New laptops

[chrbb]

Not even end of budget time! been asked to price up 12 laptops for classrooms. Anyone bought any recently around the £350 warranty mark?

I've looked at the

lenovo thinkpad E530

and

hp probook 4535

Any suggestions?

[FN-GM]

Lenovo thinkpads are robust (but ugly), i would go with them

[Millgate]

I'd say 80+% of my clients swear by the Probooks. Great machines. The B7B11EA is a popular one for that kind of money

[witch]

Tosh Sat Pro various flavours are very good

[crc-ict]

Thinkpad E530s have horrible touchpads - we have a lot of E520s and recently when we bought some more could only get E530s and we really dislike the touchpads. Other than that seem like solid machines. Not sure they have 3 year warranties as standard though, although I was recently impressed to discover the warranty on our E520s was onsite.

[chrbb]

We usually buy a HP care pack 3 year pick up and return with accidental damage. proved very useful.
Do toshiba and lenovo have a similiar warranty?

[Millgate]

Toshiba do a very good and very cheap warranty for EDU. Lenovos is a bit more pricey

[pete]

I'd go for the Probooks. We used to spec Thinkpads, but in the "classroom laptop" bracket the SL5** are rubbish compared to the R60/R61s. The power jacks held on with flimsy plastic clips have greatly increased my expenditure on Araldite.

That and their aftersales parts service are terrible. So terrible that it drives our finance dept into a rage whenever they have to contact them.

[Abaddon]

R60/61's weren't that great - constant issues with hinges snapping with no provocation, no other damage, just open lid and snap. Utter garbage. We just renewed our entire staff laptop fleet (200 machines), and went for HP Probooks (6465b's) - much better quality.

[glennda]

+ 1 for Lenovo - they are starting to look nicer and are rather robust. I have an Lenovo E420s do agree about the touchpad a little but nothing worse then a macbooks stupid touchpad!

[RTFM]

We only buy HP ProBook or the Toshiba's.

Toshiba upgraded 3 year warranty isnt particularly expensive but the ProBooks are rock solid from what experience we've had so far of them.

@Millgate usually supplies us with them at very good prices

[chrbb]

Right going for HP, but undecided between 655 or probooks. Anyone any experience of either?

[RTFM]

Right going for HP, but undecided between 655 or probooks. Anyone any experience of either?

We have a number of 625's and probooks and both have been reliable and solid laptops for us.

We bought 625's to be used as student laptops and we buy probooks for staff laptops. Neither have missed a beat

How the 655 compares to the 625 i can't say but if they are anything like the 625's i'm sure you'd be pleased with them if our experience is anything to go by.

[chrbb]

Yes we had the Intel equilalent the 620, but the 655 doesn't look as sturdy to me.

[Millgate]

Not sold many of the 655 but the Probooks are as safe as houses