ThinkPad Z series gets new competition from HP

[K. Eng]

link - HP nc6400

I like the privacy filter and the fact that the WWAN is integrated into the display rather than a stick-out antenna, but alas, there is still no scroll key, and I don't like the layout of 6-row keyboards. Even after using a Compaq V2000 for a week, I still could not get used to having the insert, home, pgup, pgdwn, home, and end keys on the right hand side.

[GomJabbar]

I was just going to post about HP as well.

HP Unveils Laptops With Spiffier Designs

Six of seven new HP notebooks announced Tuesday will run on dual-core chips from either Intel Corp. or Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and a business-targeted model allows users to swap the cellular broadband module if they switch carriers.

The offerings include two consumer lines that come in a glossy, piano-black finish with inlaid patterns, a departure from plain black exteriors. Some models have a built-in webcam or more powerful graphics cards.
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HP's new mobile computers will have starting prices ranging from $749 to $1,649. They will be available starting in mid-May, the company said.

[christopher_wolf]

Hmmm, so they are trying to copy the business line of Thinkpads and now the Z Series; I am still not impressed enough to even start thinking about getting one of those. If I wanted a sleek, all black, system I would still go with IBM.

Why would I pay for one of those HPs instead of the genuine article?

It could always be worse, Dell could be trying something like this; then again, they really don't need to as they already have widescreens in that form factor.

I would still go with a Z60t or a Z60m if I needed one.

[K. Eng]

I think it may come down to affordability. With the nc6200 series at least, HP machines were several hundred dollars cheaper than comparable T43s.

HP and Dell seem to be able to leverage their economies of scale to reduce prices. I hope Lenovo can pull of the same, because it is harder and harder for me to justify paying hundreds of dollars more for a ThinkPad. Actually, the issue is that I just don't have those extra hundreds of dollars to spend anymore

Why would I pay for one of those HPs instead of the genuine article?

[christopher_wolf]

I think it may come down to affordability. With the nc6200 series at least, HP machines were several hundred dollars cheaper than comparable T43s.

HP and Dell seem to be able to leverage their economies of scale to reduce prices. I hope Lenovo can pull of the same, because it is harder and harder for me to justify paying hundreds of dollars more for a ThinkPad. Actually, the issue is that I just don't have those extra hundreds of dollars to spend anymore

Why would I pay for one of those HPs instead of the genuine article?

I know what that is like, I had to work hard to get enough money to get my Thinkpads. At that point, I was pretty much committed to getting my Thinkpads instead of anything else (including an HP and two Dells that blew up on me).