Jef Driesen wrote:
> For my work, I'm looking for a laptop with an Intel Core 2 Duo
> processor. It will be used mainly as a mobile replacement of a desktop
> system for scientific research (image processing, programming,...). So
> it's not intended to be used for gaming. (I also want to be able to use
> the laptop for office and multimedia applications (playing DVD and other
> videos, pictures,...) at home, but that is not the primary task.)
>
> I narrowed down my search to only three candidates. But now I don't know
> which one too choose. (The prices are almost the same.)
>
> Lenovo ThinkPad R60
> - Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 1.83 GHz
> - 15" TFT 1400 x 1050 (SXGA+)
> - ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 128 MB
>
> I read everywhere that the ThinkPad line has a very good reputation and
> a very solid construction. That could be important because the laptop
> has to travel a lot between home and work (by bike and train). But the
> other features are less compared to the next two.
>
> Lenovo 3000 N100
> - Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 1.83 GHz
> - 15.4" TFT 1680 x 1050 (WSXGA+)
> - NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 TurboCache 128 MB
>
> This is a very similar system to the ThinkPad, but does not seem to have
> the same construction advantage (or am I wrong here?). On the other side
> it has an nVidia card (which is slightly lower rated, but I'm a little
> bit biased towards nVidia, because all my current systems are nVidia and
> because of the better linux support) and a widescreen TFT.
>
> HP Compaq Business Notebook nx9420
> - Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz
> - 17" TFT 1680 x 1050 (WSXGA+)
> - ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 256 MB
>
> This one also looks interesting (fastest processor and fastest graphics
> of the three), but has an ATI card. I'm not so sure about the 17" TFT.
> I've never worked with a laptop before, but I can imagine the 17" screen
> and the numeric keypad are nice to have for daily work. But its larger
> size makes transportation more difficult I guess.

Why not a laptop for work, and a desktop for home ? And an external disk
for syncing between home and work. If you drop the disk on the ground,
there would be less economic damage, than if a whole laptop was
dropped (transport by bike). (You read too many sad stories here, of
when people drop a laptop and bust the screen.)

Western Digital Passport WDXMS600TN 60GB 5400 RPM USB 2.0 External $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136057

By avoiding the transport issue, you can get the larger screen. Make
sure your desk drawer is big enough to lock it up :-)

Paul