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Old 18th August 2015, 15:39   #4411
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Originally Posted by Soumyajit9 View Post
....
Apart from the processor difference, there is a Nvidia Graphics card and 1 TB Hdd. But that does not justify 15k premium.

.....

What do you folks recommend ? Go for i3 1.7Ghz or i5 1.7Ghz.

Usage is basic browsing, photo editing, movies, music, mild games like old NFS series.
Even I am in the same boat as you. From whatever I have read, for normal use i3 should be sufficient for normal everyday use. But I am also thinking of future proofing as the laptop would be used for atleast 6-7 years.

A good link that I came across -

http://www.cnet.com/topics/laptops/buying-guide/

Quote:
Originally Posted by sgiitk View Post
I have both i3 (Toshiba M840) and i5 (Lenovo Flex2). There is a huge performance difference. I do have Nvidia in my Lenovo but then Win10 does not quite like it. Nvidia drivers have been a pain. Too big, and too frequent, with poor installers.
But will the i3 suffice for the use that Soumyajit mentioned above?

Thanks for the update on the Nvidia drivers issue with Win10, will look up on the www.
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Old 18th August 2015, 22:16   #4412
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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But will the i3 suffice for the use that Soumyajit mentioned above?
Photoediting at all but the most rudimentary level needs an i5/i7 as well as graphics processor.
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Old 20th August 2015, 12:52   #4413
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

Finally zeroed in on the HP-15-ac052tx and ordered from FK, is out for delivery today as I opted for the one day delivery option. Cost me aprroximately 43.8K, price on FK was 46K including a 1k discount, on top of that got additional 5% discount on using debit card.

Below are the main specs -

Screen - 15.6", HD LED backlit, 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor - Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2GHz with turbo boost upto 2.7GHz
RAM - 8GB DDR3 1.6 GHz
Hard disk - 1TB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
Graphic - 2GB AMD Radeon R5 Series M330 DDR3
OS - Win 8.1 64bit

The reviews are all good on FK, hope they are genuine.
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Old 20th August 2015, 13:11   #4414
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Originally Posted by Lij View Post
Finally zeroed in on the HP-15-ac052tx and ordered from FK, is out for delivery today as I opted for the one day delivery option. Cost me aprroximately 43.8K, price on FK was 46K including a 1k discount, on top of that got additional 5% discount on using debit card.

Below are the main specs -

Screen - 15.6", HD LED backlit, 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor - Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2GHz with turbo boost upto 2.7GHz
RAM - 8GB DDR3 1.6 GHz
Hard disk - 1TB 5400 RPM SATA HDD
Graphic - 2GB AMD Radeon R5 Series M330 DDR3
OS - Win 8.1 64bit

The reviews are all good on FK, hope they are genuine.
Whoa ! You were in my boat last week and you jumped onto the shore so soon !!

Congrats on the new buy. The configurations just look so tempting. This is exactly the kind of specifications I want.

My 8 year old Dell Inspiron 1520 has almost same configuration (except a Pentium Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB RAM).

So this HP notebook sets a benchmark for me to search. My brother has 2011 HP Probook (forgot the model) and I now have it for sometime. He used to complain, and I also felt personally, that the build quality of HP is lesser than a Dell. When I hold the screen, the casing gets pressed and feels like it could damage the screen.

How is the build quality of your notebook ? Once you receive, please post some images and a short review of the build quality of plastics. I have no doubts about the configurations.

At 45k, it is a bit steep for my budget (which is around 35k max). But if the build is good, I can stretch.

8 years back I had bought my Dell Inspiron 1520 for 48k. So paying 45k as of today's date is something I am not very comfortable with. Hence asking.

Once again, congrats for your new gadget !!
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Old 20th August 2015, 14:03   #4415
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Originally Posted by Soumyajit9 View Post
...
My brother has 2011 HP Probook (forgot the model) and I now have it for sometime. He used to complain, and I also felt personally, that the build quality of HP is lesser than a Dell. When I hold the screen, the casing gets pressed and feels like it could damage the screen.

How is the build quality of your notebook ? Once you receive, please post some images and a short review of the build quality of plastics. I have no doubts about the configurations.

At 45k, it is a bit steep for my budget (which is around 35k max). But if the build is good, I can stretch.

....
I had been in your boat for a few weeks to be honest.

Well, frankly when I checked the B&M stores around, I didn't find any make to be of good quality, including the Dells and HPs.

I have a 2008 Toshiba Satellite series, the motherboard's gone kaput and couple of places I checked they were not able to source it and hence had to buy a new one. Also the speakers didn't work for the last couple of years, and they were the Harman Kardon ones. But the laptop is very well built and no issues on the keyboard/screen. Not a single key has any issue and even today works as new and with a very tactile feedback on key presses.

I guess the new gen laptops doesn't have the build quality of the old.

Coming to the price, its difficult to get a similar specced device at a lower range, maybe if you get a DOS based one you can save a few thousands on the Win8.1 cost. But could be difficult at 35K range.

All the best for your search, will put in my feedback once I lay hands on the HP.

Last edited by Lij : 20th August 2015 at 14:04.
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Old 22nd August 2015, 00:24   #4416
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

Initial views of HP 15-ac052tx -

Build Quality - Satisfactory. Tends to pick up smudges, especially from my palms as I sweat a bit more.
Display - is quite good with very good viewing angles.
Sound - Not good, if you intend to watch movies will have to use speakers.
Boot-up - Boots within 30 secs.
Keyboard - Is better than the Lenovos, but the top row keys and the lettering on them are very small, but will get used it pretty quickly.
Battery back-up - around 3.5 hours with normal usage and wifi.

Haven't used for any gaming, but I believe should be able to handle normal games with doesn't require very intense graphics. Also doesn't heat-up as much compared to my previous laptop.

Some users on FK mentioned they got a laptop bag, which isn't the case with me. Checked the website again and it doesn't mention about a bag in the box, so didn't pursue it.

Overall a good laptop for everyday use at the price point I got it for, the 5% additional discount is currently not available on FK.
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Old 2nd September 2015, 13:15   #4417
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

I want a Laptop for putting in Market trades. The Laptop will need to run efficiently and it should be easy and fast to type. I cannot afford any time wasting while the screen lags or freezes.
It will need to run for many hours at a stretch.The Laptop will be in ac room while running so over heating should not be an issue.
It should also be as light as possible as I will need to take it to the office and back home in public transportation. I am also hoping for the laptop to run well and be a little rugged. Please advice me one.

I went to Croma and checked out a few which were on display. I found Acer to be inaccurate. The HP laptop was not able to go into Graphic Settings(It could also be a one off). I found the quality of Dell also to be cheap.
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Old 2nd September 2015, 20:56   #4418
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

I am looking for a printer+scanner to use with my laptop. It's not going to be used much - maybe a couple of times a month at most. So I am looking for something which can be stored in a cupboard (without occupying much space) and can be quickly connected and used. Any recommendations?
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Old 3rd September 2015, 12:25   #4419
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Iam in a slightly confused state. My Dell Studio 1558 has crashed, and looking at the symptoms, looks like a motherboard problem. I am now not sure which laptop to buy.
.....
Finally got a MSI GT80, which has an 18" screen, and still can be called portable if really want to

Most of the time its on the table, but occasionally I take it to the sofa or bed. Defn not light.
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Old 3rd September 2015, 14:23   #4420
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Originally Posted by carboy View Post
I am looking for a printer+scanner to use with my laptop. It's not going to be used much - maybe a couple of times a month at most. So I am looking for something which can be stored in a cupboard (without occupying much space) and can be quickly connected and used. Any recommendations?
I bought an HP 5610 all-in-one quite some time back. It is working perfectly. You can get a current version. If you are not going to print a lot of colour, then get a printer with separate Black and coloured cartridges.

One thing to note is that with inkjet printers, if you are not going to use the printer for some time, take the cartridges out and seal the pin side with tape. If left alone they are prone to either leaking or jamming.

Last edited by Aroy : 3rd September 2015 at 14:24.
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Old 3rd September 2015, 20:42   #4421
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Originally Posted by supercars View Post
The Laptop will need to run efficiently and it should be easy and fast to type. I cannot afford any time wasting while the screen lags or freezes.It should also be as light as possible as I will need to take it to the office and back home in public transportation. I am also hoping for the laptop to run well and be a little rugged. Please advice me one.
You haven't mentioned the budget but let me recommend one anyway. Your needs all point to a reliable, proven machine which can handle all environments with ease. May I recommend a Lenovo Thinkpad for the following reasons :

- Carbon fibre + magnesium alloy build - lighter & stronger protection for screen & hard drive.
- Spill resistant keyboard with liquid escape channel - can survive an accidental spill of a glass of water easily. Sugary liquids might need cleaning later.
- A price range of between 48k-90k depending on screen-size/workload. The series in order of affordability is E<L<T<X. Look for only 2015 models i.e E450, L450 etc.
- 3 year On-Site warranty (they will visit office/home to repair or inspect) with first year accident coverage (atleast for T series onwards)
- I've personally used 2 Thinkpad's, I exchanged the first one for the T430 I have now. No problems until now with respect to heat/fan noise etc. The prev one even took an accidental fall from 2.5 feet, not even a scratch.
- Anti-glare screen in T-Series to work in office environment. The resolution is best in higher end models like T & X but only very marginally.
- ThinkPad's since their IBM days has had a strong following from the working crowd for its reliability & practicality. It has only gotten more affordable since Lenovo took over. IBM ones costed well over 1.5 lacs.
- The best keyboard in any laptop because of its old-school tactile feel (key-strokes are longer and well padded and gives a strong feedback when used)

Do try out a model if available and clarify any doubts in a Lenovo shop. The only reason I'm recommending it is because it has never let me down at any point without any need for servicing.

Last edited by dark.knight : 3rd September 2015 at 20:44.
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Old 4th September 2015, 10:33   #4422
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

Even I am using Thinkpads - X series for the last 10 years. Except changing batteries every three years I have faced no problems.

The major advantage is that Indian Thinkpads come with International warranty, so you can get them repaired where ever there is a Lenovo service centre.
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Old 4th September 2015, 11:23   #4423
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Even I am using Thinkpads - X series for the last 10 years.
Aroy, my X220 is some years old. I got it with a docking station. Now I am told I have to upgrade this machine (by the IT dept). What machine would you recommend that comes with a docking station (I had a X60p or 61p or something like that before this, and a T41p before that....so am pretty much stuck on Thinkpad).
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Old 4th September 2015, 18:21   #4424
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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Aroy, my X220 is some years old. I got it with a docking station. Now I am told I have to upgrade this machine (by the IT dept). What machine would you recommend that comes with a docking station (I had a X60p or 61p or something like that before this, and a T41p before that....so am pretty much stuck on Thinkpad).
I am still with my X60S. I think that a T series would be better buy, unless you want an ultra portable neth X. Buy one which suits your computing style. By the way what do you use your docking station for? I guess with modern T/X series you can easily attach an external HD monitor and always a USB mouse.

Here are some links that you can peruse to find compatibility of your current dock with a newer system
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/migr-4tpjf4
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/um006391
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Old 5th September 2015, 11:14   #4425
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re: THE Laptop Thread: Configs, deals and questions

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By the way what do you use your docking station for? I guess with modern T/X series you can easily attach an external HD monitor and always a USB mouse.
Thanks. Currently my machine (via the dock) is connected to an external keyboard and mouse, 2 big monitors (really big but I don't know the size 30" or something), my Focal XS 2.1 stereo system, a LAN, a power cable and one more USB wire (I can't trace where that goes). My dock looks something like that Ultrabase3 in the first link you posted.

When I went to the X250 and T440 links I did not find something like the Ultrabase.
http://shopap.lenovo.com/in/en/lapto...ies_-_services
http://shopap.lenovo.com/in/en/lapto...ies_-_services

but I found this
http://shopap.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary...ode=40A20135IN

http://shopap.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary...ode=40A20170IN

Last edited by navin : 5th September 2015 at 11:34.
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