Consumer Line with the Best Build Quality

Several threads exist on NBR with notebooks and their build quality. However, this one is different since it deals specifically with four consumer lines from four major manufacturers.

From your experiences and what you've heard from others, which of the above four consumer lines do you think has the best build quality?

 

What happened to Asus?!!

 

I figured I would leave out certain manufacturers; Asus being one; as they would make the poll too one-sided

 

I figured the term "consumer line" narrowed the poll down to the brands that any average person would think to buy.

 

Satellites are pretty nice

 

Only 4 choices... I'm not voting.

 

Some of you seem to have problem with the number of choices. The notebooks I have in the poll are the ones that are the most popular amongst consumers.

Like I said before, putting brands series like the IBM Thinkpad, Panasonic Toughbook etc., would make the poll biased towards others. I think those notebooks already in the poll are a fair comparison.

 

HP for me if I had to choose one of those 4. The 2 companies in my book earns high points on Build quality on would be Sager and ASUS. Sager build quality is top notch if you have the cash to throw down on 1 of them.

HP gets my vote for this kind of post becasue, I owned several of them and one that lasted me over 6 years. Tobshibas look nice but some of the quality on some of their models are not so great.

that's my 2 cents

 

I vote Asus, the others just don't compare now that I have one. I laugh when I pick up other peoples notebooks because they creek and such. Asus all the way.

 

Why HP? The build quality is OK but they without fail have all manner of faulty internal components - at least in my experience, and I've owned 4 HP computers, with every single one having needed one or more repairs within the first 6 months (and three arriving at my door with something that doesn't work - usually optical drives). Fine if you need power on a budget - especially if you're an AMD fan and/or don't like Dell (and don't mind being without your machine for a month or two in the first year of ownership while it undergoes warranty repairs) - but if you can afford something well built that uses quality internals like an ASUS or Fujitsu, or you don't hate Dell for some reason, then stay away. Far, far away.

 

All of those ones listed have some major build issues IMO... its very hard to find a well built notebook from any of those manufacturers.

For example, just about every Toshiba A100 I've seen (I work in an electronics store) has had a "warp" or lump on the back left of the screen. HPs, depending on the model, have all sorts of uneven hinges, uneven dvd doors, creaky chassis, unusually flexy keyboards, etc.

Acer it is hard to find one where the crack between the lcd and the computer is completely even from one side to the other. Its hard to find ANY consumer notebook where the crack between the hinges and lcd are even on both sides. Hell, I've even seen super expensive Qosimos with uneven hinges.

And Dell... well, I don't even have to get started on their consumer line...

I like the Toshibas the most of what is listed... but IMO they've all let their build quality slip way below acceptable levels... 5 years ago a Toshiba Satellite would be able to stop a bullet without any serious issues... these days you are lucky if you get one that is built properly right out of the box.

I'll admit, I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to "cosmetic" things like even cracks and hinges or warped plastic, but IMO even a "cheap" $1000 notebook should have SOME quality control on the production line... If it is barely acceptable when it is fresh out of the box I can only have nightmares over how well some of these consumer notebooks will look after 2 or 3 years of use.

It seems like the only way to get a well built quality machine these days is to get some super expensive consumer notebook (ie Sony) or a business machine (IBM, HP/Compaq, Tecra, etc).

BTW: I will say in HP's defense that I've seen the dv2000 up close and it seems VERY well built for what it is... the new type of glossy plastic they are using seems very hard and durable, the hinge design is top notch, the keyboard is as good or better than any competitors, and its a good price. Kudos to HP, if they revamp their whole lineup I think they will be the winners.

 

My toshiba is flexible O_O.

 

Sager, Fujitsu, Asus and Panasonic belong in a category by themselves - that is why I didn't include those in the poll. So people please don't say you vote, for eg. Asus; because there is no Asus in the poll!!!

Maybe in the future I will create a poll with models from Asus, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Sager and Panasonic to see which one will you vote for.

 

I think each of the manufactures you choose for this poll all have issues with build quality. Some lines from each manufacture produce are acceptable, while other lines are not (Business vs Home). Personally I think if you choose any of the four you have in the poll, you'd have similar problems build quality wise. As far as one brand being better than the other, for me it's a toss-up.

 

Thank you for your input, ChangFest.

Whether or not there are build problems with the winner, it does not matter since the purpose of the poll is to determine which model, out of the four given, users think has best build quality.

 

They all suck... Isn't this like asking , which is the better-built disposable razor?

 

Inspiron and Satellite lines share the same number of votes !!! Interesting.

 

I have heard that IBM thinkpads are rock solid, but Ive never been a fan. All four choices are equal in quality in my book. I have owned hp and acer and we have a 17in toshiba at work and I have used numerous dells. All about the same to me.

 

Sorry, I can not vote since I have not used any of these brands. But I believe “You get what you pay for!!”

 

I and a business partner used an HP Pavillion DV1000 before and within the year, we needed to have it serviced several times for dead LCD, casing replacement, card reader failure, etc. In additional, the keyboard surface area scratched easily, screen latch too soft, and it looked like it will not last another 2-3 years.

Overall, while the DV1000 was priced well and looked nice, quality was surely lacking.

 

HP Pavilion help me out alot of times but im just a noob