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Fully agree to alternatives like Lattitudes and EliteBooks. While the "ecosystems" aren't as large as those of ThinkPads, i.e. no Wikis and such, the hardware manuals are available and of the same quality/usefulness. I think there is a certain inertness in perception of available choices, quality-wise. While ThinkPads were great for a time, that Nimbus should have faded by now, but it mostly didn't, although it makes no sense. The really good ones are so old by now, that they are almost useless, except for terminal use. The newer ones are only so, so, and the really good ones make no sense economically imo. Then there are the mentioned alternatives. But it depends on
geographic availability, time, i.e. when a large batch of refurbs enters the market, and so on. It has something of looking for flotsam on the beach :-) Anyways, if you know hardware/what to do, then you can get great value with better options for periphery like docking stations, displays (ratio/resolution), simply more bang for the buck with about the same build quality as the ThinkPads of yore once had. Prime expamples are small adaptors from the µSata for the 1.8" HDD to something more modern, for under 10USD a piece.
Oh, and compressed air for really cleaning, new thermal grease or pads. If you do this more often you can save insane amounts of money by getting a small compressor instead buying canned air. Just saying... |