Compal and Aesthetics

So why is Compal taking it on chin in because of aesthetics? Its not as flashy (or gaudy) as some computers, but its not ugly in my opinion. One poster said the IFL90 was "designed by drunk engineers". Isn't that alittle harsh? Does it look that much different than Lenovo and HP business class machines?

 

It's pretty ugly, plus the fact that they leave a hole in the top for resellers to put their logo in makes it look even worse, like a knock-off brand or something. They'd dominate the market if they knew how to make it more stylish.

 

I think it comes down to the market that it is in. Many gamers looking for a more affordable option than the G1S are taking a peek at the IFL90, and they are hoping to get the same look. I think if you took the HP business class and Lenovo crowd and had them look at it, you would hear different responses.

 

Knowing that the hole wont be there when I get it makes it a non factor to me. Also, in my opinion I think 'plain' would be a better term than 'ugly'. I dont see anything that makes it ugly at all.

 

The "drunken engineer" comment is from the Lenovo forum. He rated the Lenovo as "elegant" in comparison.

 

I like the business class look of the IFL90. The G1s on the other hand looks too flashy IMHO.
Tim

 

K, then I'm wrong To me, the looks werent terribly important anyway, plus the few people that have seen these in person have said the pictures dont do them justice, so I am trusting them...

 

The IFL90 and IFT00 are fine, they looks quite like the HP Compaq business line. Matte black, boxy, understated business class look.

It was the previous generation that looked as though it was designed by drunk engineers. The HEL80 was kinda controversial in my eyes, with some curves, chrome (looked tacky), and orange lines around the keyboard (weird, didn't gel with the rest of the design). It wasn't quite that bad, but not great. I certainly preferred the more understated design of the Asus S/Z96J. Personally, I thought it looked like someone had redone an old Toshiba Tecra with some chrome and orange paint. The HGL30 was just flat-out ugly. Teal paint on the top made it look just like a Toshiba M55, and the webcam protrusion was weird, plus on the inside it was bland, an expanse of cheap silver plastic, and the edge at the top of the LCD bezel was thick. Great specs and great price, ruined by a horrible design. I thought this one looked like someone tried to add a webcam to the Toshiba M55 and then painted the inside silver. Except, I didn't hate the M55 that much. The HGL30 was really boxy and stuff too, so I guess that contributed a bit to the ugliness. Meh, /end rant on why I didn't buy an HGL30. I was |_____| away until I actually saw the thing too.

 

I believe resellers are SUPPOSED to put their own logo, not just with them, but any other brand of whitebooks as well, whether it be Compal, MSI, uniwill, etc. Compal is not supposed to release notebooks under their "own name", which is why you see Powernotebooks and XoticPC using names like Powerpro xx model, Force xx model, etc.

 

I don't buy system's like the G1 because I don't like how they look. I prefer the plain functional styles that the compal's tend to have.

I think that people that like the hardware but want a "look" should check out the skin's, or custom painting. It would give you a nice touch of flash, as well as be alot more unique then a G1's looks since you can personalize it.

I almost didn't buy my HEL80 because I'm not a fan of the contrasting plastic and metal, so personally I'm glad for the "back to basics" look. Then again, I own a solid black 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado, because it looks like no other car on the road

 

Compal really gets a bad rap when it comes to looks. I personally like the look of the new IFL90. Simple and non-flashy. That's exactly why I would have chosen the V1Jp over the G1p a little while back. But they're both targeted at different buyers and I understand that.

And I can say that I was hesitant to order the HEL80 based on online pictures--I thought it would be ugly. But after owning it for a bit--the brushed aluminum really did make the look come together. Perhaps the copper-colored trim around the keyboard is a bit off...but it's not a deal-breaker. After all, I bought it to be a good notebook--not to be a fashion statement.

After having brushed aluminum though...it might be a little difficult for me to go to an all-plastic design for my next system. But for me it's always function over form unless the form is hideous--at least when it comes to notebooks.

 

/me opens a Duct-Tape mod club, just like the site's dedicated to duct-tape wallets and clothing etc..

 

I think another thing is, it's too thick. If it were way thinner it'd be drawing comparisons to the MBP.

I also don't like the palm rest area, or at least how the material looks.

 

along these same lines, can someone give me an idea of how thick/bulky the IFL90 is? According to the specs it shouldn't be much bigger than a G1 but that's probably not including the bigger battery. Can anyone who's seen it give me an idea?

 

If it were way thinner it wouldn't have Robson or an nv8600 though.

 

Well, about that drunk engineer comment

Anyway, I do think the Thinkpads look elegant. They're plain, they don't waste space, and there's not much nonsense on that chassis. There's definitely elegance in simplicity. Some people also prefer more squared corners. My taste in style is probably slightly skewed. I still think my old Thinkpad w/ titanium was the sleekest thing ever made...

That being said, it's not so much the texture and color or plainness of the IFL90 that bothers me--it's more the shape of the corners and the bezel. You could argue the V1 shares similarities in being dull, but I like the way it's rounded *much* better. And yes, thinner would've been a definite plus.

Perhaps I am being unfairly influenced by the HEL80...but..eh not even going to talk about the HEL80

That and, when I made that table, I figured it was obvious by the time I got to the end that the last row was pretty much my own opinion and not to be taken seriously
Shameless plug: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=2023166&postcount=50

 

i buy a compal for performance and price not how it looks.

 

Thats my thought too. But I don't find the IFL90 to be a bad looking machine at all.

 

well to be honest at first when I got my EL80 it wasn't all that pleasant to look at, but it grows on you.

I think the IFL family is REAL nice, I like the plain look very much, I believe the Thinkpads are just way up when it comes to looks.

The hp's arent too bad themselves either, well, but price/quality also does matter, so compal/ibm win in my world.