# Buying New Laptop: ~30K Budget



## MetalheadGautham (Dec 14, 2009)

I am looking for a laptop in the ~30K range.
Price: lower the better.

Will be used for LONG durations at a stretch so shouldn't have heating problems.

If there are any heating issues and a particular laptop cooler does the job well, please include its name and price.

Wanted an AMD Athlon II X4 Quad Core laptop but they would not be available till 3/4th into 2010 but I plan to make my purchase by march. And they are expected to cost 40K. Worth the money obviously, but a cheap dual core @ 30K is also equally if not more VFM compared to a quad core @ 40K so I wouldn't feel guilty about not waiting.

I will be doing lots of compiling (plan to run Gentoo Linux 64bit) and multimedia. Also plan to do lower-mid level gaming on Windows 7.

Currently I am considering 2 laptops:

1. Acer Aspire 5536G
*www.consumermate.com/laptops/Acer-Aspire-5536_1282.html

2. Lenovo G450 2949CPQ
*shopap.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont...-category-id=559CA420B13440C18C1510E0BFE33D01

But in one of gxsaurav's threads, <link> axxo's comment <link> startled me.

He said Asus x83vm-x1 is available for 29K. Is it true ? I mean that configuration looks INSANE for the price.


Another laptop I am considering is the Dell Inspiron 14 @ 32K.

With 250GB 7200RPM FFS HDD, 2GB RAM, Radeon HD4330 and PDC T4200, on Windows 7 Home Basic, this laptop may not seem as powerful as the first two options but its still my last option since its a Dell and because the 7200RPM HDD with a weaker GPU will have lesser performance impact compared to a 5400RPM HDD with a stronger GPU while gaming.

---------- Post added at 07:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:01 PM ----------

One last option which came up was the Zenith Director which I saw on this post: *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1185119&postcount=16


Please guys, help me decide which to buy. Biggest issue for me is price since my budget is pretty low. And this *might* even go lower to 25K from 30K but hopefully I will be able to keep my current budget.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 15, 2009)

bump. I need user experiences on Lenovo G450, Acer 5536G, Zenith Director Plus and Dell Inspiron 14.


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 15, 2009)

Acer 5542..... is what i'd suggest.. the best for your budget

---------- Post added at 06:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 PM ----------

it has the new Athlon II M300, so better performance,battery life & no heating problems

---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

it has the new Athlon II M300, so better performance,battery life & no heating problems


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 15, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> Acer 5542..... is what i'd suggest.. the best for your budget
> 
> ---------- Post added at 06:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 PM ----------
> 
> ...


WHOA! Athlon II CPUs already in India ?
Whats its price ?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 15, 2009)

30k....your budget


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 15, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> 30k....your budget


Unfortunately GPU is only HD4200 IGP. 
I want a decent GPU for gaming.
Any alternative ? Or does it come in G edition ?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 16, 2009)

yes it has a 5542G edition... but i think you will be able to manage in your budget

---------- Post added at 08:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 AM ----------

acer 5542g costs around 35k
Specifications - AMD Turion II Dual Core M500 (2.2 Ghz,1 MB L2) / ATI-Rad 512MB DedGr/AMD M880G Chipset / 3 GB DDR2 RAM / 15.6" HD-LED / DVD Writer/ 320 GB HDD / BT/ MultiCR / FPR/Gigabit LAN / WebCam/ 4 x USB Ports / Dolby Stereo Speakers/HDMI/ 6 Cell


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

Hmm... everything is OK in config except missing DDR3 RAM.

And price is 35K only for linux edition. For windows I need to shell out a couple of grands more. Which pushes it way out of my budget.

And Athlon II M300 series CPUs with 512kb X2 L2 cache are supposed to be at par with Intel T4000 series CPUs right ? I'm thinking of going for a T4000 series CPU itself it athlon II continues to be this insanely expensive.

---------- Post added at 08:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------

Hmm... everything is OK in config except missing DDR3 RAM.

And price is 35K only for linux edition. For windows I need to shell out a couple of grands more. Which pushes it way out of my budget.

And Athlon II M300 series CPUs with 512kb X2 L2 cache are supposed to be at par with Intel T4000 series CPUs right ? I'm thinking of going for a T4000 series CPU itself it athlon II continues to be this insanely expensive.


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 16, 2009)

ok... 1st tell me what is your max budget.. is it 32k or 33k or what ever.cause you have mentioned around 30k.....
dont look for dddr3 ram it doesnt matter... there is no performance difference at this budget
& athlon II is not expensive, 5542g is expensive due to the 15.6" screen plus gfx crad


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> ok... 1st tell me what is your max budget.. is it 32k or 33k or what ever.cause you have mentioned around 30k.....
> dont look for dddr3 ram it doesnt matter... there is no performance difference at this budget
> & athlon II is not expensive, 5542g is expensive due to the 15.6" screen plus gfx crad


Reason I want DDR3 is because I want a safe upgrade path later when 4GB DDR3 modules become cheaper. I don't want to face the buying-ddr1-at-end-of-life effect I faced with my current desktop.

See difference between 5542G and 5536G. Almost EVERYTHING is same except CPU.

Actually due to faster turion cpu at 2.2GHz the 5536G is more powerful. Everything else in config is same. And abroad Athlon II X2 M300 is cheaper than Turion X2 2.2GHz because of it being cheaper to manufacture.

So the reason 5542G is expensive in India is because of high demand for Athlon II M300 series CPUs.

And I don't want to be a high paying early adopter. Would rather buy similar performing Intel. Only thing I won't get on Intel will be SSE4 instruction set support which is barely needed.

As for budget its 30K but I am willing to push it at most to 33k only because I can get a GPU with the 3K extra.


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 16, 2009)

then 5536g seems to be the right choice for u... go for it
& if ddr3 is a bigger priority the dell studio 14 is what i'd suggest
stay away from lenovo cause i have had a number of bad experiences with it


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> then 5536g seems to be the right choice for u... go for it
> & if ddr3 is a bigger priority the dell studio 14 is what i'd suggest


DDR3 ain't a priority obviously.

As for 5536G, its got overheating issues. But considering my uptime, I need a cool machine if its gotta survive 4 years. I fall asleep working.

So right now it boils down to Dell Studio 14 vs Lenovo G450.

Is lenovo reliable ?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 16, 2009)

when it comes to reliability dell trumps lenovo... so i suggest dell


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> when it comes to reliability dell trumps lenovo... so i suggest dell


Trumps by what margin ?
If Lenovo is good enough to last 4 years, till end of 2013, I'm all in for it.


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## red dragon (Dec 16, 2009)

Gautam,have you considered any compaq model?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 16, 2009)

i wouldnt count on lenovo for 4 years.....


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

@red dragon:

HP-Compaq not under consideration because of the lack of dedicated GPUs on their laptops in the price range around 30k. And these days all old good compaq models are being withdrawn. Its no more as viable an option is it once was.

@ssk_the_gr8:

know anybody with any experience with lenovo ? I am almost finalising my choice but want to be sure I cant depend on lenny since its too good a config to just pass over.

And the dell comes at 33k online. Can I get discounts with retailers or bargain over phone ? Do they give student discounts ? If price comes down to 30k will be really helpful. Is EPP still on ?


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## saurabhpatel (Dec 16, 2009)

user experience on zenith director

bad battery life 2 hrs
slightly flimsy built quality


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 16, 2009)

I guess I'm finalizing on Dell Inspiron 14.

Please give me advice on buying a Dell.


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 17, 2009)

i know 3 people with bad experiences with lenovo, bad built quality , heating issues etc.
that is why i'm against it.
u could try to bargain on the phone but you will have better luck with retailers if you can get the same config.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 17, 2009)

OK. And yeah, I also realized that while I sacrifice on the Dell for GPU, I get better battery (9-cell over 6-cell), travel mouse, faster wifi and clearer screen. This and more secure HDD (FFS). So the deal is indeed VFM now.

---------- Post added at 12:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 AM ----------

what price do you think I can manage the dell at after bargain ?
since I'm from bangalore, can I pick up the laptop personally and remove shipping charges ?

---------- Post added at 12:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 AM ----------

what price do you think I can manage the dell at after bargain ?
since I'm from bangalore, can I pick up the laptop personally and remove shipping charges ?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 17, 2009)

u can definitely  give it a try , picking it up on your own & canceling the shipping charges..
call dell customer care & find out...
bargaining for 30k laptops is much more difficult compared to say a 45k laptop... but u could definitely try for free goodies like mice,earphones etc. which is more likely to happen....
i will still say go to a few shops.. you could get a better deal.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 18, 2009)

Finalized with Dell. Desiibond helped me a lot when it came to finding a store.

They remove Tax and its only discount offered. Unfortunately assembley is in Chennai and  not Bangalore so delivery charges still apply. I even have to pay 1K for laptop bag.

Modifications were done to dell site. They have removed DDR3 and put DDR2 in there.

I'm going with base config plus following changes:

1. 250GB 7200RPM HDD w/FFS
2. Travel Bag
3. Dell Optical Mouse
4. EP-630.
5. Radeon HD4330.

Though I am not sure if EP-630 is worth paying Rs 384 extra.

---------- Post added at 08:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 AM ----------

Finalized with Dell. Desiibond helped me a lot when it came to finding a store.

They remove Tax and its only discount offered. Unfortunately assembley is in Chennai and  not Bangalore so delivery charges still apply. I even have to pay 1K for laptop bag.

Modifications were done to dell site. They have removed DDR3 and put DDR2 in there.

I'm going with base config plus following changes:

1. 250GB 7200RPM HDD w/FFS
2. Travel Bag
3. Dell Optical Mouse
4. EP-630.
5. Radeon HD4330.

Though I am not sure if EP-630 is worth paying Rs 384 extra.

---------- Post added at 08:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 AM ----------

Dell(TM) Inspiron 14 Laptop (S541001IN8)                                                     
                     Qty                                                   1                                                                     Base for Direct, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English)                                            Unit Price             Excl. tax and delivery                                                                     Rs.32,616.01                                                                                                                
                             	 		 			Catalog Number: 			 		 			 78002   S541001IN8		 		 		 	 	 		 			 Module 		 		 			 Description 		 		 		 		Show Details 		 	  		 			Base 			Base for Direct 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Operating System 			Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Processor 			Intel® Pentium® Processor T4300 (2.1GHz / 800FSB / 1MB Cache) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Memory 			2GB (1 X 2GB) DDR2 SDRAM 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Keyboard 			Internal Dell(TM) 86 Keys Keyboard (English) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Video Card 			512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Hard Drive 			250GB 7200RPM w/FFS HDD 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Mouse 			Dell(TM) Optical USB Mouse 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Optical Drive 			8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability, with Roxio Burn 1.0--For Win 7 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Audio Solution 			Intel(R) High Definition Audio 2.0 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Software 			Microsoft(R) Works Include Microsoft(R) Home & Student 60 Days Trial Pre-install 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Dell Services: Hardware Maintenance 			1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis 			 				 				 				 	 		 			WinRE 			Dell(TM) PC-Restore Included 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Wireless Network Card 			Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Half Mini Card 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Bluetooth Module 			Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Dell Service: Remark 			Laptop Batteries Carry 1 Year Warranty Only From Invoice Date 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Dell Service: Remark 			Dell's Terms and Conditions apply 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Batteries 			48WHr 6-cell Lithim Ion Primary Battery 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Carrying Cases 			Belkin Simple Backpack 15.6" Pitch Black / Soft Gray (Jetset Red) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			MOD,BZL,ODD,1440 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Dell Connect 2.1 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Discount is only valid if the corresponding upgraded item is selected above. 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Limited time promotional offer only. No further discounts apply. 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Dell Dock 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			User Guide Document (English) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			MOD,LBL,REG,NBK,ALBA,IDA,APCC 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Adobe Reader (English) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Mod Specs Info (India) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Item Included in the System 			7-in-1 Memory Card Reader 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Security Software 			McAfee(TM) Security Center (Multi-Language) - 30-Day Trial Version 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Camera 			Integrated 1.3 mega pixel web cam 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Optional Notebook Colour Kits 			Obsidian Black with High Gloss 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Microsoft OS Labels 			Genuine Windows(R) 7 OS Label 			 				 				 				 	 		 			More Accessories 			Noise Isolation Ear Buds 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Label Options 			Intel Pentium Label 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Display 			14.0 " High Definition (1366x768) LED Display with TrueLife(TM) 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Freight Charges 			Inspiron-NB Handling & Insurance Charges /Express Premium 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Delivery Charges 			Delivery charges not included 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Power Option 			90W AC Adapter 			 				 				 				 	 		 			Dell Services: Datasafe Backup Service 			Dell Online Backup 2GB

---------- Post added at 08:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------



```
Dell(TM) Inspiron 14 Laptop (S541001IN8) 		Qty   	1
Base for Direct, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English) 	Unit Price Excl. tax and delivery 	Rs.32,616.01
Catalog Number: 	 78002 S541001IN8
 Module 	 Description 	Show Details
Base 	Base for Direct
Operating System 	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English)
Processor 	Intel® Pentium® Processor T4300 (2.1GHz / 800FSB / 1MB Cache)
Memory 	2GB (1 X 2GB) DDR2 SDRAM
Keyboard 	Internal Dell(TM) 86 Keys Keyboard (English)
Video Card 	512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330
Hard Drive 	250GB 7200RPM w/FFS HDD
Mouse 	Dell(TM) Optical USB Mouse
Optical Drive 	8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability, with Roxio Burn 1.0--For Win 7
Audio Solution 	Intel(R) High Definition Audio 2.0
Software 	Microsoft(R) Works Include Microsoft(R) Home & Student 60 Days Trial Pre-install
Dell Services: Hardware Maintenance 	1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
WinRE 	Dell(TM) PC-Restore Included
Wireless Network Card 	Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Half Mini Card
Bluetooth Module 	Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth
Dell Service: Remark 	Laptop Batteries Carry 1 Year Warranty Only From Invoice Date
Dell Service: Remark 	Dell's Terms and Conditions apply
Batteries 	48WHr 6-cell Lithim Ion Primary Battery
Carrying Cases 	Belkin Simple Backpack 15.6" Pitch Black / Soft Gray (Jetset Red)
Item Included in the System 	MOD,BZL,ODD,1440
Item Included in the System 	Dell Connect 2.1
Item Included in the System 	Discount is only valid if the corresponding upgraded item is selected above.
Item Included in the System 	Limited time promotional offer only. No further discounts apply.
Item Included in the System 	Dell Dock
Item Included in the System 	User Guide Document (English)
Item Included in the System 	MOD,LBL,REG,NBK,ALBA,IDA,APCC
Item Included in the System 	Adobe Reader (English)
Item Included in the System 	Mod Specs Info (India)
Item Included in the System 	Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet
Item Included in the System 	7-in-1 Memory Card Reader
Security Software 	McAfee(TM) Security Center (Multi-Language) - 30-Day Trial Version
Camera 	Integrated 1.3 mega pixel web cam
Optional Notebook Colour Kits 	Obsidian Black with High Gloss
Microsoft OS Labels 	Genuine Windows(R) 7 OS Label
More Accessories 	Noise Isolation Ear Buds
Label Options 	Intel Pentium Label
Display 	14.0 " High Definition (1366x768) LED Display with TrueLife(TM)
Freight Charges 	Inspiron-NB Handling & Insurance Charges /Express Premium
Delivery Charges 	Delivery charges not included
Power Option 	90W AC Adapter
Dell Services: Datasafe Backup Service 	Dell Online Backup 2GB
```


---------- Post added at 08:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 AM ----------



```
Dell(TM) Inspiron 14 Laptop (S541001IN8) 		Qty   	1
Base for Direct, Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English) 	Unit Price Excl. tax and delivery 	Rs.32,616.01
Catalog Number: 	 78002 S541001IN8
 Module 	 Description 	Show Details
Base 	Base for Direct
Operating System 	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64bit (English)
Processor 	Intel® Pentium® Processor T4300 (2.1GHz / 800FSB / 1MB Cache)
Memory 	2GB (1 X 2GB) DDR2 SDRAM
Keyboard 	Internal Dell(TM) 86 Keys Keyboard (English)
Video Card 	512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330
Hard Drive 	250GB 7200RPM w/FFS HDD
Mouse 	Dell(TM) Optical USB Mouse
Optical Drive 	8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability, with Roxio Burn 1.0--For Win 7
Audio Solution 	Intel(R) High Definition Audio 2.0
Software 	Microsoft(R) Works Include Microsoft(R) Home & Student 60 Days Trial Pre-install
Dell Services: Hardware Maintenance 	1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
WinRE 	Dell(TM) PC-Restore Included
Wireless Network Card 	Dell Wireless 1397 802.11b/g Half Mini Card
Bluetooth Module 	Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth
Dell Service: Remark 	Laptop Batteries Carry 1 Year Warranty Only From Invoice Date
Dell Service: Remark 	Dell's Terms and Conditions apply
Batteries 	48WHr 6-cell Lithim Ion Primary Battery
Carrying Cases 	Belkin Simple Backpack 15.6" Pitch Black / Soft Gray (Jetset Red)
Item Included in the System 	MOD,BZL,ODD,1440
Item Included in the System 	Dell Connect 2.1
Item Included in the System 	Discount is only valid if the corresponding upgraded item is selected above.
Item Included in the System 	Limited time promotional offer only. No further discounts apply.
Item Included in the System 	Dell Dock
Item Included in the System 	User Guide Document (English)
Item Included in the System 	MOD,LBL,REG,NBK,ALBA,IDA,APCC
Item Included in the System 	Adobe Reader (English)
Item Included in the System 	Mod Specs Info (India)
Item Included in the System 	Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet
Item Included in the System 	7-in-1 Memory Card Reader
Security Software 	McAfee(TM) Security Center (Multi-Language) - 30-Day Trial Version
Camera 	Integrated 1.3 mega pixel web cam
Optional Notebook Colour Kits 	Obsidian Black with High Gloss
Microsoft OS Labels 	Genuine Windows(R) 7 OS Label
More Accessories 	Noise Isolation Ear Buds
Label Options 	Intel Pentium Label
Display 	14.0 " High Definition (1366x768) LED Display with TrueLife(TM)
Freight Charges 	Inspiron-NB Handling & Insurance Charges /Express Premium
Delivery Charges 	Delivery charges not included
Power Option 	90W AC Adapter
Dell Services: Datasafe Backup Service 	Dell Online Backup 2GB
```


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 18, 2009)

congrats.. do post some pics..


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 18, 2009)

ssk_the_gr8 said:


> congrats.. do post some pics..


Not ordered yet. Only config has been finilized.

Thing is I *may* be able to get a better offer thanks to a friend of mine. Will post about it if its confirmed. But most probably I'll stick to my fallback option, Dell Inspiron 14.

BTW final price is 33.5K Inclusive of all taxes, Shipped. Does it seem decent enough ?


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 18, 2009)

it seems decent enough.. but hold on if u can get a better offer


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 20, 2009)

Price reduced to 32.5K !!!!!

Thanks to the fact that I got a laptop bag as a free compliment from somewhere. This one is awesome so I'm not getting one from Dell. 

Now only payment should be sorted out.

Dad doesn't want to pay entire amount before hand. Says he wants to pay advance and then pay rest only AFTER delivery. Wanna know if its possible @ Dell so doing some research right now.


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## desiibond (Dec 20, 2009)

Gautam, Dell has opened a huge exclusive store at DOmlur in Embassy Golf Links campus (on Inner ring road). YOu can either buy Dell laptops there or give them the configuration and money and the laptop will be shipped to your place from Chennai (900 bucks for shipping). 

Also, I learned that price there is much better than that in other stores like e-zone and croma.

my friend yesterday purchased acer 5738z for 27.5k

pentium dual core T4300
GMA 4500M
15.6" LED backlit LCD
3 GB DDR3
320Gb HDD
dvd writer
Acer 802.11 b/g/n wireless
card reader 
6-cell battery

only goodie given was laptop carry bag.

for 5k more you can get 5738G which comes with core 2 duo, better GPU, multitouch trackpad. 

I have checked the laptop and except the touch pad buttons, it's pretty good and well build laptop. Also has a full sized keypad with flat keys which is superb for typing.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 20, 2009)

desiibond said:


> Gautam, Dell has opened a huge exclusive store at DOmlur in Embassy Golf Links campus (on Inner ring road). YOu can either buy Dell laptops there or give them the configuration and money and the laptop will be shipped to your place from Chennai (900 bucks for shipping).



Yeah that's where I'm buying.



> Also, I learned that price there is much better than that in other stores like e-zone and croma.



Learnt it the hard way. Went to every place and enquired about models.




> my friend yesterday purchased acer 5738z for 27.5k
> 
> pentium dual core T4300
> GMA 4500M
> ...


Config looks good.
Does it come with Windows 7 
Is it durable and reliable long term ?
I may as well have bought the Lenovo G450 but choose dell due to quality factors. And I seem to find lenovo better than acer.


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## desiibond (Dec 20, 2009)

hmm. build quality of Acer 5738z is not as good as that of Dell Inspiron. But the trackpad is pain in the ass. Am writing a review of the laptop right now and will be posting it along with couple of images by tonight. Also the keypad of 5738 looked deceptively similar to the one's found on Sony and Apple but still it's very good.

If you can pay 2k-3k extra, Dell Inspiron is certainly the way to go.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 20, 2009)

Well Dell Inspiron 14 is finalized for now unless a better option suddenly pops up out of nowhere.

Rs. 32,500 is a sweet deal and hey, I can count on good linux support since its a Dell. 

Now only payment remains to be seen to.

Do I need to make full payment in advance or is it part advance and rest after delivery ?


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## desiibond (Dec 20, 2009)

full payment afaik. shouldn't make a difference right?


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 20, 2009)

desiibond said:


> full payment afaik. shouldn't make a difference right?


Hell yeah it should.

Dad was willing to order today if initial payment was just an advance and final payment was after delivery.

Now I need to convince him that dell are not a company who steal money just like that.

If waiting period is fairly short, I will have less issues however.


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## desiibond (Dec 20, 2009)

hmm. afaik, you have to do the full payment and instead of you going and picking the laptop from Dell store, the laptop will be delivered directly to your house.


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 21, 2009)

desiibond said:


> hmm. build quality of Acer 5738z is not as good as that of Dell Inspiron. But the trackpad is pain in the ass. Am writing a review of the laptop right now and will be posting it along with couple of images by tonight. Also the keypad of 5738 looked deceptively similar to the one's found on Sony and Apple but still it's very good.
> 
> If you can pay 2k-3k extra, Dell Inspiron is certainly the way to go.


Is your review written yet ?

Two of my friends have been pestering me to give Acer 5738G a try since they know atleast 10 guys in their college with the same lappy all of whom are satisfied highly.

And please DO mention the full config there.

BTW, just noticed on the internet that Acer 5738G comes with nVidia GeForce G105m Graphics Card. *This is supposed to be weaker than Radeon HD4330.* 

*www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

Can you confirm if it indeed comes with this GPU or HD4570 ?

I've a rule that I'm only going for 45nm CPU. So anything with Athlon or Turion 65nm (with overheating madness) is out of question. If I buy a CPU it will be T4200/T4300/T6500/T6600/T6700/M300(athlon2)

NOW, if Acer 5738G comes with nVidia GeForce G105m its out of competition and only Lenovo (which already is almost out) and Dell (most probable buy) remain.

My Dad wants me to be 100% sure of what I'm buying so I asked.


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## desiibond (Dec 22, 2009)

Acer 5738G  also has a config that comes with HD4570 if I am right. But that goes near to 40k. 

5738z on the other hand comes only with Intel IGP.


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## ssk_the_gr8 (Dec 22, 2009)

dude... go with dell.. dont worry its the right choice  for your budget


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 22, 2009)

desiibond said:


> Acer 5738G  also has a config that comes with HD4570 if I am right. But that goes near to 40k.


40k ? Its high enough to make my stomach burn. And you get Dell Studio at that range 
So its officially out of my list.



> 5738z on the other hand comes only with Intel IGP.



Yeah. For IGP-only machines I could as well go for something in the 25k range.

There are plenty of good notebooks in size 14", 15" or 15.6" which have Intel T4200 CPU, 1GB or 2GB DDR2 RAM and GMA X4500MHD Graphics. Not to forget the existance Of Acer Aspire 4530 AMD solution either.



ssk_the_gr8 said:


> dude... go with dell.. dont worry its the right choice  for your budget


I hope I don't regret later 

And speaking of 25K solutions, a friend of mine is considering getting one. Any good ideas ? He has identical needs as me (both study at same place and have similar usage habits).

I'm keen on Compaq solutions since they are sturdy and well built compared to flimsy aspire and relatively unknown samsung.


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## desiibond (Dec 23, 2009)

*desiibond.blogspot.com/2009/12/acer-5738z-review.html

Here is my review on 5738z

note: have to still write the conclusion and performance part. build, keypad, touchpad, display.


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## rang_varma (Dec 24, 2009)

*Gigabyte Q1458L 29400 INR*

Did you guys come across Gigabyte Q1458M ..
Spec
Dual core T4400
Intel Chipset
2GB RAM
320GB HDD
Wifi/LAN/0.3 MP CAM
2-year warranty 

Price : *29400 INR chennai*
*lh3.ggpht.com/_N_D-iY0FFlk/SwYWnGHE0kI/AAAAAAAAAIc/MvhT2CAPQt8/Q1458M%20sideshot.jpg


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## MetalheadGautham (Dec 25, 2009)

BTW, I seem strangely attracted to an eMachines notebook:

(model I forgot)

14.1" WXGA 1280x800 screen with cam
Intel T4200 2.0GHz 1MB L2 Cache
160GB 5400RPM HDD
1GB DDR2 RAM
Bluetooth
WiFi
5-in-1 Card Reader
FreeDOS
Intel GMA X4500MHD Graphics

*Rs. 23,500 Including TAX*

Available at Sahara Computers @ SP Road, Bangalore.

Should I change my option and go for it ?

Is eMachines a good brand ? Is it durable for 4 years use ?


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## red dragon (Dec 26, 2009)

No man eMachine wont probably last for 4 years.


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## confused (Dec 28, 2009)

hey guys within how many days does dell usually ship??? im located in mumbai.
btw i am thinking of buying an inspiron 15 with 4gb ram and a 9 cell battery which comes out to Rs.38,750/- excluding shipping. What can i do to squeeze in extra freebies within the amount like accessories and stuff??? bargain with the sales rep??


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