Here's my take on some manufacturers/brands of notebooks:
Dell Inspiron: Cheaply built, has a fairly cheap feel to it. Saying this, it will survive a few drops.
Dell Latitude: These usually have alloy-based chassis' (such as a magnesium alloy chassis), and the build quality is noticably better than that of the Inspiron's. Saying this, the paint can fade quickly (< 6 Months of heavy use).
Sony Vaio: If you can afford the price tag, the build quality is very nice. They usually come with a brushed aluminium case, which is appealing to the eye. However, some of the plastic-cased notebooks can become worn quickly (paint fades, primer coat shows through).
Toshiba: I used to have an old Toshiba Satellite Pro, which was great for work, and the build quality was excellent. However, some of the new 'glossy' Qosmio's can look a feel a little cheap.
IBM Thinkpad: These things feel sturdy, very sturdy; whether it be day one or day 9001, these notebooks hold together well, and are usually made specifically to stand knocks, bumps, and falls.
Clevo: I currently have a Clevo M860TU. This thing is obviously built to last. Like the Vaio, it has a brushed aluminium case, and from the design is very sturdy. One gripe is that the lid casing is a bit naff, as seen
here
Hope that gives you brief overview of some of the major manufacturers.
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