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Posted: 7/24/2017 2:35:47 PM EDT
Hey, gang!  I am a network admin for a small regional ISP.  My work laptop is starting to behave erratically and is due for replacement.  I am hoping you can share your suggestions for a replacement.

Needs:
- Decent performance (i3-i5-class CPU)
- 8-16GB RAM
- SSD HDD, 256GB or more
- Light weight
- Ethernet port preferred
- Wifi (2.4 and 5GHz)
- multiple USB ports
- rugged
- good display

To explain further, I use my work laptop both at my desk for testing and frequently in the field to log into serial ports on devices via a USB to serial adapter.  I also use the laptop to test customer connections and the like.  My current laptop suffers from being rather too heavy when in the field and is showing signs of wear and tear.

Whatever I choose must have great battery life, be light in weight, and be able to handle light field use (e.g., testing connections in non climate controlled cabinets in the field or at a customer site).  No, it does not need to be Toughbook level tough, but it should be able to operate in FL heat for a bit and travel in a backpack style bag and get bumped around a bit.  Budget is < $2k.  Touch screen optional, but would be nice.  Tablet-style or convertibles would be acceptable as would traditional laptops.  NO LENOVO.  Mac or Windows OS okay.  So far, I have looked into the Surface Pro4 and MacBook Air, but both would require an ethernet adapter.  I own and use Mac and PC products, so I am proficient in using OS for my needs.

Your suggestions?  Thanks in advance for any help.
Link Posted: 7/24/2017 4:02:50 PM EDT
[#1]
I'd like to have a Surface Book for work. You can get a Dell Latitude 7280 in your price range. It has a built in ethernet port. Add an i5 CPU, 16GB RAM, and a 512gb M.2 NVMe drive and you're good to go. Their business class laptops are a nice magnesium alloy chassis.
Link Posted: 7/24/2017 9:11:28 PM EDT
[#2]
Lenovo T series or whatever the next one up is.

W series?
Link Posted: 7/24/2017 11:09:52 PM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Lenovo T series or whatever the next one up is.

W series?
View Quote
Thanks, but no Lenovo.
Link Posted: 7/24/2017 11:14:03 PM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



Thanks, but no Lenovo.
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Reason?
Link Posted: 7/25/2017 10:56:21 AM EDT
[#5]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



Thanks, but no Lenovo.
View Quote
Well that's too bad because the answer is ThinkPad T470.
Link Posted: 7/25/2017 2:44:05 PM EDT
[#6]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Reason?
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View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:



Thanks, but no Lenovo.
Reason?
Corporate policy.  No wiggle room on this one.
Link Posted: 7/25/2017 3:39:56 PM EDT
[#7]
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Quoted:


Corporate policy.  No wiggle room on this one.
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Job requires laptop ............. corporate makes sure you buy a shitty one.

Brilliant!
Link Posted: 7/25/2017 4:38:56 PM EDT
[#8]
I have had great luck with t class Lenovo's. I am in hardware service and I'm very hard on them.
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 2:23:09 PM EDT
[#9]
Yeah, I used to service them when they were made by a certain three-letter company, but Lenovo's are no go.

Any of you use the Surface Pro in the field?
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 2:53:10 PM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Lenovo T series or whatever the next one up is.

W series?
View Quote
Yeah, lots of Lenovo hate on the arfcom.  My Lenovo has been more reliable and stable than any laptop I have used, including Dell.  My brand new Acer has crashed 4 times so far and will probably have to go in for warranty replacement. 
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 2:54:27 PM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:


Reason?
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People are worried the chicoms built in a back door for stealing your 1 and 0 combinations.  I am not too worried about them seeing my porn browsing habits.  
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 3:15:40 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Yeah, lots of Lenovo hate on the arfcom.  My Lenovo has been more reliable and stable than any laptop I have used, including Dell.  My brand new Acer has crashed 4 times so far and will probably have to go in for warranty replacement. 
View Quote
I've been beating the shit out of my T-520 on a mostly 24/7 basis for six years now, and it needs a new keyboard, but that's all. (Windows 7 professional OS)
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 3:24:50 PM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

People are worried the chicoms built in a back door for stealing your 1 and 0 combinations.  I am not too worried about them seeing my porn browsing habits.  
View Quote
They are all made in china so what does it matter Lenovo is a chinese company?
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 3:50:42 PM EDT
[#14]
Does it need to be new?

I have a Lenovo W540 that has had zero issues and would work just fine. It's replacement is the "P" series and they look thinner, and I assume a bit lighter.

I am looking forward to when I get upgraded, likely early next year.
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 5:49:23 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Does it need to be new?

I have a Lenovo W540 that has had zero issues and would work just fine. It's replacement is the "P" series and they look thinner, and I assume a bit lighter.

I am looking forward to when I get upgraded, likely early next year.
View Quote
Yes, it needs to be new.  And, also, not a Lenovo.
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 6:10:33 PM EDT
[#16]
I'd look at the Dell Latitude 5000 series. Has a numpad keyboard, which is critical for an IT/support laptop IMO
Link Posted: 7/26/2017 7:59:26 PM EDT
[#17]
The only place my SP4 ever goes is to the joyful fedramp state/fed data centers I occasionally visit.  They are considered tablets and don't require the whole "take it out and take it apart" routine by security.

I could have sworn it had a low profile Ethernet port.  I've used it maybe 4 times this year so who knows.

I would not use it for anything more than purely happenstance work.  They are a little awkward and not a very sturdy beast overall.  I really never actually use a portable for any direct Equipment-interactive work, like consoling. So I can't say how it would hold up to field service tasking.  I'm only checking for compliance with architectural and policy-driven design requirements so it's pretty namby-pamby stuff.


Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Yeah, I used to service them when they were made by a certain three-letter company, but Lenovo's are no go.

Any of you use the Surface Pro in the field?
View Quote
Link Posted: 7/27/2017 9:15:27 AM EDT
[#18]
Link Posted: 8/9/2017 7:50:42 PM EDT
[#19]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Yeah, lots of Lenovo hate on the arfcom.  My Lenovo has been more reliable and stable than any laptop I have used, including Dell.  My brand new Acer has crashed 4 times so far and will probably have to go in for warranty replacement. 
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Lenovo T series or whatever the next one up is.

W series?
Yeah, lots of Lenovo hate on the arfcom.  My Lenovo has been more reliable and stable than any laptop I have used, including Dell.  My brand new Acer has crashed 4 times so far and will probably have to go in for warranty replacement. 
We get new laptops every 3 years. Our choices are Lenovo or Apple. I'm on my 5th or 6th IBM/Lenovo/Thinkpad. Only one that ever gave me issues was one that I had closed and placed on a step stool. I was trying to trace a fiber in an IDF, and stepped up on the stool/laptop. I put all my weight on the laptop before I realized what I did. It was never right after that.

Lenovo has or had some stuff baked in that is concerning to some companies. I can see why an infrastructure company would be cautious. I haven't really kept up with it. I have enough other stuff on my plate.

I've bought my kids and wife off lease HP Elitebooks from Tigerdirect. No real issues with them. I'm running an offlease HP Latitude for myself. Wife and kids are rough on things.
Link Posted: 8/10/2017 10:28:05 PM EDT
[#20]
I'm getting a new laptop at work. It's a HP Elitebook 850 G4. Spec'd with an i7, 256GB SSD (really wish this were at least 500...gonna have a hell of a time downgrading from two spinning drives); 16GB RAM (planning on bumping to 32).

I used to code but I'm a development manager now. I don't need a super hot laptop but I'm on a modernization project and have to start playing with a lot of new toys, er, tools. 
Link Posted: 8/20/2017 10:38:30 PM EDT
[#21]
My new work laptop is a Dell Precision 5520.  Quad core i7, 32GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD.  It runs pretty nice.  The XPS series are also good and I like the HP Elitebooks.
Link Posted: 8/23/2017 2:32:22 PM EDT
[#22]
You can't have my preference (also the T series) so...

Forget the i3 - go with an i5. The battery hit of i7 is not worth it, and the i3 is for people who check webmail then go to their next task of... checking webmail.

I've heard good things about some of the newer HP Elitebooks. At least one is supposed to be fairly rugged. 

I stopped getting Lattitudes, as the cases seem cheesy and they stopped doing proper docks. 

If you have heavy budget pressure, some friends like their higher end Asus laptops. 
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