Originally posted by: RonS
I have $6000 to spend by the end of the year on a new notebook computer, used primarily for software development.
I'm considering a 2.1GHz Inspiron 9200 and a 2.1GHz Thinkpad T41, both fully loaded. Which one would you buy? Should I be considering something else?
For myself, I think the biggest deciding factor between these machines would be three things:
1. The keyboard
Here, don't go with the IBM just because of the famous keyboard. The layout on my 14" T41 is slightly flawed, with the function key in the lower-left corner instead of the control key; the arrow keys are also positioned less than optimally, although it's nothing you can't get used to. The keyboard is responsive, but not worlds better than those on Inspirons I've owned. I can still type slightly faster on my Inspiron 8200 than I can on this T41. I can't say anything about the I9200, which is likely from a different manufacturer, but reviewers seem to like its keyboard.
2. The screen
I know from experience that a wide screen doesn't aid in software development. Why? Because with a 4:3 screen, you can fit onscreen your ancillary toolbars, windows, etc. and still have a perfectly-sized document window next to them; if you're like me you don't write code with 300-character lines. Also, the amount of screen real estate added on doesn't buy you anything useful for work,
especially in an IDE, because once you get all that other stuff onscreen you don't have much room left. I can't think of a type of programming where a widescreen would be a benefit.
You know what I'd really like is a tall screen! I sometimes rotate my 2001FP 20" UXGA flat panel 90 degrees and work that way, which lets me pack lots more lines on the screen. Sometimes it's pretty helpful. Of course, you can't do that with any current laptop. Imagine a laptop with three folded-together ultra-thin panels, that you could open and fan out... drool.
My current favorite resolution for laptop programming, BY FAR, is SXGA+, and at that resolution I prefer a 14" screen, all else being equal, because it allows for a noticeably more portable laptop with no reduction in picture quality. (If you're interested in programming fonts for smaller resolutions google on "proggy fonts", "sheldon", "andale").
The point I want to make is that the slight bit of edge space afforded by a wide screen is usually not useful for work. It's not like a second screen. Its main usefulness is for watching movies and manipulating many small windows, perhaps. Don't buy the hype about viewing documents side by side; at laptop size, they'll be practically unreadable.
Some people have reported a strange sparkling or blurring effect with the I9200's screen. That wouldn't automatically raise a red flag with me, but it would make me want to see one in person. You might have a Dell kiosk near you in a mall.
3. Battery life and weight (mobility, I guess)
PC Magazine's reviewed time of 5 hours for the I9200 (with 9-cell batter) may apparently be bogus, and in any case that number is definitely not for the I9200 under load. Another Anandtech thread poster said that another review just came out with a lot lower battery numbers.
If you travel, go with the Thinkpad. Even just plopping on the couch with a laptop that has less-than-awesome battery life can be a chore, as you tote extra cables etc. around. The I9200 is also a couple to three pounds heavier, maybe more with everything totalled up.
The T42 can take a second battery in its modular bay, something that the I9200 can't do. The T42 wins on maximum battery life.
4. Durability
Here, I wouldn't buy IBM just because of the famed Thinkpad build quality, either. For a machine on which you'll be doing much of your work, you should have a kickass warranty for at least two or three years. You also shouldn't abuse the machine, and I'm assuming you won't. The I9200 is built with a stiffer case and better components than other Inspirons of the past, so you have no worries there.
This T41 has some nice little extras; for instance, it's got a built-in keyboard light for typing in bed without disturbing the sig other. If you pop out a modular device, it'll tidy things up in Windows for you. It's an example of very nice engineering, I have to admit. It's a work machine, but I would consider buying one for myself. Nice, light and powerful.
EDIT: I generally agree with trikster2. I'd buy a $3000 machine, a $2000 flat panel, and lots of add-on equipment: backup device, etc.