I will soon be deploying to Iraq and can't be humpin this desktop with me, does anyone have any suggestions on a very durable laptop i.e. wind, water sand, heat, bumps, and bruises resistant? I would like obviously to have the best speed, largest screen, largest ram, HD, and CD\DVD burn I can get... for about $2000. Any suggestios on a case as well would be greatly appreciated ;)

If you think I would be better off building my own I could use some part recommendations.

The toughest laptops go for $3500 and up: See the 3 mentioned here.

I'm thinking you CAN save some bucks by shopping for the components, but that will definitely take a significant amount of surfing time to price the parts.

Here's a start.

Panasonic is the leader in rugged laptops. They have several that are designed for use on worksites etc. The link Rick gave is a good one for some comparisons.

It is not practical to try and build your own. Laptops are very properietary. It is impossible to mix and match components. The case, motherboard and screen, especially have to come from the same mfg and very few sell them individually. Most are either manufactured by the makers themselves or sold only in large quantities to assemblers.

I appreciate your help and yes it did!

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

Panasonic is the leader in rugged laptops.

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That's right; specifically, the Toughbook series. There was even a story a while back of a soldier whose life was saved when a bullet meant for him was intercepted by his laptop. Of course, no laptop (including that one) can survive a direct bullet hit, but the fact that the laptop actually prevented the bullet from getting all the way through and killing him proves how tough the Toughbooks can be.