My IBM ThinkPad 760e is ancient. I’ve had it at least five years. It runs Win95 on a 3Gb hard drive. No network port. No USB. No CD. Even so, I’m very pleased with it. In the past, I’ve generally been very pleased with IBM’s service and tech/warranty support. I say “in the past” because it’s been about three years since I’ve dealt with them.
My desktop is a Dell machine purchased a year ago. It’s my second Dell desktop. I’m very pleased with it. And have been very pleased with Dell’s tech support.
I really should get a new notebook. I’m torn between an entry-level Dell and an entry-level ThinkPad. (I’m very partial to ThinkPad because of the TrackPoint keyboard. I’m partial to Dell because of the price difference.)
What do you advise?
I used to have a 760XL! I loved it, great little laptop. And when it came time to upgrade, it was a no-brainer to go with another Thinkpad (an A31).
I’ve taken this thing (actually, both of them) all over the country, and it’s bulletproof. The hard drive did go bad on me after a while, but that was an easy and relatively inexpensive fix. I love the way its built, the features, and the TrackPoint too. I’ll surprise myself if my next ‘top isn’t a Thinkpad!
Definitely the Lenovo Thinkpad. Even though the company is now based out of China, they still have the biggest, baddest computers, with the best quality components. On the other hand, all Dell computers are made in China, and all the components. They are very cheaply made, and although the price is cheap too, it’s not worth it in the long run.