my old notebook died last week and i am looking to get a new one- i was hoping to get the fujitsu lifebook 6410, but when i received the quote from our supplier it was close to $3000, it will easier to get approval from my boss if it was closer to $2000, our computer supplier carries fujitsu and lg. does anyone have any recomendations for me, i basically use for email and excel, looking for the biggest and best screen i can get for this budget, i would appreciate any help as our supplier always tries to recommend the most expensive unit and i dont want give my boss the quote sheet for $3000 plus taxes plus the warantee, any recomendations
thanks, chris

Lenovo ThinkPad T60 + Docking Station gets my vote for business use. My next choice would likely be an HP/Compaq.

$2,000 for a notebook to do email and excel is wasting money. Anyone at that price will meet your needs.

Futureshop has a 17" HP Pavilion for around $1200-1300. If you go down to 15.4" screen sizes you can get one for less than $1k (Acer, HP, Gateway, etc.). I agree with Hugh that $2000 is overkill for surfing and spreadsheet use.

I also agree that for the typical user, a $1000 lapper is plenty of computer. The only reason a person should be approaching $2K for a laptop would be to "go small", as in a truly "carry with you anywhere anytime" computer (4 lbs. or less) vs. the "desktop computer that I happen to be able to move" (those 8lb. behemoths).

thanks for the comments, my budget from work is about $2000 so i want to get as many features as i can for this price - i hope to start playing some games, and looking to connect to my plasma as an pvr if that is possible
i went to best buy today , they have a nice 17" hp for $1400, funny how the 17" fujitsu i was quoted was double this. i need to purchase through our supplier and right now i searching for a 17" lg - they must have a unit in my price range
thanks for the help,

I too would go for the Thinkpad T60.
ThinkPad T60 (5BU)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200 (2.0GHz)
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition
• 120GB Hard drive
• 1GB memory
• CD/DVD Burner(DVD+/-RW)
• 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) TFT
• 128MB ATI Radeon X1400
• Gigabit Ethernet & Modem with Bluetooth
• Wireless 802.11n
• 6 Cell Li-Ion Battery
• Fingerprint Reader
• 3-Year International Warranty

Can be found for $1700 Directly from Lenovo if you use a VISA card. Top notch reliable laptop for business.

I work as an IT consultant, as such I'm very mobile.. The ThinkPad T60 is really the best laptop for business use on the market. Over the past 10 years I've been provided with Toshiba, Compaq, HP, Dell and other laptops, and the ThinkPad is heads above any laptop I've ever used.

On the other hand for home use or gaming the ThinkPad would not be anywhere near my first choice.

I have to second (or third) the thoughts on the Thinkpad....I started with a T20, then T21, T23, and now on a T41p....just love the light weight, thin form factor, the high-res display (1450x1050), the eraser-head pointer (can't stand trackpads). Picked this up a little over a year ago, off-lease (over $4000 new, IIRC) for $1000.

i just received my new notebook from work today, i had requested the fujistu 6410 but ended up getting the 6420, it has a hd-dvd which looks pretty good except the screen is too small, i want to connect this to my 42" lg plasma, but the notebook does not have a dvi, i m trying to connect to my plasma by vga but cant seem to get anything to appear on the lg except the computer background - not sure what i am doing wrong ? is there a better way to connect it - i noticed a vga to component cable but i wasn't sure if this would work better, any help would be appreciated
thanks,

That is a hell of laptop!
If you see the picture on your laptop screen (i.e. player is working),
you can try what is described here (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=52795) or the sticky (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=54306) in the HTPC section.

Diogen.

thanks for the info - i will try it tonight, i think i will also buy the svga to component cable as well and give that i try - i will update with my results in case anyone else is in the same boat.
it is a shame it doesn't have a dvi output, the laptop cost about the same as my whole h/t did and the hd-dvd is all but wasted on the 17" screen
thanks, chris

I agree that IBM laptop's are at the top of the heap but i would suggest you look at Eurocom.com, i read something about linking and hope this is not considered linking