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buying notebook - name brand vs no-name

Forum Mobile Computing : General Mobile Computing - buying notebook - name brand vs no-name

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okietex   07-07-2003 at 06:21:30 AM

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with these "no-name" brands like <A HREF="http://www.powernotebooks.com/products.php3?display_size=15" target="_new">PowerNotebooks.com</A> and <A HREF="http://www.discountlaptops.com/" target="_new">DiscountLaptop.com</A> sell ... like the SAGER but more relevant would be the COMPAL and QUANTA notebooks that I'm interested in.

Mainly, I'm looking at a very mobile unit that is lightweight and leaning towards a Pentium M based Centrino model. These two are the prime canidates right now - <A HREF="http://www.powernotebooks.com/specs/PowerPro/c3-16.php" target="_new">PowerPro C 3:16</A> and then this one <A HREF="http://www.powernotebooks.com/ppm516specs.php" target="_new">PowerPro M 5:16</A>.

If comparing apples to apples (or as close as I can get to it), a DELL D800 for example comes up to around $2400-$2500 whereas either of these models come in around the $1800-$1900 range. (and then a D600 Lat comes in around $2200 comparing a 14" vs a 15" and video ram might not be as much). Yes, the apples/apples comparison might be off some b/c of memory capability, video resolution or SXGA+ vs WXGA etc... I haven't gotten down to all the details yet but wanting some opinions. So, if you throw in sales tax (as some savings??), then you have quite a bit of money on the table vs the PowerPro notebooks.

Anyone had experience with either the COMPAL / QUANTA notebooks? They say that these boxes are other ones out there in name brand skins like DELL, HP/Compaq, SONY, IBM etc...

And, any experience with the PowerNotebooks people - their resellerratings get good points??

Thanks. -ot

IC7-G 1.3| P4 2.8 800 | SLK900-U / 92mm Fan (AS3) | 2x512mb Corsair PC3500C2 | 2x120gb SG SATA RAID 0 | 2x120gb WD RAID 1 | CM ATC201B-SXT | 520W | Radeon 9800 Pro | Audigy2

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RaPTuRe   07-07-2003 at 11:53:39 PM
- 0 +

I haven't had any previous experience with those notebooks/manufacturers that you mentioned (aside from Sager - yck), but it might interest you to know that you were right about the "skins": Quanta(/Compal) design the notebook chassis for Dell. In fact, that C 3:16 is an almost identical chassis to that used for the Dell D600 series notebook (albeit with a few modifications/differences). It certainly seems like a very good notebook.

But as for advice in the area that you are looking, I can't really give you any. Hopefully someone else has had experience with these products,

RaPTuRe

Who's General Failure and why's he reading my disk?

Reply to RaPTuRe
okietex   07-08-2003 at 12:30:41 AM
- 0 +

Thanks Rapture ... I thought you might answer me b/c you seem to be here quite a bit. I think I've seen you over on the mobo area as well.

well, just aside from resellerratings, it's dang hard to find any info on these guys. From a "user" perspective anyway.

So, I ordered the 3:16 today ... maybe we can give feedback later and let others know.

It looks like a nice system so I'm hopeful it will be as nice as I think it will be!! ;)

Thanks - peace out!! -ot

IC7-G 1.3| P4 2.8 800 | SLK900-U / 92mm Fan (AS3) | 2x512mb Corsair PC3500C2 | 2x120gb SG SATA RAID 0 | 2x120gb WD RAID 1 | CM ATC201B-SXT | 520W | Radeon 9800 Pro | Audigy2

Reply to okietex
RaPTuRe   07-08-2003 at 09:28:01 PM
- 0 +

hehe notebooks are my forte! lol, and the notebook forums aren't clogged with flamers and half-wits.

Good choice, I would've gone with the C3:16 rather than the M5... You'll give us benchmarks and all that when you get it right?

RaPTuRe

Who's General Failure and why's he reading my disk?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Rapture on 07/08/03 03:33 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Reply to RaPTuRe
okietex   07-08-2003 at 10:23:31 PM
- 0 +

Well, we'll see ... it's actually a notebook for my brother-in-law. So, maybe I can install Sandra on it and do some quick benches and he'll never know!!

I'll update though on how it looks and performs ... very excited about it as I might get one myself.

I have a STUPID KDS laptop that I bought about 2.5 yrs ago -- it was about $500 cheaper than anything else that compared to it but I would never buy one of those again. It works ... but just plain sucks in my opinion. Gets SUPER hot, battery life was none just after using it for a few weeks. Very poor company I think too b/c of the customer support - wasn't happy with them. anyway ... end the /rant/ now!!

-ot

IC7-G 1.3| P4 2.8 800 | SLK900-U / 92mm Fan (AS3) | 2x512mb Corsair PC3500C2 | 2x120gb SG SATA RAID 0 | 2x120gb WD RAID 1 | CM ATC201B-SXT | 520W | Radeon 9800 Pro | Audigy2

Reply to okietex
Howard   07-11-2003 at 01:15:14 AM
- 0 +

I never had a brand on a desktop, aside from an old HP that someone gave us. But for laptops, unlike desktops, whne something goes wrong, it is very hard to fix it yourself because every part inside the computer (aside for the harddrive and memory) is not standardized. If something goes wrong, it is harder to get a hold of a smaller company and there is a great chance that it won't be around tomorrow. Sure... save 500 bucks now, but you'd end up buying a new notebook when something goes wrong with it, when if you have a name brand, you could get it fixed. I went with a Dell and I had great luck with it.

Reply to Howard
okietex   07-11-2003 at 04:58:35 AM
- 0 +

hey howard,
I know what you mean. I've done both on desktops and have just had one laptop so far in which i did the "smaller" company (ie, KDS).

However, I feel like this PowerNotebook group (which sells the makers of the DELLS/HPs/ETC... version under a different name) is not such a bad risk. Sure, anything can go wrong ... but I'm banking on it now.

Again, I'm basing this on good reports from people who do have some sort of track record so it's not in blindly which is what I did on that KDS laptop.

We'll see... time will tell!!

Thanks -ot

IC7-G 1.3| P4 2.8 800 | SLK900-U / 92mm Fan (AS3) | 2x512mb Corsair PC3500C2 | 2x120gb SG SATA RAID 0 | 2x120gb WD RAID 1 | CM ATC201B-SXT | 520W | Radeon 9800 Pro | Audigy2

Reply to okietex
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