Would you still go for the Compal if you had a 2nd chance?

Since the Compal IFL 90 is out for some time now I am wondering if you would buy it again if you could choose also this model from IBM/Lenovo for example?


LENOVO T61P - €1,250 / $1,787
The lenovo has the folowing specs (fixed):
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7300
Base: nVIDIA Quadro FX 570M
Display: 15.4 WUXGA+ TFT (1900*1200)
Memory: 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory
Drives: 120 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
Opticals: DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim
Wireless: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (EMEA/LA)
Battery: 6 cell Li-Ion Battery
Pointing Devise UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
Bluetooth: Yes
Camera: No
Operating System: Microsoft XP Home
Warranty: 3 years onsite

COMPAL IFL90 - €1,436 / $2,092
Build To Order configuration:
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7500
Base: Nvidia 8600M GT - 512 Mb dedicated, DirectX 10
Display: 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT (1680*1050)
Memory: 4GB (2 x 2 gb) DDR2 667
Drives: 200 Gb SATA - 7200 Rpm, 16MB
Opticals: SLOT-IN 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer
Wireless: Intel 4965AG+n Wireless Lan 54 - 300 Mb/s
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery
Bluetooth: Yes
Camera: build in 2 megapixel Webcam
Operating System: Microsoft XP Home
Warranty: 2 years carry-in

Differences
Lenovo T61p (€1,250 / $1,787) is cheaper than the Compal FL90 (€1,463 / $2,092)
Lenovo has a `better` videocard and screen (nVIDIA Quadro FX 570M & WUXGA+).
COMPAL FL90 has 9 cell battery, bigger hdd, webcam, slot in DVD and wireless (200 Gb SATA, 7200 Rpm, 16MB).

Would you still go for the Compal or change to IBM/Lenovo if you got a 2nd chance..?

 

1. Compal has 4GB RAM
2. Compal has a better wireless card / bigger, faster HDD / and a dedicated gaming use video card (albeit not the best)
3. The Compal starts at around $1200 so I don't know where you're getting $2K from (I got around $1737 w/o rebate from Xotic using ur config)
4. "1900x1200" is not a "better" screen necessarily, since even a Quadro FX 570M won't be able to go that high (don't quote me on this tho)
5. The Compal WSXGA+ has been proven to be a beautiful screen; what's the word on the Lenovo screen?
6. Awesome customer service and support from Xotic / PNB / Eurocom; what's the word on Lenovos?

Finally: perfectly happy with my Sager NP2090. Great machine, but the real selling point was Xotic customer service. You can't put a value on that.

 

Thanks!
That's more less the Dutch selling price of the configuration mentioned above

 

I had a t61p it broke, now i have ifl90 so, if that helps you at all....

 

Wow(!) that's quick. Doesn't IBM/Lenovo stand for durability..?
And how does your Compal feel like now, comparing those two

 

Mine feels pretty darn solid. All the issues I've had with it have stemmed from bad Vista drivers. When I got those resolved, this machine flies.

 

If i buy one Ill put XP on it, like you said.

 

Um, well let me tell you the story (I have told it a million times on the forum, but if it helps someone out, I don't mind telling it again) So I got the T61p with vista preinstalled, I really didn't like Vista, after tweaking with it for a day I decided to install some games, CS Source, Halo, etc. Anyways, my computer would BSOD, freeze, or just hang for 30 seconds anytime the CPU or GPU was under a big load...So that kinda sucked... So I tried to install XP, which was a disaster as well. Then I called Lenovo, in India of course, and that was a nightmare, had to pay a restocking fee for getting a broken laptop. So I ordered my laptop from zip zoom fly last week. Put it together with a friend and his dad. And i am very happy with it after i got everything to work. Currently running XP. It is WAAY cooler than the T61p (both have 7200rpm hdd, but this one is cooler, the hitachi 72k00 or whatever...) and this one hasn't gave me any problems. I can play crysis on high settings which is wonderful. Good battery life, and I really am in love with the keyboard, touch pad is iffy, sound is great for a laptop. Webcam is really amazing.
Hope this helps, ask me any questions if you are still undecided, ill save you some trouble, get this laptop!
-TNK

P.S. I don't think anyone really cares, or already noticed, but even though my tag is theneighborrkid, i am 18 and just have used this as a name since i was 10 so i kinda like it that way...

 

Who voted NO? Why?

 

I've got an HEL80, not an IFL90, but I voted yes anyways.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience; good info there!

 

yeah, me too, the no voters, who are you? and why would you vote no? it'd be great to see some light off of the darkside of the compal, I have a EL80 and if it only had a slightly better (quieter) fan, and was lighter (hehe, it's a 15'4", but one could dream of a 1.2kg 15,4" eh), it'd be a dream machine.

it's sturdy, hard, quite the box I'd say.

ofcourse I could say I'm not fully happy but that could be a bit unjustified, reasons for that are that I have not really had many laptops before, and didn't know, at least as much as would now for example, after owning the el for almost a year, what I was getting into. the desktop replacement laptop is a nice invention (because that's how I use my el80) but for example now, I'd prolly just get a new desktop, and a 12'1" X31 or X41 from IBM... ;-) But that is in no way a reason to think compal's a bad machine - it's great, just my personal needs seem not to be filled in proper, or have changed since the time I bought the machine.

cheers

 

I demand that you step out from the shodows and reveal you identity you sneaky no voter!

 

I voted yes (proud np2090 owner), but if I have to buy right now I would probably wait for the new Asus F8SV...sexy thing.

 

NO Votes up to 5 now

 

Unless they post their reason, I find it hard to even consider them to be legitimate, especially after what has been stated in this thread.

 

Yeah, I'm starting to think it might just be Compal bashers in general. Fanbois... >_<

 

yes, 1 year old, looks and runs like new.