I don't know if this is the right place for a comparison between brands - I don't want to start a flame war - but I've got to decide whether to keep my Toshiba (A215-S4697) or trade 'up' to a Lenovo T61 (or something else) before the week is up. They are both at Circuit City (where I am unfortunately stuck, a 15% restocking charge applying if I return it and go somewhere else.)
First, would this actually be an 'upgrade', performance-wise? Some of the pros and cons, from my limited perspective, are: The Toshiba is probably a better bang for the buck, being 250 or so bucks cheaper; and I actually prefer the AMD chip, if anything.
But the Toshiba's keyboard feels crappy and the case is too plasticky and too easily scratched or damaged. The Lenovo/IBM has a reputation for toughness and reliability, and it certainly feels that way to me, which makes it more appealing and seems a much better long-term investment.
But, maybe the Toshiba possibly has better performance or upgrade potential(?), and (possibly) a nicer-looking LCD.
Does this comparison make any sense? Maybe it's just a personal thing. There's certainly nothing wrong with the Toshiba from an objective point of view. My needs don't include heavy-duty gaming, just Photoshop, some DVD-burning, internet, and music recording.
The reason I chose the Toshiba in the beginning was I needed something right away, and like I said, 'cause it's an excellent bang 'for the buck'. I guess the Lenovo appeals because of the overall better quality, keyboard, ergonomics, and more solid feel. But are there any drawbacks to it?
I recognise I'm in the grip of an obsession here(!) so thanks for any feedback!
Dave
First, would this actually be an 'upgrade', performance-wise? Some of the pros and cons, from my limited perspective, are: The Toshiba is probably a better bang for the buck, being 250 or so bucks cheaper; and I actually prefer the AMD chip, if anything.
But the Toshiba's keyboard feels crappy and the case is too plasticky and too easily scratched or damaged. The Lenovo/IBM has a reputation for toughness and reliability, and it certainly feels that way to me, which makes it more appealing and seems a much better long-term investment.
But, maybe the Toshiba possibly has better performance or upgrade potential(?), and (possibly) a nicer-looking LCD.
Does this comparison make any sense? Maybe it's just a personal thing. There's certainly nothing wrong with the Toshiba from an objective point of view. My needs don't include heavy-duty gaming, just Photoshop, some DVD-burning, internet, and music recording.
The reason I chose the Toshiba in the beginning was I needed something right away, and like I said, 'cause it's an excellent bang 'for the buck'. I guess the Lenovo appeals because of the overall better quality, keyboard, ergonomics, and more solid feel. But are there any drawbacks to it?
I recognise I'm in the grip of an obsession here(!) so thanks for any feedback!
Dave
