I've had ThinkPads (IBM now Lenovo) for years and they are built like tanks.

I just retired the ThinkPad I use on stage. It bounces on the keyboard stand, goes back and forth in the mini van (hot to cold back to hot and back to cold), and runs for hours at a time. It worked on a Cruise ship for a summer with notoriously poor AC power (brown outs, spikes - I do use a line conditioner). I also had a weekly gig outdoors in a marina at a salt water lagoon for 2 years. I put the ThinkPad into service in 2002 and it is still working.

I've had these problems (1) hard drive started to make noise so I replaced it a few years ago - don't know if it was ready to quit or not, but better safe than sorry (2) CMOS battery died about a year ago (less than $5 to replace). (3) Now the screen is starting to get a few lines in it when I move it on the hinge. By rocking the screen a bit, the lines go away. The computer repair man say it's probably the contacts and it's not worth it to fix - I guess I've just worn out the plating. It still works just fine, but I have another old ThinkPad doing nothing so I'll bring it instead.

8 years for a laptop that gets abusive treatment is a darn good record.

I can't say enough good things about them.

I think they are built much better than the HPs, which get poor reviews for reliability in PC World magazine.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Last edited by Notes Norton; 08/16/10 11:09 AM.
Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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