Buying A Laptop

Jobs & Careers
1340

Hi!!!

I am planning to buy a new laptop.

I have too many doubts ...it would be nice if anyone helps me with this.

First of all should i buy it from US or not.Here I am talking about dell laptop as people have been telling me tht if sth goes wrong its very difficult to get it serviced in India.
So I should try to get it here only.
Well I have come across this very good deal which will cost me 43K from US but If I buy the same think I am sure tht would cost me >60K.
I dont know wht to do about tht.

Secondly Should i go for Vista or not since its relatively new ...it might create issues.

Kindly reply.......really need help.
I am unable to decide wht I should do

1341

duplicate post

1342

Subscribing to this thread

I guess I would be spending my coming days banging my head on what to buy


Mridul

1343
My responses in blue:



1) Why isnt anyone considering AMD processors ? (they are much cheaper...)

Well if people aren't..then they should, especially for the value notebook segment (
The Turion X2 proccies aren't exactly "very cheap" when compared to Core Duo from the Intel stable but yes, I'd anyday prefer a Turion X2 over a crippled T2060/T2080 proccy.

2) Can someone using a notebook with AMD procesors give feedback regarding
a) heat generated

Its a myth, my friend. Back in the late 90's AMD processors got infamous for the heat generated and since 2002, these issues were completely resolved. An AMD processor runs as cool or as hot as your Intel processor.

b) speed as compared to intel core duo. I know core duo is faster theoretically but is there any noticeable difference while playing games/ using office ?. I mean is it worth spending that much extra for it.

A similar-specced Core Duo (mind you it'll be more expensive) will be about 5-8% faster than a Turion X2.
No, you will not feel any difference while doing basic/average work like watching movies, gaming, surfing, MS-Office. The only place where the Core Duo completely outshines the Turion X2 is when you're doing some hi-end video-encoding work!
So basically if you're on a tight budget (40K or there about) and need a laptop for basic, everyday work, a Turion X2 is a better alternative than a T2060/T2080 Intel proccy.


Wow, I was under the impression that AMDs still trail Intel in speed and heat issues.... I would love to get am hp tx1000 but they are offered only with AMDs right now.... Intel is scheduled to come up with the Centrino Pro shortly and I guess HP plans to use them in their current AMD only systems.... I think I'll just wait it out until that hapens... if it takes too long I can probably pull the trigger for the AMD lappies now....
1344
Hi THESE ARE SOME LAPTOPS PRICES OF SONY VAIO IN US..
RUPEE BEING STRONG ADDS TO THE ICING
VGN-C240E/B
$1,349.99
13.3 inch
160Gb
5400rpm
Serial ata
T5500
Core 2 duo
Vista premimum
2 gb
2 .3 kg
MY PICK



=================================================
VGN-C250N/B
$1,449.99
13.3 inch
160Gb
5400rpm
Serial ata
T5500
Core 2 duo
Windows Vista Business
2 gb
2 .3 kg


==============================================
VGN- FE870E/H
$1,249.99
15.4inch
120 gb
5200rpm
Serial ata
T5500
Core 2 duo
Vista premimum
2 gb
2.8 kg

==============================================
VGN-FE880E/H
1,299.99
15.4inch
160Gb
4200rpm
Serial ata
T5500
Core 2 duo
Vista premimum
2 gb
2.8 kg
1345

HI Mahip ..

Is there any deal goin on with SONY Vaio in any of the threads if yes please do provide the link

1346
Hi!!!

I am planning to buy a new laptop.

I have too many doubts ...it would be nice if anyone helps me with this.

First of all should i buy it from US or not.Here I am talking about dell laptop as people have been telling me tht if sth goes wrong its very difficult to get it serviced in India.
So I should try to get it here only.
Well I have come across this very good deal which will cost me 43K from US but If I buy the same think I am sure tht would cost me >60K.
I dont know wht to do about tht.

Secondly Should i go for Vista or not since its relatively new ...it might create issues.

Kindly reply.......really need help.
I am unable to decide wht I should do

Subscribing to this thread

I guess I would be spending my coming days banging my head on what to buy


Mridul

HI Mahip ..

Is there any deal goin on with SONY Vaio in any of the threads if yes please do provide the link


Please go thru this post!! 😁
http://www.pagalguy.com/752531-post1.html
1347

Few points to note:

  1. Always go for Centrino based processors, Avoid Celeron as it consumes more power and gets heated soon.
  2. Always go for minimum 6-cell battery. More cell means more back up.
  3. Always full charge the battery, then fully consume it then again go for reccharging. Never put the lappy for recharge just like that. Ensure the cycle of fully recharging and fully consuming. This ensures good life of battery.
  4. Avoid playing music or video for longer duration as it consumes more power and puts pressure on battery.
  5. Never keep lappy on any material which bad conductor of heat like...mattress etc. It puts pressure on processor.
  6. Higher the RAM better it is. Minimum 512 for Vista.
Hope its beneficial....
1348

Guyz, check out this link - i'm sure u'll find it helpful

Fastrack Computing

P.S: I'm not sure whether posting link to other sites is illegal in this forum. I'll strike it off if u ask me to..
Sid

1349

Hi
I customized this model
HP Pavilion dv6000t customizable Notebook PC
EZ796AV

  1. Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit)
  2. Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T5300(1.73GHz/2MB L2Cache)
  3. 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
  4. Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950 - Core
  5. HP Imprint Finish + Microphone
  6. FREE Upgrade from 512MB to 1GB DDR2 (2x512MB)!!
  7. 80GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
  8. FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
  9. Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
  10. No TV Tuner w/remote control
  11. High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
  12. Microsoft(R) Works 8.0
How good is above configuration? I am planning to take it frm US.
Budget ~ 40k
Please comment.
1350
Hi
I customized this model
HP Pavilion dv6000t customizable Notebook PC
EZ796AV
  1. - Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit)
  2. - Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T5300(1.73GHz/2MB L2Cache)
  3. - 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
  4. - Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950 - Core
  5. - HP Imprint Finish + Microphone
  6. - FREE Upgrade from 512MB to 1GB DDR2 (2x512MB)!!
  7. - 80GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
  8. - FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
  9. - Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
  10. - No TV Tuner w/remote control
  11. - High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
  12. - Microsoft(R) Works 8.0
How good is above configuration? I am planning to take it frm US.
Budget ~ 40k
Please comment.


Good Config ...Grab it.. But is it really available within 40K?? I guess u will overshoot ur budget...
1351

@ Raja - Good config. You might get this for your desired budget in the US..But do note that you'll not get any warranty or service cover in India. So if anything goes kaput within the first year, you might end up paying more on repairs than what you'd have paid if you got it fron here itself..

1352
Ubermensch Says
@ Raja - Good config. You might get this for your desired budget in the US..But do note that you'll not get any warranty or service cover in India. So if anything goes kaput within the first year, you might end up paying more on repairs than what you'd have paid if you got it fron here itself..


So, your take is to go for a model avbl in India or to avail this risk?

I asked US HP ppl, they told me warranty is valid across globe and most of the cities in India do provide service...

Indian HP guys told if the model is avbl over here, we will provide service.

Did any of your friend faced a problem like this? ?


Thanks
1353
razabpn Says
Good Config ...Grab it.. But is it really available within 40K?? I guess u will overshoot ur budget...


Check it out...
Buy HP Pavilion dv6000t series, HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario Notebook PCs and Laptop Computers direct from the HP Home & Home Office Store

Thanks
1356

I asked US HP ppl, they told me warranty is valid across globe and most of the cities in India do provide service...
Indian HP guys told if the model is avbl over here, we will provide service.


If you're getting international warranty within that price, then nothing like it..Grab the offer!

Hi Puys,

I have got this DELL laptop from US in 32 K, I do not have any ideas on the lapppy front.

Can you guys tell me if its a good/Bad/decent deal or any other thing i need 2 add etc.




Looks pretty decent for B-school use and you're good to go..

However, if you havent still bought it and changes can be made to the config, then get a Core Duo processor or even better, a Core2Duo processor..

Do note that the T2060 and T2080 are Pentium Dual Core processors and NOT Core Duo! Not saying that they're bad or not good enough for B-scool life, just that it'd make more sense now to go for a CD or C2D proccy..

Also, are you getting International warranty for the purchase? Be very sure on this part!

Cheers!
1358

1. Are laptops also assembled like desktops that we have not a fixed brand but a complied one ??: ?
No..

2. What should be the preferences when we buy them and the meanings of preferences?

Processor: It is the heart of laptop. Everything depends on it. Go for Centrino DUO.. Ideal for any Laptop.
Battery: Mobility of use. Go for atleast 6 cell battery.
RAM: Minimum 512 MB, commands the speed of laptop processing
Harddisk: 40GB is ok..U know what the more the space the less it becomes over a period of time!!! 80 GB is standard now days...
Goodies like DVD writer, Webcam, WiFi enabled, Blue tooth etc are add ons. For u in built Webcam is must as u would be surfing a lot!

3. My usage with laptop would be creating presentation slides and internet, no gaming etc.
For this usages, a Celeron M would suffice but as u have a budget of 50K, a Centrino Duo would be bought easily.

4. Should I go for the branded names?
Yes, ofcourse..no choice!!

5. Is any warranty or guarantee is provided by the laptop manufacturers?
Most companies provide 1 year Onsite warranty... Days of Guarantee is over!!

6. Which company provides the best service in case of repair?
No clue! But they all suck! Why the hell repair be needed in first palce!

7. Should I go for a brand name?
Your wish if u are a emotional buyer!!!

8. I dont need a hard disk of too much high capacity. A hard disk of 40 Gb is sufficient for me.
Hard disk have become cheap so even a higher capacity harddisk wont cost u a bomb! It hardly matters ur budget.

9. I need fast internet on it.
Fast internet speed has nothing to do with Laptop, it depends on ur service provider and connection type; like- Broadband, Dial up etc

10. It should not hang much.
Hanging depends on ur software, nothing to do with hardware. And if u go for Windows based lappy then by god it will(Thats exactly why the option 'Restart' was invented)... Linux is cool.. Try that...
Baawribala Says
I request you to decide for me and unanimously suggest a brand for me which I would buy as I am finding myself unable to take decision.Then I would relegiously follow what puys suggest.

Go for HP lappy on Centrino platform...
1359

baawribala Dude...suggest you stay with a branded piece. I doubt if you get unbranded ones anyway, the only available ones are eitehr at higher end (sony hp etc) or at the lower end(like hcl/zenith etc)
If u got a bit of budget constraints, get an HCL, it should be good.
If no budget constraints, then first decide on brand. Stick with HP or Dell. Sony ain't so good in the laptop division.
After choosing brand, decide on where you wanna buy (India or US) If you can manage a US wala, go for it blindly, it saves over 15k easily. If India, walk upto a place like houseoflaptops (or any decent place, which I am sure you can find) and ask them to show the various models in that brand.
for yr specified reqmt, a celeron should suffise, but ensure tha tyou don't regret later. coz laptops are not just for work anymore, there should be a fun factor taken into cons as well. bloody hell man, you buy a laptop once in a few years and once you buy it, it loses value, so just got for a core duo at least.
Choose what you like, pay for it and live happily for 3-4 years at least !!!

1361
I am looking for a laptop with the following confg. ...please help me out....
  1. PROCESSOR: Intel core 2 Duo processor / Intel core Duo processor (AMD processor - last option) 64 BIT
  2. OPEATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows XP (Windows Vista last option)
  3. MEMORY: 512MB min. for Win.XP (1Gb min. for Win.Vista)
  4. HARD DISK DRIVE: 80GB min.
  5. DISPLAY SIZE: 14' to 15.4' (preferable - >15')
  6. GRAPHICS (Video card): Intel GMA950 (If better is available at less costit will be preferred)
  7. OPTICAL DRIVE: DVD writer (No preference to Combo drive)
  8. WI-FI, LAN and at least 3 USB portsBluetooth (but not necessary)
  9. Integrated Web cam (MUST)
  10. Good after Sale service
  11. Not heavy nor too light
  12. Normal Stereo Speakers (Integrated)
  13. Touchpad with 2-way scroll (Preferred)
I am looking for one costing upto Rs.45000
Thanks a lot
1362
I am looking for a laptop with the following confg. ...please help me out....
  1. PROCESSOR: Intel core 2 Duo processor / Intel core Duo processor (AMD processor last option) 64 BIT
  2. OPEATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows XP (Windows Vista last option)
  3. MEMORY: 512MB min. for Win.XP (1Gb min. for Win.Vista)
  4. HARD DISK DRIVE: 80GB min.
  5. DISPLAY SIZE: 14 to 15.4 (preferable >15)
  6. GRAPHICS (Video card): Intel GMA950 (If better is available at less costit will be preferred)
  7. OPTICAL DRIVE: DVD writer (No preference to Combo drive)
  8. WI-FI, LAN and at least 3 USB portsBluetooth (but not necessary)
  9. Integrated Web cam (MUST)
  10. Good after Sale service
  11. Not heavy nor too light
  12. Normal Stereo Speakers (Integrated)
  13. Touchpad with 2-way scroll (Preferred)
I am looking for one costing upto Rs.45000
Thanks a lot



the compaq new model is really good.....chk it out...got one for meself...worth 48 k.....
1363
As it always was, this is the time for a furore in Laptop markets.
I've been vella enough in the past month or so to research all the laptops in the market. I had a tight budget (
At the time of buying the laptop, I was faced with the processor-RAM-Peripheral configurations conundrum...CoreDuo Vs Core2Duo, the role of clock speed (1.66 GHz, 1.73GHz...) etc. The free time aided me in collecting some useful technical information about the processors.

This post is to help you guys figure out what combination you should be looking for in a laptop so as to achieve max efficiency...basically ur money's worth. Here u go...


The Core2Duo has an inherent edge over the CoreDuo one, that can range from 5% - 25% depending upon the tasks u're performing (the more CPU intensive the task, the bigger the advantage). AFAIK, we're buying lappies for everyday essentials like word processing, mails, songs, XL etc. These are not CPU intensive tasks.

This advantage can, however, be offset by the clock speed (basically something that decides how fast the processor can perform a logical operation) of the processor. So a 1.83 GHz Core Duo processor is better than the 1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo one for everyday essentials. (do the math urself :razz: ) If we consider gaming...the 1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo outperforms the 1.83 GHz Core Duo one by 10% (nothing to write home about )

 Another performance factor is The Front Side Bus factor. (FSB)
(FSB is the means for Memory-processor-memory and periphal-processor-peripheral data transfers)

The intel Dual-Core processors either come with a 667MHz Front Side Bus config or a 533 MHz FSB...so theoritically speaking, the 667MHz lappy should be 25% faster than the 533MHz one.

The problem with the current laptops is that even though the RAMs and HardDisks have been upgraded to the 667 MHz versions, a lot of peripherals still run at 533 MHz...so the 667MHz versions of the laptops do not run at 100% efficiency...as a result, they're finally just 10% faster than their 533Mhz counterparts. So even if u buy these, it'll constantly haunt u that these 'dabbas' run 15% slower than they're supposed to. :razz:

Now the problem with the Dell 667MHz versions is that Dell provides a 1GB or 2GB 533MHz RAM with this processor (yeah yeah as a part of befooling the innocent junta). This, in effect, makes the laptop 'handicapped'...all the advantage it's got over the 533MHz counterparts has been annulled because of the processor-memory mismatch. So if u're going for a Dell, be extra careful to see that the RAMs FSB config matches with the processor's. Please note that a 667MHz RAM for a 533MHz processor is equally erroneous.

One more thing to consider is the DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) thingy...the DIMM is basically a RAM stick that u see on ur Laptop...each DIMM goes into a RAM slot in ur laptop. Dell provides you with 2-4 RAM Slots. If u go for a 2-slot Laptop, which I think is default in India,and if u're buying 2 sticks of 512MB, there won't be a way u can upgrade in the future. So better go for a 1GB, 1DIMM, 533MHz thingy, so that u get an empty slot for future upgrade.


Now coming to the Processor FSBs, These are the most commonly used B-School processors:
CoreDuo - T2300 (1.83 GHz, the one many of us, including me, go for) - 533 MHz
Core2Duo - T5300(1.73 GHz, the one mentioned as an upgrade) - 533 MHz
Core2Duo - T5500(1.66 GHz, the one I suggest as a upgrade, if at all) - 667 MHz

Because of similar FSB Frequency, an upgrade from T2300 to T5300, is in effect not an upgrade. :razz:

While the higher clock speed benefits the T2300 users, the superior technology benefits the T5300 users and when compared with each other, there's nothing to choose between the two processors. So that's a definite 7-8K waste if u go for the T5300 instead of T2300.

The T5500 however is a genuine upgrade to the T2300 processor. If at all u wanna upgrade, go for the 1.66 GHz one...but the problem again, is the cost. 10K extra for upgrading everything to 667MHz. (RAM, HDD etc etc)


I just hope the technicalities are understandable. Now just go nail that lappy of urs.


P.S: this is a repost of what I posted on that Dell Bulk Deal thread...realized that it was on the wrong thread.