Help me decide

[Jrouss]

Hello,

I am a system builder who has not kept up with laptops recently and am being deployed to the Persian Gulf very soon and I will need to get a laptop for my personal entertainment and communication. I plan to use this system for everything from gaming to photoshop to remote application to stay in touch with work. I am assuming I may be in less than desirable conditions at time and need to feel comfortable the system will be able to handle some banging around. I have a budget of 3000-4000 dollars.

All I seem to find is mainstream reviews i.e. Dell, Gateway etc. Please advise me, I am not sure if I should stick with Intel, AMD or even consdier a G4.

 

[jdiddy]

If you really need a laptop that can be tossed around look at something like a Panasonic Toughbook. Those things are tanks but there expensive and not the highest performing. Your probobly best of with a T series Thinkpad from IBM. Although there not as rugged as a Toughbook they are the best built of all the non extreme laptops. There also very high performing and have good battery life if you get a Centrino powered one. Those laptops can easily handle photoshop,come with a cd/dvd combo, and can be built with up to 128 mbs of video memory for gaming. I have a x31 Thinkpad that I carry everyday and dropped on the floor twice no scratches. From what I've read the chassis is made from magnesium and titanium. The only thing you may have to do regardless of what laptop you get is to spray some compressed air through the vents to get the dust out.

 

[fbrdphreak]

IBM all the way

 

[MedicBob]

Most likely you will not be able to connect your laptop to whatever military network is there. I know our SYSADMIN blocks that even in the US. Cheaper is better in my opinion, sand and dirt will get into it if you are going anywhere near a desert. Whatever you take there, don't be shocked if it dies, some of the guys that have been over there have had to replace their PDA's, laptops, etc. due to the dust.

 

[Jrouss]

Sand is also a concern for my Canon Rebel. I have been considering the 20D for its better build. Thanks for the input.

 

[tnitsuj]

I bought an old Thinkpad 600x for deployment and it worked like a champ. Personally, I wouldn't take a brand new 3k laptop over there.

 

[uOpt]

IBM, although they only have ATI graphics which isn't to my taste. But they are built well.

The toughbook a coworker of mine just got doesn't really look more robust, it's crtainly not a full-metal, shock-absorbed thing. Also, it only has IE2 graphics which won't let you play.

If not IBM, for big budget I would probably either get a Dell Precision M60 or a Powerbook.

 

[Jrouss]

Thanks for the input. if you can tell me more hwat to expect.

At this point I am not sure whether we will be in Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen or Iraq so, I am not sure what to expect for conditions. I am torn as to what to do, I definately see the piont of going cheaper but, I also assume this will also be my primary personal entertainment / system for documents, music and photoshop.

 

[MedicBob]

Photoshop is the only thing that would be very demanding and processor intensive, unless you plan on newer games too. With gaming, you won't be able to game online unless you have very, very friendly Network Admins there. Then he would have to get permission for higher networks then his/hers to open those firewall ports, possibly up to service level, ie: US Army or US Navy. I am currently trying to get permission to allow for ports to VPN to home to be opened, no luck so far.

The Panisonic Toughbooks have dust covers over most connectors depending on the model, at least older ones did, but you pay a premium for those.

You might want to wait and see where you are going before purchasing anything. We all know the game of hurry up and wait and one never knows where they are really going until they are there.