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7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"Get this for work, not play"
Pros: Keyboard, size, battery life, security, durability
Cons: Slow, extras cost
Summary: If you're looking for the best ultralight for work, this is it. The keyboard is simply unbelievable, and all the security/damage protection features are great.
But if you're looking for a foo-foo machine for play and all kinds of bells and whistles, then drift towards Sonys, Compaqs, Dells and Fujitsus.
I looked at several machines before getting this, and I have no regrets. To me, first and foremost, I ask, "Can I live with this machine?" Day in and day out I'm going to be pounding on the keyboard fast and hard. I type 120+ wpm, and I type hard. To type on this thing is poetry; it's simply unbelievable how "perfect" it is. But IBM has always had the best keyboards, going all the back to their IBM Selectrics (on what's called a "typewriter" for those of you born in the last 30 years). I've already gone through keyboards on my Sony and Toshiba; and have no doubt Compaqs and Dells would fare even worse.
The IBM hard drive is protected by what they say is like an airbag. I've gone through 2 hard drives on both my Sony and Toshiba, so know how critical this component is. Even cooler, they run a Linux system on it, so if your OS goes out (what, Windows crash?!!), you still have a good chance of retrieving your data. Trust me, this is very cool.
Finally, it's so small and light, you hardly know you have it. What a great feeling it is to just grab the thing, toss it into a briefcase or shoulder bag and hardly even know it's there. Thanks to a great magnesium case, you get the feeling you don't have to be overly ginger with it.
Are there downsides to this machine? You bet.
The hard drive is slower than sin. It takes awhile to load up, write to-and-from the disk, etc. I plan on upgrading the hard drive the moment a larger, faster one comes out. (Come on IBM, get on it!).
For what you pay, the peripherals are sparse. You'll have to spring extra for longer life batteries, CD/DVD reader or player, etc.
The screen is adequate at best. I noticed there is a brighter setting available when it's plugged in than when not. It'd be nice to be able to do a "boost" to it, even when on battery, especially when hanging out near a window in a coffeeshop on a bright day. Still, it's useable.
And you have to deal with IBM for everything. While there service is rated high, you can't just roll into Fry's or Costco and try it out. They say they give you a 30-day "no questions asked" guarantee. I love the machine, so I won't be doing that unless it busts on me, and I don't think that's going to happen.
Bottomline: If you're looking for a lightweight machine you NEED to work, and can take the rigors of the real world, there is no other choice. But if you're looking for a pretty, fragile, whiz-bangy machine you have to treat with TLC, then get yourself a Sony, Toshiba, Dell or (God forbid) an HP/Compaq. To quote that CA governor - those are "girrrlie mahn" machines.
The only other machine I'd even consider would be the Fujitsu 6130, but it simply doesn't have the keyboard or case strength of the IBM.
