[clug] Nvidia based Laptops in the $1200-$2000 range

[Hal Ashburner]

Andrew Janke wrote:
>>> Is there any manufacturer that I have missed in this range?
>>>       
>> No, but you have a Lenovo SL series machine in that list, which you
>> *don't* really want: while they carry the ThinkPad name they are not a
>> real thinkpad inside. :/
>>     
>
> Aye, no ThinkLight, no HDD shock sensor, poor ACPI support under linux
> (so far) for thermal/fan etc. Problem is the new T400 and T500 series
> are ATI based. :(
>
>   
Tell you how I made my thinkpad (T42) work with an external monitor 
(it's an ATI radeon 7500 mob)
I plugged it in.
Seriously. Click the gnome-y gui to say whether you want mirror or 
desktop extension and what resolution you want the plugged in monitor to 
display at. Xrandr works great when it works.
I run nvidia cards on my desktop and nvidia can only dream of this kind 
of ease of configuration.
Do check this, but I was under the impression that if you wanted 
external monitors on a laptop the best bet was intel on-board graphics 
by a long way as Kieth Packard is in charge of writing the drivers for 
intel as well as in charge of writing x.org.
Given the ATI vs Nvidia choice again 2 years after the last time I made 
this call, I would definitely lean toward ATI.