Toshiba vs Nexlink – Battle to the death – In a steel cage! (Okay, maybe not)

The other day, I wrote about Nexlink SP series business notebooks and that generated some interest in their products among our clients and friends. Today we happen to have both a Nexlink SP 4000 and a Toshiba Tecra A11-S3511 in stock before they are delivered to their new owners, so I thought we would give a rough comparison of the two.

We have an even playing field with these two products… Both are designed for business use and feature the following specs in common:

Nexlink SP 4000 Business Notebook

Intel i3-350M 2.26G Processor

2GB DDR3 1066 SODIMM RAM

15.6″ widescreen LCD display w/built-in camera

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

Docking connectors,  VGA port, 10 key numeric pad, media card reader, express card, DVD-RW, audio in/out, Gigabit NIC, Wireless & Bluetooth, security lock slot

The differences between the two are:

Toshiba has a finger print reader, serial port, mini display port, eSATA, modem, 3 USB ports and only 250GB HD

Nexlink has 4 USB ports & 320GB HD

Aesthetics: In comparing the two visually, they both feature a matte finish on most of the areas you touch, though the mouse buttons on the Toshiba are chromed plastic and show fingerprints badly. The rest of the surfaces are similar between the models. The layout is similar, except many of the connections, including power are on the back of the Toshiba unit. The Nexlink’s backside is devoid of connections.

Display: Set to the same resolution, I can tell no difference when viewing the same screens and graphics. The speed of refresh is great on both models. One difference is that the Nexlink may offer better privacy when viewed from the side. Those working with sensitive material may still wish to use a privacy filter.

Toshiba Tecra A11-S3511 Business Notebook

Keyboard & Touch Pad: Both units have excellent keyboards though slightly different in style, however the touch pad on the Nexlink is more to my liking, the surface area is larger and is a little rougher, making it easier for me to manipulate. Your mileage may vary here. All of us in the office like the Nexlink’s feel better and it seems to be more responsive.

Performance: Considering these are units going out to clients, we did not want to load them down with benchmarking tools. We did use them to browse, check resources and to run the Windows Experience Index. Not surprisingly due to the similar configuration, they both had a 3.6 rating, with the Toshiba coming in 0.1 faster on disk access and the Nexlink 0.2 higher on gaming graphics. Otherwise, they performed identically. It should be noted that the Toshiba comes pre-loaded with their suite of software and applications to support the notebook and that from the factory it was using 1.02GB of RAM, while the Nexlink was using 600MB.

Overall Experience: Either of these notebooks would make a great system. They weigh about the same, have about the same dimensions, have similar battery life, and have a rugged build to withstand the everyday wear and tear a portable computer user would inflict. In addition to being a great portable computer, they also connect to an (optional) docking station that allows the use of a large LCD, external speakers, printers, full size keyboard and mouse all by dropping the computer into the docking bay. Who could ask for more?

The bottom line probably comes down to money for most potential owners of these notebooks. If that is the case, then I recommend you consider the Nexlink SP Series as your first choice. You get similar performance and features and can save a little money!

Homeland Secure IT is proud to partner with the US based manufacturer and offer the entire line of Seneca Data’s Nexlink notebooks, computers and servers. Please call 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information. We provide installation, migration and support in Greenville / Upstate SC and national sales.

The SP 4000 Notebook from Nexlink means BUSINESS

When buying a new or replacement notebook for your business, you may turn to Dell, HP, Lenovo, or Toshiba for trusted and reliable products, that is why we are partners with and offer these fine brands! However, there are some outstanding alternatives which may be of interest to your company.

First, let’s discuss the difference between a computer designed for consumers and one designed specifically for business. The most notable difference is that a computer purchased for home use will come loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 Home (either basic or premium), which will not allow your shiny new computer to join a corporate domain. The business computer will have Microsoft Windows 7 Professional loaded on it, which supports all domain functions required to associate with your corporate domain. You *can* upgrade a Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium computer to have the Professional or even Ultimate version of the operating system on it, but you will spend additional money and additional time doing so.

Lastly, the hardware design of the business computer may and likely does incorporate higher quality components, such as hard drive, displays, cooling fans, and even power supplies, which are designed with longer duty cycles in mind. The “duty cycle” is the amount of time the computer may be used. Typically a business computer will be on 24/7, or at the very least, from 8AM to 5PM Monday through Friday, while a home or consumer based system may see only a couple hours a day. A manufacturer will want to design their business based computer to outlast their warranty period for a computer that is on continuously. In the case of notebooks, a business notebook may be more robustly built to handle the abuse that a typical worker inflicts upon their systems.

What does this mean for you and your business? Simply stated, putting a computer built for home use to work at your company will function, but will it provide the user experience and the longevity of a system designed specifically for that purpose? In our experience, the odds are 50/50, and those are not enough in our favor to attempt, so we always recommend a system built for the job.

The downside to purchasing business computer systems is that the upfront costs are going to be higher. To offset some of that, you may wish to look into alternative business systems instead of the mainstream brands.

We are proud to offer Seneca Data Nexlink SP Series Notebook computers which feature Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors,  13.3″ or 15.6″ displays with 1366×768 resolution, webcam, Intel HM55 Express Chipset, NVIDA GeForce GT 330M 1GB graphics, full numeric keypad and a full docking station as options.

Seneca Data is a mature company with over 30 years of experience in offering solutions right here in America! We have extensive experience with Seneca Data’s Nexlink brand of custom-built desktops, notebooks, servers and storage devices. Each Nexlink platform is assembled using on the highest quality, tier-one components and undergoes rigorous testing to receive Windows (R) Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) approval. Nexlink products consistantly offer performance, quality and reliability to Business, Government, Education, Healthcare, Enthusiast, and OEM customers nationwide.

Another advantage is that in the event of the need for customer support, we as vendors have had a pleasant experience in dealing with Seneca because they are a US based company, with technical support that speaks English! No disrespect meant to any other company, but when we are trying to do our job, adding a language barrier does not make matters easier.

The next time you need to buy a notebook, consider Seneca Data’s Nexlink SP series! We can spec one to suit your needs. We offer the full line of Nexlink products, from desktops, thin clients, tablet computers to servers! Call us at 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information! If you are in Greenville or the Upstate, we will come to you to evaluate your needs!

IRS Tax Code Section 179 can save your business lots of money!

Time to upgrade your server or servers? Need new computers for your business? How about upgrading all your firewalls to the latest technology? New VoIP phone system? CCTV Cameras? Notebooks for all your field reps?

Congress extended the amount that small businesses may write-off for capital expenditures in 2010 to $250,000, and that means this may be the best year ever to upgrade your infrastructure!

Business Equipment:

Business owners who acquire equipment for their business, such as computers, servers, network & security equipment and other tangible goods, usually prefer to deduct the cot in a a single tax year, rather than a little at a time over a number of years. This deduction is known by its section in the tax code, a Section 179 deduction.

Under Section 179, businesses that spend less than $800,000 a year on qualified equipment, may write-off up to $250,000 in 2010. The rules are designed for small companies so the $250,00 deduction phases out when a business purchases more than $800,000 in one year. (Companies cannot write off more than their taxable income).

Benefits of a Non-Tax / Capital Lease:

The benefit of a Non-Tax/Capital Lease is that it can take advantage of Section 179: expense up to $250,000 if the equipment is put in use in 2010. In addition, you may depreciate any excess on the depreciation schedule for that asset. Examples of Non-Tax/Capital Leases include a $1.00 Buyout Lease, an Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA), and a 10% Purchase Upon Termination (PUT) Lease. Example: Assume you finance business equipment, put it in use in 2010, and take advantage of Section 179. Your tax savings could be significant:

An example of a typical server installation and how this applies might look something like this:

Cost of equipment: $9,500.oo

Section 179 reduction if expenditures are over $800k: —

Dollar for dollar phase out if over $800k: $9,500.oo

Section 179 write-off amount: $9,500.oo

Regular First Year Depreciation Deduction: -

Total First Year Deduction: $9500.oo

Cash Savings on your Equipment Purchase: $3,325.oo

(Assuming a 35% Tax Bracket, Deprecation 5 years)

Lowered Cost of Equipment after Tax Savings: $6, 175.oo

Tax Code Section 179 & Election to Expense Detail:

The election, which is made on Form 4562, is for the tax year the property was placed in service or an amended return filed within the time prescribed by law. The total cost of property that may be expensed for any tax year cannot exceed the total amount of taxable income during the tax year. Section 179 property is property that you acquire by purchase for use in the active conduct of your business. To ensure property qualifies, reference Publication 946.

This expense deduction is provided for taxpayers (other than estates, trusts or certain non-corporate lessors) who elect to treat the cost of qualifying property as an expense rather than a capital expenditure. Under Section 179, equipment purchases, up to the amount approved for a given year, can be expensed (deducted from taxable income) if installed by December 31st. Non-Tax leases qualify for this deduction in their year of inception. Any excess above the expensed amount can be depreciated depending on the equipment type. Not all states follow federal law. Contact your tax advisor for the specific impact to your business or visit www.irs.gov.

Further Detail:

Reminder: to take advantage of the tax incentives, your business equipment must be put in use by year-end. You should contact your tax advisor to learn about the specific impact to your business.

We can help you maximize this as we offer leasing and financing… Please email info@homelandsecureit.com or call 864-990-4748 for additional information!

SanDisk SSD hard drive

If you were told you have an “SSD”, you might think you would need a round of antibiotics to clear that up, but in reality, it is a good thing!

SSDs, or Solid State Drives are becoming common place, though they have been around for a while. The price has been what has held back sales since the beginning, but recently we have noted a small decrease, thus making them a little more attractive to our clients.

The cost aside, these drives can replace your current hard drive, or make an excellent primary drive on a new notebook. Some of their features include the fact that they have no moving parts, providing better resistance to shock and vibration encountered when using a notebook in the field, they have fast throughput of data and possibly a huge factor to those who enjoy their quiet or work in music studios, none of that whirrrrrring you hear from your current hard drive! Replacing fans in your current computer with whisper-quiet fans, and its hard drive with an SSD can make for a very quiet work environment!

Many manufacturers of laptops, notebooks and netbooks are including SSDs as an option. This is really the time to purchase, as the system comes to you with the drive already installed and the operating system loaded, so it is ready to go.

There are two types of SSD drives currently; One is the SLC, or single level cell which allows one bit per memory cell, and shines with speed and reliability. The downside to the SLC would be the bulk and cost. Then there is the MLC or multi level cell devices, which store more than one bit in a single cell, are smaller in size, and cost less. The downside to MLC devices are that you sacrifice some speed.

Either way, it is worth considering an SSD for your next notebook purchase…

If you would like more information about these devices, please shoot us an email at info@homelandsecureit.com or call 864-990-4748. Feel free to reply here as well!