PCMD Inc Portland Computer Repair talks about laptop recommendations

Hi guys,

Laptops are becoming more and more popular nowadays. They’re replacing their bulkier desktop counterparts because they provide *almost* the same performance (especially with the introduction of solid state hard drives) with the added benefit of portability.

There is a huge problem though. Most laptops have the structural rigidity of a sandcastle and the build quality of a Ford Pinto. What does that mean for you then? More than likely your electronic right hand man will wither and die long before expected. It’s the truth. The Dell Inspiron you’re using to read this blog will soon start to lose its lustrous paint on the palm rests and before you know it you’ll have to jimmy-rig a twizzler under the power jack just to get the laptop to charge. It’s an unavoidable fate.

So what are you to do? It’s very easy – buy a quality laptop. There are two main laptop brands that we’ve been recommending for the last three years. The first is Lenovo, or you might know them as IBM. Lenovo’s T & X series notebooks are a great solution for someone that must go the PC route. Here are a few reasons why we love Lenovo’s T & X series notebooks:

  • Spill resistant keyboards
  • Cushions for the hard drives
  • Titanium hinges
  • Stronger power connectors
  • Best in class keyboards
  • Higher quality plastics
  • Great drivers
  • Excellent customer support

The list really goes on and on. What’s really cool is that these great machines have really come down in price. A T400 series notebook now starts at $799.00 which is extremely reasonable.

If you’re tired of the PC experience and want something a little fruity…er different may I present you with door number 2 – Apple. Apple has really done an excellent job in the last few years with their notebook offerings. One of the greatest things about Apple products is that you’re getting your hardware AND software from one company, unlike PCs where you have to worry about getting your Windows updates from Microsoft, and your driver updates from NVIDIA. Besides that you have these other benefits:

  • Excellent support (phone and in store)
  • Viruses (for the most part) aren’t a concern
  • Great battery life
  • Very few hardware issues
  • Slick designs – they’re sexy as hell…you can’t deny it

Apple’s MacBooks are also priced quite reasonable. They start at $999 for the basic MacBook and $1199 for the MacBook Pros.

Which one is right for you? It really depends on what you’re going to use it for. If you’re a business user that spends an entire day on Outlook, or if you just think Apples are for sissies, then the Lenovo will float your boat just fine. On the other hand if you’re a general user that’s looking to organize photos, listen to music, browse the web, and Facebook your friends (pretty much 90% of what most people use their computers for) then Apple is probably the way to go.

If you’re thinking, “Is that really it? There aren’t any other options out there?” Well as far as what we recommend…. yes, and you can see from this link we’re not off our rockers. There are some laptops out there that we consider “best of the worst” like Dell’s Lattitude lineup, but if you’re going to be spending that kind of a dough you might as well get a real quality product.

Thanks for reading guys,
James