Tosh or Mecer laptop?

[Dutchuncle777]

ComputerMania and ComX allows for ''building'' your own Mecer notebook or ultrabook. Many options and software extra, making the Mecer ideal for Linux users. Up to 16GB RAM, etc.


Tosh: ComputerMania sells a nicely configured 15.6'' Satellite P850-F316 for R13k with i7 2.3GHz, 6GB RAM, 2GB Geforce GT630. Tosh can be upped with 4-year onsite warranty, all risk insurance, etc. Sounds good if one wants to invest into a business machine that will remain useful for a few years.

How is Mecer reliability nowadays? Tosh should be up there with Asus.

Samsung laptops worthwhile at all?

 

[CataclysmZA]

How is Mecer reliability nowadays? Tosh should be up there with Asus.

Samsung laptops worthwhile at all?

Mustek's Mecer technicians are pretty good and like all things, good service depends on the people working behind the desk and the area you live in. I always include Mecer machines in my laptop buyer's guide because I feel they offer a good product and the options for customisation are worthwhile. Not to mention that for ten grand, you can get the Ultrabook with 8GB RAM, a Core i5 chip, Windows 8, a 256GB SSD and Office H&S 2010.

Toshiba and ASUS are pretty similar specs and price-wise these days. ASUS is bringing a big fight to the budget segment with cheaper Ultrabooks under R5000 and Toshiba is my new favourite for gaming machines. Both are great brands and even Acer is turning into a more high-end offering as well.

Samsung laptops are great but I feel that they've gotten out of touch with the budget and mid-range markets. Currently, for under R5000 the best valued brand is Packard Bell, which is an honour Samsung used to carry.

 

[chrisc]

I highly recommend Mecer on account of the really excellent service you get from Mustek. It is well worth any little bit extra you may pay. I think when it comes to reliability, there is little to choose from any of them.

 

[Dutchuncle777]

Extended warranties

Asus on top, then Tosh in reliability stakes, as rated by re-insurance companies who underwrite extended warranties. Their stats based on actual claims in relation to machines insured. HP is far down below and that is in keeping with my own experience.

Mecer: good to hear Mustek have improved! A decade ago, it was different. Mecer is cheaper than some. I will never look at too cheap machines - consumer grade components cannot be compared with military or industrial grade. Business grade is the lowest I'll go.

Technicians: I will try to buy something that won't break, to begin with. Good to know that Mustek is good, though.

RAM is cheap enough to specify 16GB as one's investment gets reinforced for prolonged serviceability.

Thinkpad used to be good but the latest Lenovo-built ones felt cheap and did not inspire confidence.

 

[Dutchuncle777]

Mecer configuration

Mecer makes it easy if one wants to go the Linux way. I am toying with the idea to get an Ultrabook with i5 and a 256GB SSD, 8>GB RAM and 2GB graphics. I don't see how I will ever be using more than 4GB on Linux, not even by 2020. Even now, 1GB is more than required.

It is nice not to have to pay for software as LibreOffice is as good as the top of the range MS Office. (H&S is a useless toy, not a business app. Illegal for business use as well.)

Thanks for all the feedback

 

[Dutchuncle777]

Windows 8

Win8 : how much better than 7, also how much more system resources does it require?

My 7 ultimate sometimes used all of the 3GB and became unstable, but my Mint12 seldom used a full 1GB under the same load.

Win 8 is new and yet it is on my list of options. just an unknown quantity at this stage....

 

[Tun@]

Re Mecer - just some info as i been looking:
Care if you walk the Clevo "Xpression" route with Mecer - the Clevo HM series is end of line - the 2012 series is EM & HM77 chipset......also that W370ET is NOT MXM GPU like the others are but i believe the windows key is in the right place vrs the others that have it to the right.
W370ET is fixed 660M GPU option of P170EM ----- the P150EM is the 15inch screen EM......P170EM & P150EM are MXM type GPU & hence upgradeable - up to AMD 7970 & GTX 680M atm.
Mecers rebranded model numbers don't make life too easy to see what it really is.
Further info http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/ & http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1878798