Laptop selection
Planning to buy my next laptop, March 2012
Bear in mind that this is based solely on my preferences.
Selection criteria
Must have
Full Linux compatibility
CPU Intel Core i3 or i5 (i7 seems to be unnecessary) with VTx
8GB+ RAM max (should have 1x4GB in an ideal case)
Screen: Anti-glare, 12" - 14"
Screen resolution: above 1024x768, preferably HD
Keyboard: standard layout, no separate numpad
Intel VGA or NVIDIA/Intel switchable
Standard Ethernet interface
Silent cooling (probably better on a bigger size) - the X61s is loud
Nice to have
LED backlight
Panel: preferably IPS (never had one...)
Trackpoint if possible
Fingerprint reader
SD/SDHC reader
USB3.0
Wireless-N (should be standard now...)
No air vents on the underside
Intel AMT
By manufacturer
Preferred manufacturers
Lenovo ThinkPad T/X
Toshiba Tecra
Avoidable manufacturers
HP Probook/Elitebook: bad reputation (although they have nice features)
Fujitsu: quality is (still) utter crap
Apple: non-PC keyboard layout, battery not replaceable?
Others, no idea
Dell (XPS): ???
Alienware: horrid look, unnecessary for me (i7, gamer platform, red backlight etc)
SONY: ??? VAIO Z12/Z13 seems nice (1600x in 13") but the price is very high and these are older models
Samsung: ???
Candidates
Lenovo ThinkPad
- IPS screen: "HD Premium" (in Hungary) - apparently only in X220 and X1 (and X200/X201)
- new X series has a touchpad
- Edge series/E220s, E320, E520: chiclet keyboard, flexy display, glossy screen - i3 versions from HUF 160 000
- L series/L420: similar to the previous R series (plastic, 14-15"); available w/o OS - from HUF 220 000
- T series/T420, T420s, T520 etc: from HUF 350 000
-- T420: bigger battery, T420s: -0.5kg weight, USB3.0, slim DVD
-- NV57BHV: 327.218 @ laptop-ok.hu ; 337 590 @ usanotebook.hu
-- T420 NW1CWHV/4GB 4178-CWG 297 000 @ mysoft.hu 2012-05-21 / Core i5, Intel VGA, 6-cell battery - discontinued!
whoops, update in July:
-- T420 NW1C5HV/4GB 4178-C5G 393 000 @ mysoft.hu 2012-07-14 / Core i7, nVIDIA, 9-cell battery
update again, the i5 models are back:
-- T420 NW1CWHV/4GB 4178-CWG 295 000 @ mysoft.hu 2012-07-18 / Core i5-2450M, Intel VGA, 6-cell battery
--
- W series (W701): crazy expensive desknotes with 1920x res
- X series/X220: from HUF 295 000 (i3, TN panel), from HUF ~450.000 (i7, SSD, IPS panel)
-- i5 2537M, 160G SSD, 4GB, IPS
Toshiba Tecra
- only two models (R840, R850)
- very similar to the Portégé line
- R850 has a separate numpad
- fingerprint reader and a 'trackpoint' which is reportedly too small/deep and has no middle button