Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50?

baggytheo · 07-19-2007, 02:59 PM

I'm looking into buying a laptop for school in the fall and just for having the utility of a laptop. I have got about $400 to spend.

Should I go with this:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0260670

-Or-

This:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PANASONIC-TOUGHB...QQcmdZViewItem

Regular brand name laptops, especially for brands like Acer, seem to have higher failure rates than I am comfortable with. The retired business toughbook would probably be much less likely to fail, and is supposedly liquid spray resistant and particle resistant from all angles. Their specs seem pretty comparable, perhaps with the toughbook a bit ahead everywhere but mobile graphics.

I would have to be worried about the performance of the battery in the used toughbook, because it is been used and there is no guarantee offered on the battery. The Acer's listed average battery life seems problematic even out of the gate, though, at only 1.2 hrs. There is no extended-life battery or battery pack available for the Acer, and if I wanted to get a second for swap-outs, it would be over $100 extra.

The toughbook is pretty much guaranteed to be banged up on the outside according to the ebay listing. The Acer is very sleak, compact, has a very nice looking widescreen display and will cost about $50 less when all is said and done (at standard options). I could also probably return the Acer for at least store credit within a certain window if I was unsatified; the toughbook is sold as-is with 30 days to return in event of hardware failure or DOA.

The Acer comes with Windows Vista Home Basic--not that I would want to use it any time soon. Given that I get an install disc or at least a serial for Vista HB, I would probably wipe the drive and run XP, giving me a genuine copy of Vista Home Basic to use on my gaming desktop for whenver DX10 becomes the standard for games (if Home Basic even has the features necessary for DX10 gaming that is...), which would be a big plus for me.

baggytheo · 07-20-2007, 07:00 AM

A new challenger appears!

http://www.officedepot.com/adRedir.d...redirect=false

It also comes with Vista HB, although it only enters the range of affordability after a $150 mail-in. Review on it:
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/tosh...-32327256.html

**Terrister** · 07-20-2007, 08:39 AM

That looks like a good deal.

The problem with buying a used laptop is the batteries are normally the 1st thing to go. Most are costly to replace.

My Acer battery last around 2 hours. It will not last as long with Vista as it will with XP. They are working to fix this.

baggytheo · 07-20-2007, 10:42 AM

What Acer model/line do you have?

Would using CPUidle or something like it help to increase battery efficiency at all?

**Terrister** · 07-20-2007, 10:48 AM

I have the Aspire 5050. Yes using something to throttle the CPU will help a lot. Also dimming the screen when on battery. Also turning off bluetooth and wifi can help.

For now, your battery life will be much better running XP.

07-19-2007, 02:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
baggytheo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 80 OS: Windows XP Pro	Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50? I'm looking into buying a laptop for school in the fall and just for having the utility of a laptop. I have got about $400 to spend. Should I go with this: http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0260670 -Or- This: http://cgi.ebay.com/PANASONIC-TOUGHB...QQcmdZViewItem Regular brand name laptops, especially for brands like Acer, seem to have higher failure rates than I am comfortable with. The retired business toughbook would probably be much less likely to fail, and is supposedly liquid spray resistant and particle resistant from all angles. Their specs seem pretty comparable, perhaps with the toughbook a bit ahead everywhere but mobile graphics. I would have to be worried about the performance of the battery in the used toughbook, because it is been used and there is no guarantee offered on the battery. The Acer's listed average battery life seems problematic even out of the gate, though, at only 1.2 hrs. There is no extended-life battery or battery pack available for the Acer, and if I wanted to get a second for swap-outs, it would be over $100 extra. The toughbook is pretty much guaranteed to be banged up on the outside according to the ebay listing. The Acer is very sleak, compact, has a very nice looking widescreen display and will cost about $50 less when all is said and done (at standard options). I could also probably return the Acer for at least store credit within a certain window if I was unsatified; the toughbook is sold as-is with 30 days to return in event of hardware failure or DOA. The Acer comes with Windows Vista Home Basic--not that I would want to use it any time soon. Given that I get an install disc or at least a serial for Vista HB, I would probably wipe the drive and run XP, giving me a genuine copy of Vista Home Basic to use on my gaming desktop for whenver DX10 becomes the standard for games (if Home Basic even has the features necessary for DX10 gaming that is...), which would be a big plus for me.

07-20-2007, 07:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
baggytheo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 80 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50? A new challenger appears! http://www.officedepot.com/adRedir.d...redirect=false It also comes with Vista HB, although it only enters the range of affordability after a $150 mail-in. Review on it: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/tosh...-32327256.html

07-20-2007, 08:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,081 OS: Xp	Re: Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50? That looks like a good deal. The problem with buying a used laptop is the batteries are normally the 1st thing to go. Most are costly to replace. My Acer battery last around 2 hours. It will not last as long with Vista as it will with XP. They are working to fix this. __________________

07-20-2007, 10:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
baggytheo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 80 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50? What Acer model/line do you have? Would using CPUidle or something like it help to increase battery efficiency at all?

07-20-2007, 10:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,081 OS: Xp	Re: Getting $400 worth of laptop: Aspire 3680-2682, or retired toughbook CF-50? I have the Aspire 5050. Yes using something to throttle the CPU will help a lot. Also dimming the screen when on battery. Also turning off bluetooth and wifi can help. For now, your battery life will be much better running XP. __________________