New laptop for work

GrimReaper

The bosses work laptop is dying (hard drive issues, already gone through 3 hard drives in 3 years in that sucker) so i've decided to purchase a new laptop for him.

So, fellow arcadians.. what work laptops do you recommend?

A few things before people go recommending certain laptops:

* It must have docking station capability (example, you can connect network, usb, vga/dvi to the docking station)
* Macbooks are out of the running because of the above and also because we use some bespoke windows only software

The old laptop is a HP Compaq NC6120, looking on HP's website it appears the docking station capable laptops are wa----y over priced. I've also been looking at Dells stuff but both website are a bloody mess to find what you want.

Recommend away!

Trentus

I'd probably get him a ThinkPad. They're not the prettiest machines out there (though they are making small improvements), but I've seen them cop a fair bit of abuse, and as far as performance goes they're pretty good (I've only ever worked on the R series though, and not on the latest models. Last one I got to use was an R60 I think).

Lenovo have a couple of docking stations , but it all depends how much you want to pay. Features common to all of them (I think) are 4 USB2 ports, a PS/2 port, VGA, Gigabit Ethernet and an RJ-11 port for the modem. For the more expensive model you can get DVI, serial, parallel and some audio ports. I'm pretty sure there's a spot for a laptop lock too.

The ThinkPads come with some version of Vista (can't remember which, and can't be assed looking sorry), but you should be able to wipe em an put XP on them if you so choose.

Rendon

We use the Thinkpads at work, they have docking stations, and hold up to a good amount of abuse. I have a Lenovo R61 and am happy with it.

GrimReaper

Well, I was veering to the Dell Latitude D830. You could get the same screen res as his desktop monitor. (1680x1050)

I'll have a look at the Thinkpads, they'd completely slipped my mind.

This is what i'm veering to at the moment. I just tried ringing Dell to get some clarification on the docking station and got nowhere. (you'd think they'd have native English speakers for their sales)

Hmm, those Thinkpads are getting beaten on both price and customisability by the Dell one.

Why, hello there.

Weretaco

The Dell latitudes will all use the same dock for you. I've currently using a dock from my D600 on my newer D630.

Just get the accidental coverage so he can break it and get it fixed.

adam

If his hard drive keeps crashing you might want to get him an external hardrive as well. They work very well for laptops.

devoir

Bit late, but I have a Dell Latitude D830 and I love it. My previous work laptop was a Dell Latitude D630. Notice a pattern? :P

It has a docking station port, I actually got a docking station with it, and I'm really very happy with it, as I was with my previous one.