What's the lightest laptop that uses IDE HDD and PC2700 RAM?

[pianowizard]

My 14.1" 1600x1200 T42 just started to exhibit the loose GPU problem (and is now for sale -- see this ad) and I am looking for its replacement. I hope to reuse its 2.5" IDE (PATA) hard drive and PC2700 sticks. Among Thinkpads, I think the 3.6lb X31 and X32 would be the lightest laptops that can use both the RAM and HDD, but I want something with a resolution that's higher than 1024x768. What laptops meet these criteria?

BTW, I know about the 4.1lb Dell Inspiron 700m/710m. In fact, I owned one and liked it very much. But I want to try something else.

[ZaZ]

Something like the Fujitsu P series comes in around three pounds and might be worth a look, though the screen is glossy if you care. Starting with the P7120, Fujitsu switched over to 1.8" drives for the P series, but the P7010 and earlier use a 2.5" hard drives. That would make the P7010 a good choice since it uses PC2700 memory. That's if you can find one. I think a lot of the lighter machine of that era used like the Sharp Actius, Dell X1 or Toshiba R100 used 1.8" hard drives.

[pianowizard]

I am still interested in getting a really light laptop that uses a 2.5" IDE HDD and PC2700 RAM. ajkula66 told me about a 14.1" 4:3 HP that's lighter than the T4* Thinkpads, but I can't remember the model number.

Fred, I didn't know about the Fujitsu P7010. It's really light, but the screen is so small that it's almost the same as a netbook. I hope to find something that's at least 12.1" in screen size (and with resolution higher than 1024x768).

[ajkula66]

What I was likely referring to (and had it as my daughter's rig for quite some time now) was NC6220, but that's PC2-4200 or higher. 14" SXGA+ and Intel graphics, pretty close to a T43, but lighter. Weak hinges, dim screen on the bad side. Great battery life and exceptional wi-fi performance on the bright side. Acceptable keyboard once you come to an agreement with yourself that it's not meant to be a ThinkPad, although it has a trackpoint. SD card reader as well. DVD multiburner on most units that I've seen...

Something one can most definitely carry around and bang it without feeling any guilt...

[JaneL]

Acceptable keyboard once you come to an agreement with yourself that it's not meant to be a ThinkPad, although it has a trackpoint.

I had one of those nc6220's. Well, actually, I had 3 or 4 of them since I kept breaking them.

Anyway, what I found was that they either had a great keyboard and a pointing stick that I couldn't use or a great pointing stick and a keyboard that was OK. I think only the first one that I used had both that felt good.

[ajkula66]

JaneL wrote:

Anyway, what I found was that they either had a great keyboard and a pointing stick that I couldn't use

That sounds like my daughter's machine.

I had 3 or 4 of them since I kept breaking them.

I guess that's one possible definition of "an experienced user"... ...but please don't share your secret on how you did that with my daughter, since she wants a MacBook (Macs are all they use in school, unfortunately) and I told her that it's out of the question as long as that HP runs...

[ZaZ]

I think the Fuji us a good choice if you can find one. The problem you're going to run into is most most notebooks of that era are going to be 4:3, which puts you at XGA for most of the laptops I can remember. The pixel density on the 10.6" is pretty close to your UXGA T42. Plus the Fuji has a modular bay, which can accept another six cell battery if you need a lot of battery life.

[JaneL]

I guess that's one possible definition of "an experienced user"... ...but please don't share your secret on how you did that with my daughter

You're safe - they were from work!

The first one's (the best one) screen went out, and after that I was getting refurbed units in various conditions over 4 years. I think the second one had the best keyboard (and, of course, a useless pointing stick) and lasted the longest. It was only the last year or so where 2 or 3 of them went out on me. I lost count.

The last one had broken plastic covering the (hot metal) heat vent. I complained but didn't get a replacement. I'm a full-time telecommuter, so there was little danger that I would pick it up and burn myself. I knew I was getting close to my next lifecycle replacement, so I just let it go.

[pianowizard]

What I was likely referring to (and had it as my daughter's rig for quite some time now) was NC6220, but that's PC2-4200 or higher.

Ah yes, that's what you told me when we got together in NYC last year. I just looked at some photos and think it uses the same design theme as the nc2400 that I had for a pretty long time. I liked that nc2400 a lot, although the lack of a touchpad bothered me a bit, and its TN screen was crappy (though there's no surprise there).

my daughter...wants a MacBook (Macs are all they use in school, unfortunately) and I told her that it's out of the question as long as that HP runs...

Does this nc6220 have SXGA+, the smallest battery, and Bluetooth? If the answers are all "yes" and if you are sick of your daughter constantly bugging you for a MacBook, sell this HP to me -- I mean it!

[ajkula66]

Yes for the SXGA+ and no for the BT. The battery is the one that sits flush in the machine, no clue on whether it's considered small, medium or large.

Trust me when I tell you that you don't want this particular HP. The pressure marks on the LCD alone would drive you nuts, I know you well enough to state that...