CF-28 to CF-30?

All -

I currently have a 1GHz CF-28 TS with an upgraded 100GB 7200 HD, DVD/ROM and GPS (that I can't seem to get to lock... ).

I am considering a replacement and have several questions.

1. Will the screen be significantly brighter? I don't know what the nit rating is on the 28's TS.
2. Will the performance be that much better on the 1.6 GHz box vice my 1.0 GHz M? (figured this out myself - YES!)
3. Will the CF-30 have a better GPS or does it have the same issues as the 28 and 29? I'd hate to outlay the cash for the new one for just a marginal performance upgrade.

Also, what do you think would be a fair price for a CF-28 with the upgrades above? It's memory is also maxed out, but I can't think of what it is right now.

Forgot to ask: Best place to buy a CF-30 new?

If anybody's wondering why - I live on a boat, this is my primary computer. I like to have the GPS as a backup to my main onboard systems.


Thanks!

 

I'm new to this forum but would like to give my opinion on the "Where to Buy" part of your question.

I recommend you look on the Portable One website. They sell Toughbooks for as good a price as anybody, but the customer service is what has me sold.

Shopping around and talking to the big distributors I found via Google, the big outlets don't seem to be setup to deal with the little guy buying a single machine.

Portable One answers email, answers the phone, are knowledgable, and in my limited dealing with them, just impress me as really nice guys.

I'm also putting my money where my mouth is and ordering my CF-30 from Portable One.

Good luck in your search.

 

I would think that once booted up that the CF-30 won't be that much faster that the 1Ghz. But I've only compared mine to the 1.2 and 1.3 models. I outfit mine the same as you have... With the 100GB, 7200rpm hard drive. The screen display will be brighter though. Maybe much brighter depending on what you have now and how worn out the backlight is.

I can't speak to the GPS on the CF-30. But I would think that a USB GPS or maybe even a bluetooth GPS would work even better than anything stock Panasonic has. IMHO...

As far as what you could get... It depends greatly upon condition, accessories and mods. Do you have internal wireless? Bluetooth? Both make a significant impact. If you just have a 1Ghz with GPS and an upgraded HD... You're in the neighborhood of $500 or so... Maybe more. If you have internal wireless and BT... even more.

What are you looking to get for it?

Have you thought about upgrading what you have? Just curious...

 

I have not upgraded the wireless side, as I don't use it at all. I could do it pretty inexpensively I suppose. The machine has VERY low use, esp. on the backlight - I remote desktop into the machine so it's always on in the past few months, but that doesn't use the screen. I suppose I could do the bluetooth GPS solution but I do like the single package approach. Then again I could then move the GPS topside while the TB stays below. Hmm.

So I suppose the hunt begins for BT and wireless to put inside and a BT GPS to put outside of the CF-28. I may get the non-GPS CF-30 after all. Then I can use the BT GPS on the CF-28, purchase the CF-30, and not worry about wasting the cash on a stopgap.

Thanks,

Bob

 

I went from a 1.3 cf29/1.28gb 7200rpm 100gb drive to this 1.6 dual core/2gb ddr2 ram/100gb 7200 rpm drive and i was astonished at the performance increase... even navigating around windows was faster... obviously it booted faster. the biggest thing was that games ran WAAAAAAAAY better on the cf-30. now im no big gamer and i don't play games, but i still had some older ones like command and conqer renegade and generals that didn't run to good on the 29, that run top of the line on the 30. even command and conquer 3 runs on medium resoultion on my 30 when it refused to even install on my 29 because of the old outdated video card. toughbooks aren't for gaming, but thats just my 2 cents on performance side by side.

 

JB007... Can you say how much you paid for the CF-30?

 

dood i got the cf-30 base specs (as per config) for like $2800. i dropped another 500 in the evdo card and i already had the keyboard from the 29 (i think i got it for $140)... the guy that sold me the 30 included the dvd burner drive. the 100gb drive costed like $70... i gotta hellova price on it

 

o and i can tell you one other thing that sux about the cf-30 compared to my 29... the port covers (power & USB) on the right side of the machine SUCK!!!!!! they are chincy as heck man!!!!! i've already replaced them 3 times in the last 8 months. on the plus side i talked to heartland and they shipped me the covers free

 

Ouch, I couldn't justify $2800 on a laptop. Of course I only use my toughbook for a few things, and none of which are processor intensive...

Though I guess I wouldn't mind having one if I had the chance to get one for cheap enough.