Myth of the "business class" notebook

Prior to buying my E6400 I really thought that there would be a tangible difference between a consumer grade laptop and a "business class" one. I was choosing between the E6400 and T400.

What I have found though, is that "business class" seems to mean just a matte finish, understated looks, and less bloatware. Compared to other laptops I've handled, my Latitude just feels a bit more grown up (no glossy finishes), but the overall quality doesn't feel that much better. The bezel still is pliable (you can lift it up and there are gaps that I could slide a dime into) around the edges of the screen (which is absent from a family member's Gateway consumer grade notebook), the keyboard might have a bit better action but the touchpad isn't that great. The best thing about a business class notebook is probably the pointer stick.

I dunno, it seems to me that I paid a premium for understated looks and a matte screen. Am I missing something here? Are the primary attributes in under the skin?

 

A dock? Hot-swap modular bay devices? Standard 3-year warranty?

Hell, I don't even think the ThinkPad has that that last one.

But you're probably right about the build quality. It's there, but I maintain that the durability of the D620/D630 is superior to that of most current-gen E-Series machines.

 

I'm looking forward to the unibody concept to become standard way of manufacturing notebooks in the upper segments. HP already did that with the Envy 15. I see chassis made up of multiple parts as one of the major disadvantages on the current market.

 

the Latitude chassis are actual metal, where as if you buy an Inspiron, the entire thing is plastic and just feels cheap.

 

This is one of the important differences which starts to matter after a year or two when the less sturdy notebooks start to crack up. There are some plastic bits on the E6400, but they tend to be non-structural.

John

 

Still, I think the major benefit of my business notebook is the 3 years of on-site support. Priceless.

But that's of course with Dell. With Lenovo it's an extra, so not all business laptops are covered like that.

 

The HP Envy's chassis is not Unibody, though the Envy's external design does its best to make it seem that way.

Apple's Unibody chassis design is indeed sturdy, but it does come with a series of drawbacks as well.

 

Hmmm, the 3yr onsite was an extra. Maybe its that way for outlet buyers. I have 3yr depot.

 

Maybe you've just gotten a laptop on the lower end of the quality scale. On average, I do find a noticeable difference comparing business notebooks against consumer ones. There is always a range of course and some consumer notebooks have fairly good quality, while some business notebooks have relatively poor quality. Based on my experiences, I've found that the Latitude E is more durable than the Latitude D, while the Lenovo Tx00 is less durable than the T6x (which is less durable than the T4x).

 

big difference on a consumer laptop from a business laptop...
my y400 vs my t60 = durable, less prone to scratches, battery stamina is longer on my t60. t60 weighs even lighter

xps1330 vs e6400 = lighter, less heat, battery stamina is very much longer on my e6400 compared to my wife's xps1330