Computer advice

[c_hawkbob]

About 5 years ago I spent the most money I ever had on a laptop I'd hoped I wouldn't have to replace; HP Envy 17" with 16g ram, 2tb SSD and it's downfall, a dvd writer. I've never used the DVD drive but now all that ram and hard drive are wasted on a computer that is literally, physically falling apart. The right hand corner near the hinge where the drive lives is separating, plastic is breaking and a tiny screw fell out. I took it to A Local Geek (the actual name of his business) and he said with a thicker laptop he could have put bolts and nuts through that corner to hold it together but this was too slim a design so he glued it all back together and that lasted about a month.

So now I'm looking at spending another couple-three grand and decided to ask for advice this time. I'm looking at either a refurbished Panasonic Toughbook FZ-55 or a new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon which, while it's not a military grade rugged laptop like the Panasonic, is made of carbon fiber and from all accounts is by every other measure quite rugged in and of itself.

I'll probably spec 32g of ram and 2 tb SDD on either but while on the Lenovo site I started looking at a portable 2 tb SDD and now am wondering can I save on the cost of the internal drive and go with a 512 internal drive and the 2tb external? Does it function the same?

Anyone know much about this I'd be interested to hear from you, just don't get too techy in the explanation, I'm a knuckle dragger, not an IT guy.

Thanks in advance.

[c_hawkbob]

Never mind, I just bought me a new laptop. Read an article on Linkedin about laptops and their durability and the guy had this to say:

Alienware laptops are built like tanks, with a sturdy magnesium alloy body that provides excellent durability. The laptop’s hinge mechanism is designed to withstand frequent opening and closing, ensuring that the laptop stays functional for years to come.

So I bought an Alienware. A bit spendy but hopefully it'll be the last one I buy for a good long while.

[RiverDog]

I'm afraid I'm in the same knuckle dragging classification as you are. However, my son-in-law ("Cooper Bowl" in our Pick-em league) is an IT guy, a security analyst for Avista, a large utility in the Spokane area. He's my go-to guy for anything techy and would be happy to offer any advice, so next time you have a dilemma like that, shoot me a PM and I'll get you his contact info.

For my part, I have a Microsoft Surface 7, and I love it. It's just the right size and does everything I need in a tablet. The only problem is that the battery is starting to get weak, but I'm near a power outlet nearly all the time so it's not a big deal.