Laptop Recs?

I

iplaydrums

100+ Posts
I did a quick search--but didn't see anything recent. I'm looking for a new laptop based on the criteria below...so any help would be greatly appreciated!

1. I'm looking for something relatively light--not necessarily ultra-portable, but under 5.5lbs would be great.
2. I do NOT want a Dell or an Apple.
3. A Blu-ray drive would be great, as would one of the new Intel processors.
4. Optional but preferred--stand-alone graphics. I would prefer a laptop that has a dedicated graphics versus integrated. (I think that's the terminology?).
5. Under $1500.

Obviously I know that the perfect machine out there does not exist. I've looked at a few different brands, including IBM/Lenovo & Sony..but am not really sure where to go.
 
HPs are fairly solid middle of the road machines. I've been using one or another for the last 8 years now. Some last forever, some die right after the warranty expires... none are amazing performance machines but I can always get my work done.

I used to really like the original IBM Thinkpads but I haven't tried any since they became Lenovo.

Sony I've always avoided on their horrible customer service reputation and excess of proprietary connections/products. The machines usually look sexy though.

I've always been interested in Sager notebooks (online only) but those are generally performance machines and would be above your price range.
 
I just bought a Lenovo T400 ThinkPad, my first laptop and ThinkPad. It's fantastic. I don't know if the quality has gone down or up since the IBM days since I never had one from that era but I have been very happy with the build quality of the T400. The screen is thick and robust with very little flex, it has a great keyboard, and pretty good battery life (3 hours on a 4 cell battery). The lid has a locking latch that closes with a satisfying *click*. I like that.

The only T400s sold now have integrated 4500M graphics, decent but not great for playing games or doing CAD.

Lenovo also offers the newer T410 which has the new Intel Core i5 processors. You can usually get 10-15% off from discounts, just search deals2buy. They're around $850 after rebates.
 
I third Lenovo. Can't speak to a dropoff in Thinkpad quality, but I do know that IBM has a partial stake in Lenovo and much of the Thinkpad design team and technical support is still made up of IBM folks. Also, Lenovo had been building IBM-branded Thinkpads years before they bought them outright.

I have a T500, 1600x1080 screen, Core 2 Duo T9600, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, switchable graphics, integrated Bluetooth, and 64-bit Windows 7 Pro. Pretty sure I have actual feelings for this machine. (Although now I wish I had gotten the 128GB SSD.)

EDIT: Saw your price range is $1500 or less. I just configured this pretty mean T510 for $1487 after tax:

- Intel Core i5-540M Processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
- Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
- 15.6" HD Anti-Glare Display with LED Backlight and WWAN Antenna
- NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Memory
- 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
- UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
- Camera, 2.0 MP
- 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
- Multi Recorder Optical Drive (12.7mm)
- 9 cell Li-Ion Battery
- Bluetooth w/ antenna
- Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 (2x2 AGN)
 
Thinkpad it is! Thanks for the advice everyone.
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Seems you've already decided but I love the T61 I got a couple of years ago for work as a test computer. I was expecting a drop-off from the IBM days but Lenovo has maintained the quality. Also it seems sturdier than the standard Dells, HPs, etc. I like the physical design/construction of it better than the Apple that it convinced me to switch for the home machine.
 
What if the target range is under $800? Any help there? Any thoughts on MSI? Seems like there are good deals on them.

This is just for kicking around on the internet, doing basic work on MSOffice products. No serious "gaming" or graphic design. HTMI would be good to connect it to TV for slideshows, though.
 
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