# Confused about moving from Desktop to Laptop. Help needed!



## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

*Hi all!*
I'm very new to thinkdigit _Forum_. But I've been following this forum for quite a long time and now I'm a *great fan* of you all!
Here's a some background (some jibber-jabber, embedded in SPOILER tag. You may skip this just in case you want only the questionnnaire part. But I'll be happy if you allow me to express! I'll try to be quick! )


Spoiler



*Who I am*: recently passed out BE E&TC guy, joining IT industry while maintaining the Embedded Electronics work.

*History*: I got introduced to computers at the age of 5. It was a HDD-less 80386 having DOS. Moving through 80386-with-Windows 3.11, Pentium I with Windows 95 and AMD Athlon with Windows XP, today I'm using *Pentium Dual Core E5300, 1GB DDR2 with Windows 7 Ultimate*. The current PC is two years old now.

*What I have been doing and do with my desktop*:

Mostly *coding in various environments*, starting from TurboC, VB6 (Very light and legacy) to Eclipse, Visual Studio 2010, MPLAB IDE, AVR Studio (Newer and heavy IDEs) as well as *simulations* on Multisim (electronic circuit simulation) and Matlab (signal processing).
Lot of *experiments* regarding Sound (Audacity, Audition, VirtualDJ), Images (Photoshop, GIMP) and occasionally Video (nothing more than Windows Movie Maker), occasional 3D modelling (Blender, SolidWorks).
Working with "heavy" *PowerPoint Presentations* and *heavy browsing* (tend to *multitask* a lot)
Watching *movies* and listening to *music*.
Very rarely play games (such as *NFS U2*, CS 1.6 just for a break or "recreation with fellow geeks")
*Did I ever have a laptop*: technically yes, a family-friend had lent me his extra Dell Inspiron 15r (1st gen i3, 3GB DDR3, 320GB SATA, 512MB ATI), but _never really used it_ since my project required a *Parallel Printer (LPT) Port* for programming a CPLD, which of course, wasn't there in the laptop. So the PC ruled till now!

*The situation now*: As you could have sensed that I'm trying to make "kind of" _heavy and miscellaneous use_ of my simple Dual Core desktop. But recently I'm being bugged by the time it takes for booting, compiling programs or starting the web browser. Also I'm being offered a laptop now and here starts my confusion!


*My concern*:

I have been heavily using my desktop. But it is proving to be weak these days.
I still require the Serial RS-232 Port and Parallel Printer (LPT) Port. So, I cannot completely abandon my PC. But I don't know how it'd be for things to be partly spread between the PC and laptop.
Most of you might have a desktop and laptop. *My question is, how do you manage their throughput, usability, maintenance and synchronisation?* 
So, if I buy a laptop, the *Requirements* can be:

It HAS TO BE *very robust*. Build quality cannot be compromised.
It should be able to run *18-hrs a day* (_with AC plugged in_, but I've heard that battery life gets hampered by that. Solution?) and *~4hrs on battery*.
Should be decently powered: at least *2nd gen i5* ? (_preferred 3rd gen i5_, but price is the bottleneck)
Portability is of importance (*preferred 14", 1.8kg < wt < 2.5kg*) since the non-mobile desktop is already present!
Should have all ports (HDMI, VGA, LAN) with Optical Disk Drive
It has be *future-proof* (expecting USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0)
Better NOT TO HAVE *dedicated graphics* (just for the price issue) since I don't play heavy games.
Preferably has to have Windows 7 preloaded.
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Here's the filled out the *Questionnaire* for laptop/notebook purchase:

1) What is your budget? (INR or USD)

*35k +/- 5k INR* (see at the end)
2) What size & weight consideration (if any) would you prefer?

*14" most preferable; 15.5" only if too good to resist.*
3) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

*Preferred: Sony, HP, Acer
[*]Confused about: Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba*
4) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook? 

*Heavy coding, programming the microcontrollers, browsing, watching movies, experimenting with audio-video-imaging, very rare and light gaming*
5) What screen resolution(s) & type (glossy/matte) would you prefer?

* Preferably Matte (provided it's bright enough), else fine with glossy*
6) Anything else you would like to say? (eg: local purchase, ASS,matte/glossy finish)

I'd mostly purchase it locally.
ASS should be decent but is not of *MAJOR* concern, but of course, should be locally repairable in case.
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My search was zeroed at:

SVE14112EN : E Series : VAIO™ Laptop & Computer : Sony India (My first love! Sadly no i5 version without dedicated graphics. Battery backup? Trackpad?)
HP ProBook 4430s (2nd Gen Core i5) Laptop: Flipkart.com (heating issues? No Win7)
Lenovo Essential G Series G580 (59-324061) Laptop 3rd Gen Ci5/4GB/500GB/DOS: Flipkart.com(Build quality? No Win7)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge Series E420 (1141-FVQ) Laptop: Flipkart.com(Sadly, no USB3.0, no Win7. Similar option?)
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*What I found perfect, but not available in India:
SVE14116FXB : Intel Core i5 2450M(2.50GHz) | 14" | 6GB Memory | 750GB HDD | Backlit Keyboard | Win7HP
This is for merely $696.99 (~38k). Any solution for getting this in India? Will it be there officially in near future?*
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*My confu-clu-sion*: Is it possible to get such a laptop which can let me do *everything that my desktop allows* (and only do the RS-232/LPT Port work on desktop) *at that price*? If not, *should I increase the budget* and by how much? After hearing this I was also being advised to upgrade my desktop (for around 15-18k) and buy a netbook at another 20k! Radical but last solution. *In short*, I've read a lot of things and confused myself. I need a *tough, criticism'ic and frank opinion* from you guys and I welcome ANY of your views!
Thanks in advance!
p.s. I swear I'm gonna get fired upon for writing so long. But letting my confusion out was the only thing I could do! Sorry!


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## randomuser111 (Jul 23, 2012)

Boy was that  a long post ! LOL

Anyway why don't you have a look at this

Comes with Windows, 3rd Gen i5, No dedicated GPU, weighs about 2kg, 14 inch screen, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 ports,and all the other ports you require 
HP Pavilion G4 Series G4-2036TU Laptop (Sparkling Black) (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7HB): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook

Cheaper option, but bigger (15.6inch) and heavier with no Windows. Rest same.

*www.flipkart.com/hp-2000-2116tu-la...H4NE&ref=1aa9889c-e378-4dc5-b752-6c82dea8741d


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 23, 2012)

> It HAS TO BE very *robust*. Build quality cannot be compromised.



A thinkpad would be your best bet.



> It should be able to run 18-hrs a day (with AC plugged in, but I've heard that battery life gets hampered by that. Solution?) and ~4hrs on battery.



60-40 (battery-charge) No zero drop.



> Should be decently powered: at least 2nd gen i5 () (preferred 3rd gen i5, but price is the bottleneck)



Go for 3rd gen if dGPU isn't there, otherwise doesn't really matters.



> SVE14112EN : E Series : VAIO™ Laptop & Computer : Sony India (My first love! Sadly no i5 version without dedicated graphics. Battery backup? Trackpad?



Don't go below i5, rather go for i7 if you can. (Your apps demand that) Battery back up is upto your expectations, track is pad also fine.




> Any solution for getting this in India?



SNS/ICC/friend



> Is it possible to get such a laptop which can let me do everything that my desktop allows (and only do the RS-232/LPT Port work on desktop) at that price?



Yes.



> I was also being advised to upgrade my desktop (for around 15-18k) and buy a netbook at another 20k! Radical but last solution



Much better option if you can chuck the portability factor.

PS: The link of thinkpad directs to probook 



randomuser111 said:


> Comes with Windows, 3rd Gen i5, No dedicated GPU, weighs about 2kg, 14 inch screen, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 ports,and all the other ports you require
> HP Pavilion G4 Series G4-2036TU Laptop (Sparkling Black) (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7HB): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook



+1
....


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks a lot *randomuser111* and *dashing.sujay* for your quick replies!



randomuser111 said:


> Comes with Windows, 3rd Gen i5, No dedicated GPU, weighs about 2kg, 14 inch screen, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 ports,and all the other ports you require
> HP Pavilion G4 Series G4-2036TU Laptop (Sparkling Black) (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7HB): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook


That seems to be a really good option. I'll personally go and see in the shop if it feels good w.r.t. build and material! "Sparkling Black" is not "welcoming" though! Nevertheless, if quality and features are good enough, looks can be compromised in case!



randomuser111 said:


> Cheaper option, but bigger (15.6inch) and heavier with no Windows. Rest same.
> 
> HP 2000 2116TU Laptop 3rd Gen Ci5/2GB/500GB/DOS: Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook


Yup, goes in my list, but the previous option gets priority.



dashing.sujay said:


> A thinkpad would be your best bet.


Exactly! There's one with the required config, and in budget (minus USB 3.0)
(sorry for the wrong link!) Here is the correct link!
And suppose that if I buy the Sony Vaio SVE14116FXB in US, what are the risks and what care/precaution should I take for bringing it _safely _ in India and get full advantage of the warranty? Any sticky/article would also do!


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> 60-40 (battery-charge) No zero drop.


Sorry, but, I didn't really get you...


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 23, 2012)

swaroop.b said:


> And suppose that if I buy the Sony Vaio SVE14116FXB in US, what are the risks and what care/precaution should I take for bringing it _safely _ in India and get full advantage of the warranty? Any sticky/article would also do!



Sony does gives international warranty, but its *limited*, in what way, I can't say. Contact them. SNS/ICC would do it "safely" at their charge. (+customs)



swaroop.b said:


> Sorry, but, I didn't really get you...



Tips to maintain battery. Zero drop = Its not suggested to zero the battery of laptops.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks, dashing.sujay! I'll do some research on SNS/ICC now (yet to figure out what they really are! LOL, so dumb of me!) and will ask further!


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 23, 2012)

SNS= Shop and Ship :: Home

ICC= ICC World


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks again!
I just had a conversation with my father and he's strictly against importing the items! So seems that the "Dream" SVE14116FXB will stay in the Dream State!


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## randomuser111 (Jul 23, 2012)

^
May I know why you like the Vaio ? The HP model has 3rd gen i5 whereas the Vaio only comes with 2nd gen i5.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

randomuser111 said:


> ^
> May I know why you like the Vaio ? The HP model has 3rd gen i5 whereas the Vaio only comes with 2nd gen i5.



Build quality
More on RAM and HDD (not really deal breaker)
Much better Webcam (again, not a deal breaker, but counts)
Looks
Backlit Keyboard
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Home Basic
And plus when I saw the Indian version of the similar product, I literally fell in love with it.
But Third Generation i5 should beat the above points, I presume. What do you think?
p.s. I'm yet to get the feel of the HP laptop. But one similar HP laptop of my friend (some G6 with 1GB AMD Radeon) didn't feel Special or Premium, though bought for ~41k. The entire material was plastic'y, glossy (fingerprints were being glorified) and was showing play at various surfaces.


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## randomuser111 (Jul 23, 2012)

Hmmmm 


I understand. The new E series looks SOOOO cool!!! A friend of mine is buying the Vaio E model you linked, so I had gone to check it out and  I fell in love with it too .The design is so cool, the keyboard is good, touchpad is good. And the screen too much better than others in the range. 

Why don't you increase your budget and get the 3rd gen i5 Vaio E ?


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

@randomuser111, well, I thought 48k was too much. If it was somewhere near 40-41k, I could understand. (since it doesn't have a dedicated graphics). One of the reasons for the price difference may be inclusion of Windows 7 Professional (which is not required to me, since I'm happy with even Windows 7 Home Basic). I asked to a retailer and he said Sony doesn't allow ANY kind of customisation. So, the choices again become limited.


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## randomuser111 (Jul 23, 2012)

^
How does 45500 sound for the 3rd gen i5 model ? 

SVE14115FNB for 44600
SVE14113ENB for 41900 with i5 2450M.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

randomuser111 said:


> ^
> How does 45500 sound for the 3rd gen i5 model ?


Seems better than 49k! 
But still much more than the HP you'd suggested!


randomuser111 said:


> SVE14115FNB for 44600
> SVE14113ENB for 41900 with i5 2450M.


What are these prices? Flipkart?
The models you told have only following differences:
15FNB has Win7 Home Premium + 640GB HDD MRP Rs 47,990 /-*
13ENB has Win7 Home Basic + 500GB HDD MRP Rs 44,990 /-*
*: on official Sony Vaio India site.
Now I was simply wondering why can't I get the same product (Let's say SVE14113ENB) WITHOUT the dedicated graphics! And (I'm a noob in this field, but) I believe the *AMD Radeon™ HD 7550M* graphics they have *isn't "switchable"* (unlike NVIDIA Optimus™ Technology) and thus will continuously drain battery and *will degrade the battery backup* of the laptop. Please correct me, if I'm wrong.



randomuser111 said:


> The new E series looks SOOOO cool!!! A friend of mine is buying the Vaio E model you linked, so I had gone to check it out and  I fell in love with it too


Hey, which Vaio are you exactly talking about? I believe you're talking about the SVE14112ENB and *NOT SVE14116FXB*!


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## randomuser111 (Jul 23, 2012)

Yes I was talking about the indian model.
And no, all models have switchable graphics.

And those prices are not flipkart prices, they dont go that low. If you wanna buy any sony model I can get you good discount as I posted.


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## vipulgreattt (Jul 23, 2012)

randomuser111 said:


> ^
> How does 45500 sound for the 3rd gen i5 model ?
> 
> SVE14115FNB for 44600
> SVE14113ENB for 41900 with i5 2450M.



Arent they both 2nd generation models?


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## swaroop.b (Jul 23, 2012)

randomuser111 said:


> Yes I was talking about the indian model.
> And no, all models have switchable graphics.
> 
> And those prices are not flipkart prices, they dont go that low. If you wanna buy any sony model I can get you good discount as I posted.


I'll be in touch!



vipulgreattt said:


> Arent they both 2nd generation models?


Yup, both the models are i5-2450M (2nd Generation)


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## swaroop.b (Jul 25, 2012)

Hi again! I've kind of reconsidered and narrowed down my requirements in short:

~40k INR (+/- 2k)
3rd Generation i5 Processor
Genuine Windows
Dedicated graphics: avoid if possible, HD4000 is enough for me
Any brand would do

I hope you'll again help me search a few options!


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## RON28 (Jul 26, 2012)

Dell Inspiron 15r is recommended to you


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## swaroop.b (Jul 26, 2012)

RON28 said:


> Dell Inspiron 15r is recommended to you



Owkay! Thanks! I'll personally see it in the shop tomorrow!
I'd rather choose 14R instead of 15R because of portability! But let's see!

Open for more advice as well!


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## RON28 (Jul 26, 2012)

14R is also good with GT 640M, I think this graphic card might help you in future even if you are satisfied with IGP.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 26, 2012)

RON28 said:


> 14R is also good with GT 640M, I think this graphic card might help you in future even if you are satisfied with IGP.



Hi! I thought Inspiron 14R has an option of NVIDIA GT630M and NOT 640M.
Look at this link.
And how good is GT630M as compared to others? Can you tell me about AMD Radeon HD 7550M? (I'm getting the AMD option in Sony Vaio E-series at 42k)


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 27, 2012)

swaroop.b said:


> Hi! I thought Inspiron 14R has an option of NVIDIA GT630M and NOT 640M.
> Look at this link.
> And how good is GT630M as compared to others? Can you tell me about AMD Radeon HD 7550M? (I'm getting the AMD option in Sony Vaio E-series at 42k)



630M is absolutely fine for you. And the the Vaio is supposed to have 7*6*50 instead of 7550 as you said, IIRC


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## cooljeba (Jul 27, 2012)

Let me confuse you more.. Wait until October 26.. Microsoft surface is coming


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## randomuser111 (Jul 27, 2012)

^
lol!


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## ico (Jul 27, 2012)

Is there any 14R with HD 7730M? or only 15R has it?

AMD graphic cards are crazy fast with Photoshop CS6 filters via OpenCL.


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## astro (Jul 27, 2012)

Swaroop, I am still not able to understand what is the main reason for you to move to a latop. If your desktop is weak, why not upgrade it or get a new one ? The only reason most folks buy a laptop is because laptops are portable. Apart from that, I don't see any reason why you should get a laptop. Or am I missing something here ?


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## swaroop.b (Jul 27, 2012)

astro said:


> Swaroop, I am still not able to understand what is the main reason for you to move to a latop. If your desktop is weak, why not upgrade it or get a new one ? The only reason most folks buy a laptop is because laptops are portable. Apart from that, I don't see any reason why you should get a laptop. Or am I missing something here ?



Hi, Astro! It all started when my aunt said she'd gift me a laptop/tablet. Recently I bought an Android phone (Xperia Neo V) so I'm not very keen to get another battery-hogging good-for-nothing device, so obviously I thought I'd go for a laptop.

I respect your thought! You really understood the main concern of the thread from my PoV! I'm damn confused with the issue: "I'm offered a laptop, but I can't see it sitting idly in my cupboard due to heavy use of the desktop (which neither is in a VERY BAD state. Loads Google Chrome in 10-20sec)"!

Question: Can anybody compare the Real World Performance of Pentium Dual Core E5300 + 1GB DDR2 800MHz with i3-2370M or i5-2450M laptops?

Then I'm also thinking of (if I buy a powerful-enough laptop), I'd simply plug the desktop monitor, keyboard and mouse to the laptop. And whenever I wish to use the portability, unplug everything. What say?

I'd be happy to discuss about the point Astro made instead of just different models of laptops. I'm really sorry if my first post made initial impression that I'm only seeking a discussion on different laptop models.


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 27, 2012)

^Get a laptop, get a life.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 27, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> 630M is absolutely fine for you. And the the Vaio is supposed to have 7*6*50 instead of 7550 as you said, IIRC


Alright! Just I'm not sure whether dedicated graphic cards directly decrease the battery life of the laptop? (I'm a noob in graphics/switchable/Optimus part!) Because Sony shows a model without dedicated graphics with 4.5hrs of battery backup and with HD 7550 (as you said, in real is HD 7650, yet to verify) gives 3hrs. Does it really hamper so much?



cooljeba said:


> Let me confuse you more.. Wait until October 26.. Microsoft surface is coming


Haha, yeah, I've seen the Windows Surface ad (the ad rOcKs!). Pretty luring! But can't be your _primary device_ as yet!


ico said:


> Is there any 14R with HD 7730M? or only 15R has it?
> AMD graphic cards are crazy fast with Photoshop CS6 filters via OpenCL.


14R with NVIDIA and 15R with AMD. Not customisable in that sense!



dashing.sujay said:


> ^Get a laptop, get a life.


 Right now I'm in Self-Brought confused life!


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 27, 2012)

swaroop.b said:


> Alright! Just I'm not sure whether dedicated graphic cards directly decrease the battery life of the laptop? (I'm a noob in graphics/switchable/Optimus part!) Because Sony shows a model without dedicated graphics with 4.5hrs of battery backup and with HD 7550 (as you said, in real is HD 7650, yet to verify) gives 3hrs. Does it really hamper so much?



Yes. But switchable graphics does its works aptly. My Vaio has 6630M and gives approx 3:30 to 3:45 back up after 9 months when using HD3000, but only 2hrs or +/-15min when using 6630M.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 27, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> Yes. But switchable graphics does its works aptly. My Vaio has 6630M and gives approx 3:30 to 3:45 back up after 9 months when using HD3000, but only 2hrs or +/-15min when using 6630M.



That's great! And how do we check whether a graphics is switchable or not?
And 3:30hrs+ for FullHD is great!

By the way, this isn't actually related to the discussion, but I read on notebookcheck that if the notebook has Optimus in it, the 3D Vision capability of GT 6xxM graphics is disabled! Why!! And again, is the Optimus (same as ability to switch between dedicated and integrated graphics?) dependent on the laptop manufacturer?


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 27, 2012)

swaroop.b said:


> That's great! And how do we check whether a graphics is switchable or not?
> And 3:30hrs+ for FullHD is great!



I used to get 4:30hrs initially. If the laptop has switchable graphics, it'll mentioned in its specifications for sure. And nearly every laptop comes with it now a days.



> By the way, this isn't actually related to the discussion, but I read on notebookcheck that if the notebook has Optimus in it, the 3D Vision capability of GT 6xxM graphics is disabled! Why!!



Can't say.



> And again, is the Optimus (same as ability to switch between dedicated and integrated graphics?) dependent on the laptop manufacturer?



Yes and No. Developer companies (nVidia & AMD) make it, how good they are, and manufacturers implement them (y/n). Also, drivers are the key point here, optimus taking the lead here.


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## RCuber (Jul 27, 2012)

tl;dr

you can consider buying a docking station, dell has few models with parallel port and serial ports along with vga and other connectors.

you can connect all your devices to this docking station and just dock the laptop, when on move just detach your laptop and go mobile


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## randomuser111 (Jul 27, 2012)

swaroop.b said:


> That's great! And how do we check whether a graphics is switchable or not?
> And 3:30hrs+ for FullHD is great!
> 
> By the way, this isn't actually related to the discussion, but I read on notebookcheck that if the notebook has Optimus in it, the 3D Vision capability of GT 6xxM graphics is disabled! Why!! And again, is the Optimus (same as ability to switch between dedicated and integrated graphics?) dependent on the laptop manufacturer?



Yes currently there seems to be some conflict between Optimus and 3D vision. Just curious, why is 3D vision important to you ?


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## swaroop.b (Jul 28, 2012)

randomuser111 said:


> Yes currently there seems to be some conflict between Optimus and 3D vision. Just curious, why is 3D vision important to you ?



Hi! My B.E. project was about replicating the 3D Vision on normal CRT monitors by capturing live images using two cameras and I'd also made my own 3D shutter glasses. It was all achieved quite wonderfully! Now if I'm anyway thinking of getting a laptop with NVIDIA graphics and 3D monitors such as this one are so damn cheap, I'd definitely love to experiment on it!  (nothing crucially important though!)

Can we expect the conflict to be resolved soon?

Also I'd like hear your comments on that monitor whose link I've posted. But probably it'll be needed to be posted in some other thread.


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## randomuser111 (Jul 28, 2012)

^
Well hope so but nothing can be said for sure. This issue has not been solved since more than a year now. So don't really know when Nvidia will fix the issue.

And that monitor is decent enough. Don't expect wonderful 3D experience though. For the price its good enough though.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 28, 2012)

Thanks a lot for the inputs! 
By the way, is it easy enough to manually switch from dedicated to integrated graphics, provided that
a) Optimus technology is present in the laptop (Vision3D is thus not possible)
b) Optimus is absent (Vision3D is present)


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## dashing.sujay (Jul 28, 2012)

^Yes its very easy to switch if OPTIMUS is there.


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## swaroop.b (Jul 29, 2012)

RCuber said:


> tl;dr
> 
> you can consider buying a docking station, dell has few models with parallel port and serial ports along with vga and other connectors.
> 
> you can connect all your devices to this docking station and just dock the laptop, when on move just detach your laptop and go mobile


Looks like a good option. I found something like this: E/Port Plus 210W Port Replicator for Select Dell Latitude Laptops / Precision Mobile WorkStations : Laptop/Notebook Accessories | Dell
But very expensive (real pro stuff!) and not looking compatible with any random notebook (only for Dell Latitude/Precision?), right? But can be a great option for my Dad someday, probably! Thanks!



dashing.sujay said:


> ^Yes its very easy to switch if OPTIMUS is there.


 Roger that!


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## rohitmurarka (Jul 29, 2012)

Hello Swaroop,

I checked your forum. Very exhaustive research, i must say. 
We both seems to have exactly same requirements as we as concerns. As far as my market research goes current 3rd gen i5 offerings are either not worthy or with bad build quality.

So i am thinking to shift focus back to 2nd gen. I am inclined to either Sony with i3-270M or HP probook 4430 with i5-2450M.
Please refer my link for details:
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/laptops-netbooks/160563-decent-3rd-gen-i5-performer-good-screen.html

Please provide ur feedbacks too ate.

Thanks and Regards,
Rohit Murarka


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

Hi guys,

I would be interested to know how the search of the OP ended? What did you finally buy, man. I'm looking for exactly same thing. Can you kindly share your thoughts.
Should I go for Dell 14R or HP Probook 4540s?


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 7, 2012)

IIRC 14r comes with 640M but 4540s comes w/o dGPU. If your priority is dGPU then its 14r, otherwise 4540s.


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> IIRC 14r comes with 640M but 4540s comes w/o dGPU. If your priority is dGPU then its 14r, otherwise 4540s.



Thanks mate.
But I've heard people saying that Dell 14R is of really bad build. Has that statement any truth in it? Also, apart from the GPU( i think it comes with 630M) The Dell Online Store: Build Your System, which is not my priority, is the probook better?


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 7, 2012)

tonmoyfx said:


> Thanks mate.
> But I've heard people saying that Dell 14R is of really bad build. Has that statement any truth in it? Also, apart from the GPU( i think it comes with 630M) The Dell Online Store: Build Your System, which is not my priority, is the probook better?



Can't say about build quality of 14r, haven't experienced it. ProBook is anyday better than it if you can justify the cost.

PS: Continue at one place only, either your thread or wherever.


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> Can't say about build quality of 14r, haven't experienced it. ProBook is anyday better than it if you can justify the cost.
> 
> PS: Continue at one place only, either your thread or wherever.


Sorry, we can continue here. Sorry for the confusion.
So what do you suggest. All I wanted is something that is a small powerhouse. GPU is not an issue, but who's complaining if it's there. I wanted to wrap it up in 40k +- 2,3k...but is super confused.


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 7, 2012)

tonmoyfx said:


> Sorry, we can continue here. Sorry for the confusion.
> So what do you suggest. All I wanted is something that is a small powerhouse. GPU is not an issue, but who's complaining if it's there. I wanted to wrap it up in 40k +- 2,3k...but is super confused.



If dGPU is not in the scene, then of course ProBook. You can even get 2nd gen i5 ProBook at 34k (Keep HD3000 vs HD4000 in mind). (I got one for one of my cousin a month ago).


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> If dGPU is not in the scene, then of course ProBook. You can even get 2nd gen i5 ProBook at 34k (Keep HD3000 vs HD4000 in mind). (I got one for one of my cousin a month ago).



But my problem is that I will need Windows for my programming needs. And also I would need 3rd Gen i5. So only Dell 14R fits the bill. :S Any other you have in mind?


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 7, 2012)

HP Pavilion G6-2016TX Laptop (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7 HB/ 1GB Graph): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook

There's further 10% discount coupon if you order from infibeam.


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> HP Pavilion G6-2016TX Laptop (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7 HB/ 1GB Graph): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
> 
> There's further 10% discount coupon if you order from infibeam.



So you suggest HP Pavilion over The Dell Online Store: Build Your System


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 7, 2012)

tonmoyfx said:


> So you suggest HP Pavilion over The Dell Online Store: Build Your System



Yes..


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## saaransh9 (Nov 7, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> Yes..



why not 14r i have played with15r's before n i think the built quality will be the same as 15r.
15r is a good in built quality u can even get students discount in dell if u order it online or via phone n can get accessories if u try to bargain on phones with the salesman as i did


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 7, 2012)

Hi Sujay,

I'm getting HP G6-2016TX at Rs. 42k from a local dealer *www.flipkart.com/hp-pavilion-g6-20...gb-500gb-win7-hb-1gb-graph/p/itmdah7asz9p3hzm
I also bargained a Logitec B175 wireless mouse Logitech B175 Wireless Mouse Price - Buy Logitech B175 Wireless Mouse Price in India, Best Prices n Review with it.

Is it a good deal? I'm planning to quote this to another dealer so that I can bargain more. What do you guys think? Should I go for it? Because I'm getting the 14R for Rs 42,536. So HP seems a better deal. I didn't like the dell Inspiron build quality. What say?


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## dashing.sujay (Nov 8, 2012)

saaransh9 said:


> why not 14r i have played with15r's before n i think the built quality will be the same as 15r.
> 15r is a good in built quality u can even get students discount in dell if u order it online or via phone n can get accessories if u try to bargain on phones with the salesman as i did



I haven't seen newer inspiron models, so frankly I can't comment upon their build quality. But older Inspiron build quality was really bad. Refresh "seems" much better though.



tonmoyfx said:


> Hi Sujay,
> 
> I'm getting HP G6-2016TX at Rs. 42k from a local dealer HP Pavilion G6-2016TX Laptop (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7 HB/ 1GB Graph): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
> I also bargained a Logitec B175 wireless mouse Logitech B175 Wireless Mouse Price - Buy Logitech B175 Wireless Mouse Price in India, Best Prices n Review with it.
> ...



I wouldn't call it a deal. FK is giving it for same price (42.7-price of the mouse you're getting).


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## tonmoyfx (Nov 8, 2012)

dashing.sujay said:


> I haven't seen newer inspiron models, so frankly I can't comment upon their build quality. But older Inspiron build quality was really bad. Refresh "seems" much better though.
> 
> 
> 
> I wouldn't call it a deal. FK is giving it for same price (42.7-price of the mouse you're getting).



Actually, they reduced the price just today. It was 43.something yesterday.
Btw, finally I got the G6 for Rs. 40200 from a local dealer. I couldn't get a better deal. It's awesome. Typing from it now.


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