The Laptop Thread: Configs, deals & questions

sammyboy · 2nd June 2010, 12:55

Thanks Clevermax. I guess i will go in for an i5 only. Any recommendations regarding the models i can look for? I understand i might need to do some customisation though.

Also, whats the diff between a Studio n the inspiron? They seem to have different prices.

clevermax · 2nd June 2010, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyboy

Thanks Clevermax. I guess i will go in for an i5 only. Any recommendations regarding the models i can look for? I understand i might need to do some customisation though.

Also, whats the diff between a Studio n the inspiron? They seem to have different prices.

I have Inspiron and Studio, I find no big differences!

Studio comes with graphics cards, and Inspiron had only the on-board Intel graphics chips when I bought it.

I recommend Dell, as I was able to find a config to my liking, withing my budget from Dell. A-S-S is also good.

sammyboy · 2nd June 2010, 13:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by clevermax

I have Inspiron and Studio, I find no big differences!

Studio comes with graphics cards, and Inspiron had only the on-board Intel graphics chips when I bought it.

I recommend Dell, as I was able to find a config to my liking, withing my budget from Dell. A-S-S is also good.

Perfect. I have been spoilt by THinkpads so was a little unsure. I also had Toshiba Satellite which was retired 2 yrs back. THe office laptop i have is an HP so Dell is the only one i havnt experienced

.
Guess its time to check it out then.
WIll check the Studio then cos I might also end up doing a lil bit of PS n basic gaming. THanks a lot bro.

iTNerd · 2nd June 2010, 15:48

I have been spoilt by MacBook Pro 15" (which I had been using for the last 2 years, and 90% of the time, in windows mode only). But as I am leaving the company and had to return the mac. So, I have an urgent buy to make for a business laptop, preferably light-weight (13"-14"), that have extreme build quality, reliable and more importantly latest configuration. I was considering the latest MacBook pro 13", but the cost itself is premium, and I won't be using much of Mac OS. But I am already sold on the Mac's durability, reliability and design.

But is it worth to buy a MacBook pro only to use in windows, and pay the premium? what other comparable laptops should I look for?

Criteria:
1) Durability/Reliability
2) Great Build quality
3) Light-weight, but still powerful enough to run the latest graphic/video tools (not for gaming)
4) Within 60K budget

Edited: For my gaming and heavy duty video editing, I already have a desktop replacement laptop - DELL Inspiron 17" 9300 (armed to the teeth). So would prefer a light-weight laptop.

sammyboy · 2nd June 2010, 22:05

Okay so i went to the Dell store today and though i liked the Studio laptops, I am more than happy with the 15R Inspiron series considering my usage. I also plan to use this for a year or two max as I will most probably move the Thinkpad after that.

Planning to go in for the cheapest one, the Inspiron 15 R (T540511IN8) for 31,900 plus delivery charges. I guess 3GB of RAM and i3 is good enough for me for the time being as I will only use this for net surfing and standard MS office stuff. Maybe a little bit of Photoshop but nothing hardcore. I will not really use this for gaming as I already have a game ready desktop and a new PS3.

I loved the extra numpad though, as i really need that and use it a lot.
I guess there will be cheaper options available too but then Dell has great service (will take the 2yr warranty, non accidental one) and I dont really wanna run around incase something goes wrong.

What say guys? Should I take the plunge?

iTNerd · 3rd June 2010, 01:10

I am in the market for a thin-light weight laptop, thin-light weight because of the mobility factor as it would accompany me on every journey. My need is purely for biz purpose (emails, development and occasional photo/video editing). No gaming! As it would be on the move most of the time, I am looking towards a rigid and reliable build that can withstand normal abuses (not the hardcore dropping on pool, or throwing into the mud!). I particularly like the aluminum uni body construction of the macbook pro, and haven used the older MBP 15", I can vouch for its utmost reliability. Only one thought that is holding me back is the high premium on the 13" MBP and yet, the CPU is the older core 2 duo, no dedicated GPU, only two USB ports, 1280x800 resolution only!

On the contrary the ThinkPad T410 comes with a choice of core 2 duo and the latest i3, i5 CPUs, high resolution 1440x960 etc. And of course, more security oriented features such as finger print reader, and 3 years warranty including battery. The price (MBP 13" and ThinkPad 410) are in the range of 65-70 K.

My dilemma is whether to blindly buy the MBP 13" (if I do, I will install windows and use it 95% of the time) or to try a thinkpad with build quality to match and which is more practical (in the sense, it is designed for windows)?

Any views would be helpful!

debugged · 3rd June 2010, 11:18

If you are going to use windows most of the time, then I would choose thinkpad. Especially since you mention that the 3 year warranty covers battery too.

I love all those tiny utility provided on IBM/lenovo website (though they hog up some RAM) especially the hard disk motion detecting utility. Plus appreciation for thinkpad quality over the last 5 years (Though in my personal opinion the quality has come down since lenovo took over.).

iTNerd · 3rd June 2010, 12:00

Thanks debugged! Do you mean the quality has gone done on the ThinkPad range after lenovo take over? I heard the opposite from some forums though..

sammyboy · 3rd June 2010, 12:12

Well, I have been using Thinkpads for about 6 years and am a big fan. I (actually my wife

)have a T60 with me as well which is over 2 years old and apart from the battery life having reduced to about 1 hour of backup it still works and feels like new.
This one was bought after the name change to Lenovo but i havent really felt any difference.

They are the most robust laptops I have ever used and the keyboard is one of the best ever. If you have the budget, I would say go for it. If you can get it from the US, nothing like it. The one I got cost me about 75k from there but the similar config was not even available in India at that time, the closest was about for about 1.2L .

But I guess the difference is not as much now so getting it from here at about 70K is pretty decent as well.

whacky_rohan · 4th June 2010, 11:59

@ sammyboy: if the battery life is reduced to about an hour.. then beware.. the battery might die any time.. it happened on my lappy..

@iTNerd: its pointless buying a mac if you are gonna install windows on it.. so go for the thinkpad..
ooh and now macs also come with core i3 and i5 and with 4gb and 6 gb ram options..

d3mon · 5th June 2010, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by clevermax

EDIT: I ran Photoshop CS4 64-bit on the new i7 laptop. The performance was really good. PS loads in no time! Somehow, the smooth image zoom-in and zoom-out like you see in Picasa was missing. (I saw that in another desktop, in CS4)

Did the desktop have NVIDIA graphics?

Because that's the only thing that could make a difference.

In the latest iteration of photoshop (read CS4), Adobe has used CUDA acceleration for a number of common tasks, which includes image zooming and panning. This is supported on NVIDIA graphics cards only.

Adobe Speaks Visual

YouTube - Adobe® Photoshop® CS4 & NVIDIA® GPUs

anku94 · 5th June 2010, 22:52

Conspicuous by the absence of any mention of them, I guess many people don't know this, so here goes....

ALIENWARE LAPTOPS ARE AVAILABLE IN INDIA !!!!

Yes, Dell is now selling it's much-famous Alienware Brand in India, available only through their online store.

sammyboy · 6th June 2010, 12:40

^^ yeah I did see it in the Dell Showroom in Bangalore, just that they are pretty expensive (but awesome)

clevermax · 6th June 2010, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by d3mon

Did the desktop have NVIDIA graphics?

Because that's the only thing that could make a difference.

In the latest iteration of photoshop (read CS4), Adobe has used CUDA acceleration for a number of common tasks, which includes image zooming and panning. This is supported on NVIDIA graphics cards only.

So that explains it. No, mine is having ATI card.

S_U_N · 6th June 2010, 15:51

For those looking for sturdy laptops, have a look at the Latitude series from Dell. In comparison, the Inspiron and Studio series appear flimsy.

2nd June 2010, 12:55	#2386
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	Thanks Clevermax. I guess i will go in for an i5 only. Any recommendations regarding the models i can look for? I understand i might need to do some customisation though. Also, whats the diff between a Studio n the inspiron? They seem to have different prices. Last edited by sammyboy : 2nd June 2010 at 12:57.
	() Thanks

2nd June 2010, 15:48	#2389
iTNerd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imphal/Noida Posts: 1,243 Thanked: 1,221 Times View My Garage	I have been spoilt by MacBook Pro 15" (which I had been using for the last 2 years, and 90% of the time, in windows mode only). But as I am leaving the company and had to return the mac. So, I have an urgent buy to make for a business laptop, preferably light-weight (13"-14"), that have extreme build quality, reliable and more importantly latest configuration. I was considering the latest MacBook pro 13", but the cost itself is premium, and I won't be using much of Mac OS. But I am already sold on the Mac's durability, reliability and design. But is it worth to buy a MacBook pro only to use in windows, and pay the premium? what other comparable laptops should I look for? Criteria: 1) Durability/Reliability 2) Great Build quality 3) Light-weight, but still powerful enough to run the latest graphic/video tools (not for gaming) 4) Within 60K budget Edited: For my gaming and heavy duty video editing, I already have a desktop replacement laptop - DELL Inspiron 17" 9300 (armed to the teeth). So would prefer a light-weight laptop. Last edited by iTNerd : 2nd June 2010 at 15:51.
	() Thanks

2nd June 2010, 22:05	#2390
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	Okay so i went to the Dell store today and though i liked the Studio laptops, I am more than happy with the 15R Inspiron series considering my usage. I also plan to use this for a year or two max as I will most probably move the Thinkpad after that. Planning to go in for the cheapest one, the Inspiron 15 R (T540511IN8) for 31,900 plus delivery charges. I guess 3GB of RAM and i3 is good enough for me for the time being as I will only use this for net surfing and standard MS office stuff. Maybe a little bit of Photoshop but nothing hardcore. I will not really use this for gaming as I already have a game ready desktop and a new PS3. I loved the extra numpad though, as i really need that and use it a lot. I guess there will be cheaper options available too but then Dell has great service (will take the 2yr warranty, non accidental one) and I dont really wanna run around incase something goes wrong. What say guys? Should I take the plunge?
	() Thanks

3rd June 2010, 01:10	#2391
iTNerd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imphal/Noida Posts: 1,243 Thanked: 1,221 Times View My Garage	Which thin-light biz laptop - MacBook Pro 13" or ThinkPad T410? I am in the market for a thin-light weight laptop, thin-light weight because of the mobility factor as it would accompany me on every journey. My need is purely for biz purpose (emails, development and occasional photo/video editing). No gaming! As it would be on the move most of the time, I am looking towards a rigid and reliable build that can withstand normal abuses (not the hardcore dropping on pool, or throwing into the mud!). I particularly like the aluminum uni body construction of the macbook pro, and haven used the older MBP 15", I can vouch for its utmost reliability. Only one thought that is holding me back is the high premium on the 13" MBP and yet, the CPU is the older core 2 duo, no dedicated GPU, only two USB ports, 1280x800 resolution only! On the contrary the ThinkPad T410 comes with a choice of core 2 duo and the latest i3, i5 CPUs, high resolution 1440x960 etc. And of course, more security oriented features such as finger print reader, and 3 years warranty including battery. The price (MBP 13" and ThinkPad 410) are in the range of 65-70 K. My dilemma is whether to blindly buy the MBP 13" (if I do, I will install windows and use it 95% of the time) or to try a thinkpad with build quality to match and which is more practical (in the sense, it is designed for windows)? Any views would be helpful!
	() Thanks

3rd June 2010, 11:18	#2392
debugged BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 42 Thanked: 6 Times	If you are going to use windows most of the time, then I would choose thinkpad. Especially since you mention that the 3 year warranty covers battery too. I love all those tiny utility provided on IBM/lenovo website (though they hog up some RAM) especially the hard disk motion detecting utility. Plus appreciation for thinkpad quality over the last 5 years (Though in my personal opinion the quality has come down since lenovo took over.).
	() Thanks

3rd June 2010, 12:00	#2393
iTNerd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imphal/Noida Posts: 1,243 Thanked: 1,221 Times View My Garage	Thanks debugged! Do you mean the quality has gone done on the ThinkPad range after lenovo take over? I heard the opposite from some forums though..
	() Thanks

3rd June 2010, 12:12	#2394
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	Well, I have been using Thinkpads for about 6 years and am a big fan. I (actually my wife )have a T60 with me as well which is over 2 years old and apart from the battery life having reduced to about 1 hour of backup it still works and feels like new. This one was bought after the name change to Lenovo but i havent really felt any difference. They are the most robust laptops I have ever used and the keyboard is one of the best ever. If you have the budget, I would say go for it. If you can get it from the US, nothing like it. The one I got cost me about 75k from there but the similar config was not even available in India at that time, the closest was about for about 1.2L . But I guess the difference is not as much now so getting it from here at about 70K is pretty decent as well. Last edited by sammyboy : 3rd June 2010 at 12:15.
	() Thanks

4th June 2010, 11:59	#2395
whacky_rohan Newbie Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 16 Thanked: 0 Times	@ sammyboy: if the battery life is reduced to about an hour.. then beware.. the battery might die any time.. it happened on my lappy.. @iTNerd: its pointless buying a mac if you are gonna install windows on it.. so go for the thinkpad.. ooh and now macs also come with core i3 and i5 and with 4gb and 6 gb ram options..
	() Thanks

5th June 2010, 22:52	#2397
anku94 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 249 Thanked: 353 Times	Conspicuous by the absence of any mention of them, I guess many people don't know this, so here goes.... ALIENWARE LAPTOPS ARE AVAILABLE IN INDIA !!!! Yes, Dell is now selling it's much-famous Alienware Brand in India, available only through their online store.
	() Thanks

6th June 2010, 12:40	#2398
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	^^ yeah I did see it in the Dell Showroom in Bangalore, just that they are pretty expensive (but awesome)
	() Thanks

6th June 2010, 15:51	#2400
S_U_N Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Oslo Posts: 1,816 Thanked: 418 Times	For those looking for sturdy laptops, have a look at the Latitude series from Dell. In comparison, the Inspiron and Studio series appear flimsy.
	() Thanks