nc8430 VS. Compal hel80???

I know this is a biased place to ask this (I will xthread this same question in the Compal section), but am stuck on which one to get. Price does play a serious factor here and am wondering if the hp is worth the extra cost over the compal? Thanks for any type of opinions.

 

unless you demand docking, a poinstick, and modular bay capabilities, then no it's not worth the extra money. these laptops are pretty evenly matched and that huge of a price difference can't be justified by the slight advantages the nc8430 may have. in some peoples' opinions, the HEL80 may have the advantages with the built in webcam and tv-tuner. it is personal preference which features you want, but IMO the HEL80 is a better buy.

 

I agree with Steve. Unless you are a business user in need of all of those extra options, then the Hel80 is the better buy. I prefer the looks of the nc8430, but that doesnt matter to most people, and the Hel80 isnt ugly to begin with. So save yourself a few bucks and get the Hel80 IMO.

 

well, durability is definitely on the side of the hp nc8430. magnesium alloy casing, hd shock protection, and spill resistant keyboard. the hel80 on the other hand is more media oriented so has the webcam and tv tuner as previously mentioned.

 

also, if your a student or business user and do a lot of typing, the matte screen is definitly easier on the eyes. Also, remember you're paying for the 3 year warrenty as well, which is worth around $300 if bought from a store, and you cant buy the HEL80 in a store. With a notebook worth that much, its almost definitly going to break more than once over 3 years.

 

I'm personally going for the nc8430 among the same options (and the z96j, which is similar) - maybe my ruminations could be useful to you:
- I'm buying it for grad school and gaming (if I have time...), and I want it to last some time (3 years+), so the higher durability and the long warranty are useful.
- I'll be carrying it around in my backpack pretty often, so being a pound lighter and a third of an inch (on average) slimmer is useful. (As is the added sturdiness!)
- The docking bay is very convenient for using it at work and at home.
- I prefer pointing sticks, which aren't present on the Asus or Compal.
- I'd rather have my Ctrl button in the right place (Asus and Compal swap it with the Fn button .. minor nitpick, but annoying nonetheless)
- I just think it looks way better.

Note: In the interests of future-proofing (and running 64-bit linux), I'm holding out for the Core2Duo version of the nc8430. I'm looking at buying the T7200, 1GB RAM, 100GB HDD smart-buy version ( I think it was RB554UT ), which lists for $1799 on the HP site, and I've seen for as low as $1700 with free shipping, which isn't that much more expensive than an equivalent hel-80 would be. Now if they'd only start shipping them!

 

Thanks for the great input.

One of the attraction to the nc8430 is its durability. I have kids who will also be using this laptop and therefor want to buy something that is going to take their abuse. I did not know it had a spill proof keyboard. That's another +.

As for warranty, if I buy the compal through Powernotebooks it seems like it will come with a 3 year warranty as well.

Where I get stuck is of course the price, but HP website has some refurbished nc8430 models that come pretty close to the price of the compal.

Yet the most sticky point is that I would have to settle for the WXGA screen on the HP, while I could afford the WSXGA + on the Compal. Does anyone know if there is a big difference between these two screens? Thanks

 

Just as a suggestion, you many want to get a pre-configured model. See my sig for the model number and specs. Although its not lised, I have the WSXGA screen and bought mine at Buy.com for $1600 which was the 3rd cheapest listed on PriceGrabber.

 

Thanks Luar,

Price catch for me is that I was really trying to stay in the 1450 max. I did see the nc8430 at buy.com as a basic model for $1390. It has 500mg ram but that I can always upgrade later so no issue there. It comes back down to the screen though. I am wondering if any retailers cary this model so that I can walk in and actually compare the screen.

Does any know if the screens used on the nc8430 are used on hp models found in best buy/staples/circuit city/ etc....??????

Thanks

 

I do not think you will find this model at a retail store. I also have read on this forum that the nc8430 are made at the same factories as the consumer laptops are made so there has to be some kind of sharing of the parts bin.

My biggest suggestion is this: look for someone on this forum who has the nc6400 which would have this type of screen but in 14.1". Here is a recent review:

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3110