asus s5200n or ibm x31? advice pls

hi, i'm currently deciding between the two. the ibm x31 package is about 40US dollars more expensive so it doesnt matter. the thing that i dont like is its lower speed, the external drive needs an outlet to use, and slower ram. the asus is faster and all that, but i'm worried about its durability PLUS the drive doesnt need an outlet to use with its special connector to the notebook. the battery life of the ibm is a plus and the bulletproof quality, the aesthetics (keyboard), the light and warranty.

so i need some opinions and advice on which would probably be a better buy. i'd use the notebook for dreamweaver (web designing), surfing, photoshop, application development. no games really. some videos probably. i don't really develop/work while travelling.

some questions too:
-how is the performance of the wireless mouse of the s5200n?
-the durability of the asus (hinges, clasps)?

the asus s5200n has the ff specs:

1.5 centrino banias
512MB 333 ddrRAM
40GB
wifi
wireless mouse
carrying bag
external combo drive (asus)
2 yrs limited international warranty

while the ibm x31 has:

1.3 centrino banias
512MB 266 ddrRAM
30GB
wifi
IR
mouse
bag
external combo drive (same as the asus, seperately sold)
3 yrs warranty

 

I have not used of either of these lappies, but I'm a sucker for good looks and speed. Thus I say the ASUS. But it depends on your purpose. While I would doubt that the ASUS will run into problems, the ibm is the better choice if quality/max uptime is your main concern. Me I like to make a statement with my geek gear, and I plan on upgrading every two years so longevity is not my primary concern.
As for battery life the higher capacity batteries are turning up at a few places now in the US, check some of the other posts for links to retailers. This will give you much better battery life on your ASUS, which may help even the playing field between the two.
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hi Underpantman, thanks for the reply! one point for the asus! anyone else? [ ]

 

I think you may notice it that IBM parts are very expensive but widely available. One good example is the new 802.11g mini-pci wireless card, which you have to get the IBM brand to have it work in Thinkpads, the Intel brand will not work(unless you hacked it). Although Asus parts are generally standard laptop parts(CPU, RAM, Harddisk, Mini-PCI Wireless), some not so common parts are hard to find from most dealerships.

Some other important features to look for is the keyboard and pointing device: IBM keyboard is probably the best keyboard I ever typed, but the "trackpoint" pointing device is the opposite. Windows key is also lacking, but all numbers key are in full size. S5N however, got the Windows key and a nice big touchpad, but the arrow keys are cramped badly in the corner. There are pro's and con's in both. You can see their images here:
X31: http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.html?i=1809&p=2
S5N: http://www6.tomshardware.com/mobile/20040225/asus_s5200n-01.html

 

I'm also deciding between an IBM X31 or an Asus S5N.

Does anyone know what the covers of S5N are made of? Is it made of plastic top and down? Carbon fiber? Titanium? I couldn't find any information on this. Perhaps some of the owners can help.

Finally, are the metal hinges built well? Does it flex anywhere? I've seen laptops with cracked cases and I'm wondering if there are any stress points on the unit.

I believe the IBM X31 has titanium covers.

Thanks!