Double The Fun?
Q. I am in desperate need of a fast graphics card. Due to non-availability of 320 MB 8800GTS cards, I am forced to consider 640 MB cards, which are costlier. Which is a better purchase-320 MB or 640 MB?
Chaitanya
The answer to that question lies in the pricing. In my opinion, 320 MB cards are slightly overpriced here (compared to US rates), but the 640 MB versions are grossly overpriced. That said, 640 MB is slightly more future-proof: games are becoming video memory hogs.
I suggest you consider cards from Zebronics, Leadtek, and XFX-these should be easily available. Expect to pay around Rs 20,000 for the 320 MB version, and around Rs 27,000 for the 640 MB version. Do check for the three-year warranty-all graphics cards sold locally carry one.
For Work And Play
Q. I want to buy a laptop for programming work, graphics, and multimedia, with good features. I want integrated Wi-Fi and at least 512 MB of RAM. I also want an 80 to 100 GB hard disk and a DVD-Writer. I will also use it for occasional gaming so there must be decent graphics. My budget is Rs 40 to 50K.
Rishabh Sharma
Well, you want everything, don’t you! You haven’t mentioned the kind of games you like to play…
I’d recommend a Dell Inspiron 6400. This laptop comes with a 15.4-inch screen, and a hard drive up to 120 GB. Both Pentium and Core 2 Duo processors are available. I recommend you opt for a Core 2 Duo processor and at least 1 GB of RAM. The only minus point is it lacks a potent graphics solution, so the latest games will not run properly. This configuration will cost you close to Rs 50,000.
Overhaul!
Q. I have the following configuration-Pentium IV 2.0 GHz, 768 MB DDR RAM, NVIDIA Geforce4 MX440. I need a graphics card (AGP). My budget is 3,500-4,000 rupees. I just need it for playing GTA San Andreas, DOOM 3, NFS: Most Wanted, NFS: Carbon, and F.E.A.R.
Aditya Krishna Shukla
Those games you’ve mentioned are rather high-end, and will not run satisfactorily on a card in that price range. I recommend a complete system upgrade as I foresee your processor becoming a real bottleneck in the time to come.
If you are willing to greatly sacrifice on visuals, the NVIDIA 7600GS makes a good buy at Rs 6,000 or so. Anything lower would be useless. If you are willing to go PCI-Express (a change of motherboard, processor, and memory will also be required), the 8600GT should be more to your liking. It should cost around Rs 10,000 but packs quite a punch.
Simple Enough
Q. I need an MP3 player, on a budget of Rs 3,000-4,000.
Diptanshu Kakwani
I suggest you check out our mega MP3 player shootout in the June issue. I personally favour the YES players, especially the YMP35 (Rs 3,150), which looks funky. If you want more storage space, go with the lower-featured YMP-18. These players sound about equally good. However, I recommend investing in a good set of earbuds, like Creative’s EP630.
Audio Above All
Q. I want a mobile phone on a budget of up to Rs 8,500. Music quality is the primary requirement. Does Sony Ericsson’s K750i come within this budget? I read about the BLEU-651X in your May issue. Which of the two is better? Is there a better phone at this price?
Afsal P
The K750i is just above this price range. The latest Sony W200 should suit you. Costing Rs 7,000 or thereabouts, it features sound at par with the rest of the Walkman series, and has a slightly different type of headphones (Sony calls these Bass Reflex). Basically, the bass has more thump. The downside is a poor camera (VGA). Bleu Phones are good, but I won’t recommend them if you’re looking for a music phone.
Is Wide Wise?
Q. I want a 17-inch LCD monitor. My budget is limited to Rs 11,000. My work involves MS Office, Photoshop, and CorelDRAW. So what brand/model? Should I opt for widescreen or regular?
Girish Kumar
I’d recommend the BenQ FP71G , which is a good all-round performer and easily available. Expect to pay around Rs 10,000 for it. Acer’s AL1706 is another alternative, with similar performance and at almost the same price. If you want a 17-inch widescreen look at the ViewSonic va1703w-it should cost Rs 10,000 or so.
Widescreen or regular is a personal choice, but wide screens are getting popular now. I prefer them for the working space you get.