After swearing off IBM after the sale to Lenovo, I couldn't pass up a new T43 2 ghz. Sonoma laptop. The configuration was very similar to my previous T42, which I still have.
I've been using a Dell D610 for the last two months and find it an awesome laptop. It's been rock solid and very speedy. It's also a 2 ghz with very similar components.
The only thing the T43 has going for it is the following:
- Lighter and slimmer in almost all directions.
- Better battery life.
- The desktop fonts are larger and easier to see with my aging eyes. Both are XGA+ (1400 X 1050) and both are set to normal fontsize and 96 dpi, yet the IBM's icons are significantly larger. No, they're not set to the larger size.
- Scroll button - IBM has the scroll button and Dell does not. So little cost, yet so much funtionality.
- Placement of the LCD's for wireless, caps lock, etc. IBM's are at the bottomof the LCD... very easy to see. Dell's are on next to the power button and more difficult to see. I know, it's a little thing.
Here's what the Dell D610 has going for it:
- Boots and shuts down much, much faster. Being a type "A" personality, I want everything yesterday and waiting for laptop to boot is one of the many undesirable things in life... like waiting in line to eat at a restaurant, I avoid at all cost.
- The screen on the Dell stays remarkly dust and smudge free. I can't explain this, but I haven't had to clean the screen once yet and in the case of IBM, I have to clean at least every couple of weeks. There's something different here, but I can't put my finger on it ... no pun intended.
- Keyboard - Yes, I do believe that Dell's keyboard is perhaps a shade better than IBM's. I think the keytops are actually larger which makes it easier to hit the right key. I'm a touch typist so this is EXTREMELY important to me. IBM definitly has NO edge her in my opinion.
- Now this will sound a little strange, but here goes. My D610 seems to find workgroup computers much faster than my IBM does. I've had some IBM's that simply would NOT find any other computers in the workgroup. Very strange. My T42 would find them, it would just take it 30-60 seconds to display the list. The Dell is better than any laptop I've ever had. No more than 10-15 seconds max. I go to client sites quite a bit so this is another issue that is important for me.
- Port replicator - I have Dell's advanced port replicator and a Dell 20" LCD at the office. It works great - no problems. I've had issues with IBM's similarly setup and had to spend quite a bit of time resolving the problems I've encountered.
- Dell's keyboard does have a Windows key. This wouldn't make the list except someone pointed out all the features that you can perform with one of these keys and now I notice if it's missing.
- I've never had a laptop where I didn't encounter some kind of problem that had to be resolved through a tech support call or talking to other users. My D610 set a benchmark for all others to match.
- Heat - that's right you heard me. Dell used to have a problem with heat, but mine seems to be relatively cool. I noticed last night when I was setting up the T43 that it got much warmer than my T42 and the Dell. Perhaps it was from all the DVD useage, but I think it would have been uncomfortable if I was using it on my lap. As it was, I was trying to upgrade the hard drive and doing a restore to the original factor setup. An hour or more of continual DVD access.
Those are the initial impressions thus far. It's early so I may have more to say in a week or so.
I've been using a Dell D610 for the last two months and find it an awesome laptop. It's been rock solid and very speedy. It's also a 2 ghz with very similar components.
The only thing the T43 has going for it is the following:
- Lighter and slimmer in almost all directions.
- Better battery life.
- The desktop fonts are larger and easier to see with my aging eyes. Both are XGA+ (1400 X 1050) and both are set to normal fontsize and 96 dpi, yet the IBM's icons are significantly larger. No, they're not set to the larger size.
- Scroll button - IBM has the scroll button and Dell does not. So little cost, yet so much funtionality.
- Placement of the LCD's for wireless, caps lock, etc. IBM's are at the bottomof the LCD... very easy to see. Dell's are on next to the power button and more difficult to see. I know, it's a little thing.
Here's what the Dell D610 has going for it:
- Boots and shuts down much, much faster. Being a type "A" personality, I want everything yesterday and waiting for laptop to boot is one of the many undesirable things in life... like waiting in line to eat at a restaurant, I avoid at all cost.
- The screen on the Dell stays remarkly dust and smudge free. I can't explain this, but I haven't had to clean the screen once yet and in the case of IBM, I have to clean at least every couple of weeks. There's something different here, but I can't put my finger on it ... no pun intended.
- Keyboard - Yes, I do believe that Dell's keyboard is perhaps a shade better than IBM's. I think the keytops are actually larger which makes it easier to hit the right key. I'm a touch typist so this is EXTREMELY important to me. IBM definitly has NO edge her in my opinion.
- Now this will sound a little strange, but here goes. My D610 seems to find workgroup computers much faster than my IBM does. I've had some IBM's that simply would NOT find any other computers in the workgroup. Very strange. My T42 would find them, it would just take it 30-60 seconds to display the list. The Dell is better than any laptop I've ever had. No more than 10-15 seconds max. I go to client sites quite a bit so this is another issue that is important for me.
- Port replicator - I have Dell's advanced port replicator and a Dell 20" LCD at the office. It works great - no problems. I've had issues with IBM's similarly setup and had to spend quite a bit of time resolving the problems I've encountered.
- Dell's keyboard does have a Windows key. This wouldn't make the list except someone pointed out all the features that you can perform with one of these keys and now I notice if it's missing.
- I've never had a laptop where I didn't encounter some kind of problem that had to be resolved through a tech support call or talking to other users. My D610 set a benchmark for all others to match.
- Heat - that's right you heard me. Dell used to have a problem with heat, but mine seems to be relatively cool. I noticed last night when I was setting up the T43 that it got much warmer than my T42 and the Dell. Perhaps it was from all the DVD useage, but I think it would have been uncomfortable if I was using it on my lap. As it was, I was trying to upgrade the hard drive and doing a restore to the original factor setup. An hour or more of continual DVD access.
Those are the initial impressions thus far. It's early so I may have more to say in a week or so.
My own experience has borne it out as well - I can hit a max of about 135wpm on an Omnikey Ultra, ~120 on an IBM Model M, and ~114 on the T42. On my old HP notebook I'm about 90 tops. I played with a D610 today in fact, and found the keyboard to be typical-Dell feel, somewhere between the HP and the Powerbook. Feel is very subjective though, so what floats my boat probably doesn't do it for you, and vice versa.
