Here are the small laptops I’m looking at, partly based on comments my previous post received. I’ve decided I want to go small instead of big.
Screen: 1280-800 XBRITE
Weight: 4.2 lbs
Size: 12.3″ x 1.16″-1.39″ x 8.85″
Cost: ~$3200
Notes: Awesome screen, definitely best of the bunch. Supports DVI through a docking station.
Fatal flaw: Only supports 1280×800 on the external DVI.
Screen: 1280 x 800
Weight: 4.2 lbs
Size: 11.7 x 1.5 x 8.5
Cost ~$1700
Notes: Good screen resolution, though not as nice as the Sony. Perhaps I’d be happy remote desktop-ing into it for desk usage. Similar specs to the Sony at half the cost.
Fatal flaw: No docking station for DVI out.
Screen: 1024×768 (1600×1200 external DVI through port replicator)
Weight: 3.7 lbs
Size: 11.6 x 1.0 x 9.6
Cost: ~$1800
Notes: Almost perfect. It has a docking station that supports 1600×1200 external DVI. No internal optical drive either.
Fatal flaw: 1024×768? Ugh.
Screen: 1024×768
Weight: 2.7 lbs
Size: Couldn’t locate dimensions – very small
Cost: ~$2500
Notes: This thing is way small and it’s a ThinkPad, but that’s about it.
Fatal flaw: 1024×768? Ugh.
I think I’m leaning towards the Dell 700m at the moment. I want the nice big resolution on the screen and I like the internal optical drives – if only it could connect to the docking station. I’d decided to avoid Dell laptops after we got a bunch of 610 lemons at my last job, but I talked to some people that have been happy with other models so maybe I’ll take a chance.