the keyboard is the best out there. I have been able to play Command and conquer 3 with no problems. It's not the best looking laptop but I'll take the build quality any day.
T60 2ghz Core 2 Duo, 1400 graphics, Travelstar 7k200 HD
Bear in mind that the Lenovos/ IBMs come with matte screens (well, they use to when I had a T41p).
Are you looking for a desktop replacement (15-17" screens) or a portable/ thin and lights (12" to 14")?
For high end portables with discrete graphics (gaming), think Dell XPS M1330, Sony SZ series, Asus F or W's. They run anything from $1500 to close to $3000 (depend on your config). A really cheap gaming 14" would be HP's dvt line, starting at about $800 with discount code. 12" you'd be looking at Sony G's or TZ series, Toshiba Portege. 13" Apple Macbook may be an option.
There are also high end makers like VoodooPC who custome built using Clevo notebooks, with their own paint jobs etc.
Macbook Pros (15") are really nice but they run Mac OS. If you want to run Windows you can use Parallels or Boot Camp, but I would wait for the launch of Leopard before getting one.
If you're looking for 17" and above then that's a whole different ball game of what you can get.
Laptops cost far less than they did 5 years ago, and build quality has suffered accordingly. Thinkpads are OK, but the best build quality in Windows laptops is that of Panasonic Toughbooks. I would recommend a MacBook or MacBook Pro, however.
I have a thinkpad T42 and absolutely love it. I don't drink the Mac Koolaid, so I wouldn't consider one. If I were you and wanted a touch laptop for traveling and daily toting, it would be the Thinkpad.
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