Business Laptops - No RJ45 Ports Anymore?

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CYaBro

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#2705908 11-May-2021 11:36

Good luck trying to find anything in stock at the moment!

timmmay

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#2705925 11-May-2021 12:09

Prices are likely to go up, not down. Supply of laptops and many other IT related things is very short. I've heard rumors of large retailers overseas buying up lots of stock, holding onto it, then putting prices up. We're buying whatever machines we can get our hands on for new starters. So buy now, don't want for a price drop. Lenovo is apparently not too bad, HP supply is difficult.

sonyxperiageek

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#2705936 11-May-2021 12:55

qwertee:

Was looking to buy the HP Probook G8 450 from PB tech for $2100. The hard drive is not 1TB but a 512
https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NBKHNB4508239/HP-Probook-450-G8-Business-Laptop-156-FHD-IPS-AG-2

Still undecided and waiting for prices to drop

Even that's on pre-order at the moment.

How do people find the build quality of the ProBook vs EliteBook? From first glance, looks like ProBook's are more plasticky and/or not as durable as the EliteBooks? I also travel a bit so sturdy and light (yes, it's probably hard to put those two in the same sentence at times) is preferable.

Sony

timmmay

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#2705942 11-May-2021 13:06

sonyxperiageek:

Even that's on pre-order at the moment.

How do people find the build quality of the ProBook vs EliteBook? From first glance, looks like ProBook's are more plasticky and/or not as durable as the EliteBooks? I also travel a bit so sturdy and light (yes, it's probably hard to put those two in the same sentence at times) is preferable.

I have Elitebook, my wife has Probook. I haven't done a direct comparison, but both are fairly solid. The Elitebook might be a bit stronger but with sensible treatment I think the Probooks will last very well.

noroad

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#2705947 11-May-2021 13:15

sonyxperiageek:

I know you can get a dongle for it, but a dongle here and a dongle there just has the potential of misplacing it or forgetting to bring it somewhere etc.

usb ethernet adapters are $20-$30, just buy several of them and leave them wherever you need. That's what I do.

Dairyxox

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#2705965 11-May-2021 14:14

Dell Latitude 3510 meets your requirements, and is readily available.

EXCEPT It might not have enough TBs SSD storage for you. You might have to upgrade some components yourself.

K8Toledo

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#2706333 12-May-2021 04:37

sonyxperiageek:

qwertee:

Was looking to buy the HP Probook G8 450 from PB tech for $2100. The hard drive is not 1TB but a 512
https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NBKHNB4508239/HP-Probook-450-G8-Business-Laptop-156-FHD-IPS-AG-2

Still undecided and waiting for prices to drop

Even that's on pre-order at the moment.

How do people find the build quality of the ProBook vs EliteBook? From first glance, looks like ProBook's are more plasticky and/or not as durable as the EliteBooks? I also travel a bit so sturdy and light (yes, it's probably hard to put those two in the same sentence at times) is preferable.

The ProBook casing is made from plastic. Elitebook casings however are made from reinforced Titanium - they're almost indestructible. Titanium casing is the reason Elitebooks weigh about half a ton.

I once watched an 8470p open & running slip off a bar stool and smash lid first onto a concrete floor.

When I picked it back up a huge chunk of lid was missing - basically the entire corner it landed on. I expected a cracked/smashed LCD or at least the HDD heads to be destroyed.... but no.

Both LCD and drive came away unscathed. Apart from the redesigned lid you'd never know it dropped from such a height.

Side note; my parents fly to the states four times a year. Mum owns both a Thinkpad and Elitebook. The Elitebook always goes with her to the USA, and by checked luggage (don't ask).

Every time she arrives home the HP has a new dent or scratch in the case. So it takes a pounding.

Ask her how it got damaged she never knows....

Occasionally these dents look like sort of dents you'd find on a laptop that had been sliding around the back of a Honda Insight on very windy Northland roads while headed home from Auckland.

Probably just coincidence.....:)

timmmay

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#2706343 12-May-2021 06:37

While Elitebooks are tougher than Probooks, a Probook is still more solid than most laptops other than perhaps the extremely solid Lenovo laptops. With good treatment they will last a long time. If you plan to abuse it maybe an Elitebook would be better. The Elitebook includes a 3 year warranty, in a team of about 15 two have had to use the warranty in the past year that I'm aware of. HP service is excellent.

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#2706351 12-May-2021 07:54

I thought I would treat myself to a new laptop, so had a squiz around a few weeks ago.

Was shocked at the prices.

And even more shocked to discover that RJ45 ports had gone the way of the optical drive and the dodo.

Like some here, I think one of the great benefits of a laptop is its all-in-oneness, and having to carry extra parts around just seems like a recipe for trouble and disappointment.

I have also decided to put up with my aging Probook for a while longer.

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sbiddle

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#2706369 12-May-2021 08:12

Prices are high right now because there are massive shortages of laptops in the country, and much higher shipping costs to get products here.

I don't realistically see either changing any time soon.

sonyxperiageek

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#2706644 12-May-2021 17:31

Ok so looks like I will have to be patient as I ordered this (it has an RJ45 port!!) and will be arriving early June... It is however 0.2kg heavier than my current aging laptop.

Sony

CYaBro

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#2706648 12-May-2021 17:45

sonyxperiageek:
Ok so looks like I will have to be patient as I ordered this (it has an RJ45 port!!) and will be arriving early June... It is however 0.2kg heavier than my current aging laptop.

You hope it arrives in June. :)

MadEngineer

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#2706801 12-May-2021 22:20

HP Probook all day. I have a G8 and it's brilliant.

Be weary of the Dells with the plastic cases as the flip down tab on the slim RJ45 port seems to be difficult for some people to plug a cable in to.

noroad:

sonyxperiageek:

I know you can get a dongle for it, but a dongle here and a dongle there just has the potential of misplacing it or forgetting to bring it somewhere etc.

usb ethernet adapters are $20-$30, just buy several of them and leave them wherever you need. That's what I do.

Nein. They are a PITA for a multitude of reasons. People just like to up n go with the laptop without the laptop case

Something to consider with the USB C docks - they are absolutely brilliant but do study the notes on the documentation around any bandwidth limitations or port speed reductions. Make sure you get one that includes a power button so the laptop can be turned on without opening and closing the lid (otherwise disable sleep on lid-close when connected to power at the risk of forgetting when undocking with the laptop still turned on).

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jfanning

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#2706859 13-May-2021 09:29

sonyxperiageek:

How do people find the build quality of the ProBook vs EliteBook? From first glance, looks like ProBook's are more plasticky and/or not as durable as the EliteBooks? I also travel a bit so sturdy and light (yes, it's probably hard to put those two in the same sentence at times) is preferable.

We get both, the ProBook is more plastic, and the case marks more, also the ProBook has a shorter warranty than the EliteBook

sonyxperiageek

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#2741546 8-Jul-2021 23:48

sonyxperiageek:

Ok so looks like I will have to be patient as I ordered this (it has an RJ45 port!!) and will be arriving early June... It is however 0.2kg heavier than my current aging laptop.

Have been pretty busy with work lately that I forgot to update this thread. My above ZBook arrived early June thank goodness, and I was able to take it with me on my overseas trip (yes, rare I know!) a few days later after getting it set up. So far am loving it. It's metal so nice and sturdy, lid is not flimsy at all, has a numpad AND an RJ45 port, and dimensions are slightly more compact than my old HP Pavilion and doesn't really feel heavy either. Win all round. And great price for it too IMO - under $3k!

I do see now on the website that the next shipment won't be arriving until the 12 Oct, so good luck to everyone else. :)

Sony

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