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Windows laptop @ work

mtneer

mtneer

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 15, 2012
3,184
2,715
My workplace offers only Windows laptops built to specific configurations (no chance to customize). I've been asked to choose between a Lenovo X240, a HP 840 G1 and a HP Zbook 15. The Zbooks 15 has top of the line processor; but I have a Xeon workstation at my desk, so the big chunky Zbook is out of the question.

I am now down to either the X240 or the 840 G1. The X240 comes with the 3+3 cell configuration promising 5 - 7 hours battery life. But it has the horrendous 1366x768 resolution screen.. The 840 G1 promises only 3 hours of battery life, but has 1600x900 resolution screen. Battery life is somewhat important to my work pace.

What do y'all think I should get - the X240 or the 840 G1? Is there something I am missing? Once I make my choice, I can't go back until my next upgrade slot 5 years from now, so I'll be stuck with whatever I pick now (even if it breaks, they will just replace with the exact same model).
 
Lucky...my Lenovo unit is my only computer. We get docking stations w/ 24" monitors at our desks.

Considering you have a workstation at your desk, I assume lighter work is done on the laptop? I would opt. for the unit w/ greater battery life. There are some days when I'm only at my desk for 3-4 hours out of the entire day...that extra battery life makes things a bit easier.
 
Ahhhh... I was in a very similar situation some 5-7 years back. "Select one of these 3 models" etc etc.

Turns out the biggest pain was keeping my laptop and desktop in some sort of sync. In the end, I was happiest with having one laptop and a good docking station with a large monitor. I had an aircraft carrier for a laptop, but it was more-or-less workstation class, and therefore it could do all of the workload of the desktop.

Obviously things are more advanced these days, but if you choose wisely (sorry, I don't have any knowledge of the laptops you mention) you should have enough horsepower to do the desk bound tasks while still having decent - or even good - portability.

Before I went the unified path, there were plenty of times of experiencing sheer panic when I thought I had lost a file, then realizing I had the file on the other computer. Not fun times, especially if you're on the road and no access to the desktop...
 
RITZFit said:
Lucky...my Lenovo unit is my only computer. We get docking stations w/ 24" monitors at our desks.

Considering you have a workstation at your desk, I assume lighter work is done on the laptop? I would opt. for the unit w/ greater battery life. There are some days when I'm only at my desk for 3-4 hours out of the entire day...that extra battery life makes things a bit easier.
Click to expand...

Thanks.. that is exactly my situation. When I am not at my desk, I am really not at my desk (maybe just about 10 - 15 minutes spent in a whole work day). So that battery is sure critical. I will mostly pick up the X240 and then ask my manager to reimburse me for a 6-cell external battery that can get me through a whole work day.

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smithrh said:
Ahhhh... I was in a very similar situation some 5-7 years back. "Select one of these 3 models" etc etc.

Turns out the biggest pain was keeping my laptop and desktop in some sort of sync. In the end, I was happiest with having one laptop and a good docking station with a large monitor. I had an aircraft carrier for a laptop, but it was more-or-less workstation class, and therefore it could do all of the workload of the desktop.

Obviously things are more advanced these days, but if you choose wisely (sorry, I don't have any knowledge of the laptops you mention) you should have enough horsepower to do the desk bound tasks while still having decent - or even good - portability.

Before I went the unified path, there were plenty of times of experiencing sheer panic when I thought I had lost a file, then realizing I had the file on the other computer. Not fun times, especially if you're on the road and no access to the desktop...
Click to expand...

I just have all my light data on my laptop (documents/ PDF's/ email etc). I then mount my laptop drive on my Workstation, so that I have the same dataset that I can use. Since my workstation requires me to be in the office, my laptop is not far away and I can connect to it pretty fast.

For the heavy duty datasets, I go the other way. My Workstation data drive is mounted on my laptop. In a pinch, I can use my laptop or remote desktop to lookup something clunky while on the move.
 
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