Team-BHP - The Laptop Thread: Configs, deals & questions

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4987166)

Now I'm in the market looking for a good replacement where my usage would be for casual gaming and occasionally watching movies, nothing much. Budget - 75k and not a rupee more!
...

I was recently in a similar situation like you and ended up buying Acer Predator Triton 300. It would be enough for mid-level gaming and also has good build quality and display.

Ryzen 5 4600h is better than i5 10300h for multitasking, editing and gaming due to its two additional cores. A casual user won't be much benefited from the two additional cores as four cores would be sufficient.

Other than the ones in your list you could also consider HP Omen and Lenovo Legion 5i, depending upon the service quality in your region.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RR96 (Post 4988497)

I was recently in a similar situation like you and ended up buying
Acer Predator Triton 300. It would be enough for mid-level gaming and also has good build quality and display.

Ryzen 5 4600h is better than i5 10300h for multitasking, editing and gaming due to its two additional cores. A casual user won't be much benefited from the two additional cores as four cores would be sufficient.

Other than the ones in your list you could also consider HP Omen and Lenovo Legion 5i depending upon the service quality in your region.

Thank you for your suggestions. I did look at HP Omen but they were all out of my budget on Amazon. The flipkart link you provided seems to be 20k cheaper but i don't see any offers going on so what gives?

Lenovo Legion 5i too seems pretty good but am not sure on the product support part! As you said, Ryzen seems like a good option to go with when coupled with the 1650ti GPU.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amien (Post 4988708)

Ryzen 4000 should be your first choice for its overall performance and efficiency. When it comes to gaming, the GPU is going to matter a whole lot more so the CPU choice is not as important. Have you been able to select something yet?

If anything, the list has morphed from laptop brands to preferred configurations! As of now, it is Ryzen 5 4600h with the GeForce 1650ti. Now if only i could get one that has a 1tb HDD along with atleast 256 SSD within my budget of 75k, I'd overlook on the product support as well! Anyway most brands would have some kind of support in a city like Bangalore but am sceptical of Lenovo based on my experience. Appreciate the help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4988898)

The HP Pavilion 15-ec1051AX should be your best bet at this point in time. It ticks all the boxes and has a 144hz display.

Probably a good idea to avoid the Ideapads mentioned above for the time being. It's possible that the Gaming 3 has been improved along with the rest of the line but I wasn't a fan of the old ones and haven't seen/heard enough of the new ones to recommend it.

Support shouldn't be an issue for you with any of the tier 1 brands. Also, you're most welcome :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by revvharder (Post 4989965)

Hi, Everyone I am in the market for a budget laptop and my budget is around Rs.30000. As I am a student main purpose will be online classes and Excel sheets.
Do give your valuable inputs.

There are 2 laptops you should consider:-
1) HP 245 G7 2D5Y6PA - Features a quad-core which is a rarity in this price-range. An SSD+RAM upgrade will make this rival machines that cost nearly twice as much

2) MI Notebook 14 XMA1901-FI - Lightweight metal body, 8GB of RAM (not upgradable) and comes with an SSD for out-of-box speed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amien (Post 4989686)

I have now shortlisted the Asus TUF f15 with 10th gen i5, 512gb SSD, 1TB HDD and it seems to have a good display setup as well. (77,800/-)

Another option is the Lenovo Legion 5i with the same config. (88,900/-)

Decided in the last moment to stick with Intel given the durability of the processor and uncertainties with Ryzen staying put for 5+yrs as i intend to keep this for long (similar to my XPS which is now in its 10th year).

I have paid an advance of 10k to book the price for both these laptops at a nearby store who deals with multiple brands to ensure the price does not increase thanks to the recent hikes in duty as declared in the budget. The shop was pretty crowded and the laptops seemed to be moving pretty fast. Not sure why because the price hikes would be implemented post March 2021, please correct me if am wrong.

Anyways, am almost decided on the Asus TUF F15 given its looks and build. I see no point in paying a premium of 10k for a similar laptop where both brands have the same after sales support.

Not at all keen with buying online though the prices seem lucrative. On another note, would installing a cracked version of MS Office have any negative impacts? Since this is for personal use, am not dependent on these applications for day to day tasks but would still require them for occasional use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4991754)

Decided in the last moment to stick with Intel given the durability of the processor and uncertainties with Ryzen staying put for 5+yrs as i intend to keep this for long (similar to my XPS which is now in its 10th year).

Anyways, am almost decided on the Asus TUF F15 given its looks and build. I see no point in paying a premium of 10k for a similar laptop where both brands have the same after sales support.

Not at all keen with buying online though the prices seem lucrative. On another note, would installing a cracked version of MS Office have any negative impacts? Since this is for personal use, am not dependent on these applications for day to day tasks but would still require them for occasional use.

I just want to make it clear that how you spend your money is completely upto you and the brand of laptop or processor you choose has no bearing on anyone but yourself.

That said, I don't understand your reasoning in choosing an inferior processor. An Intel CPU is no more durable than an AMD one. The Zen architecture maybe had some uncertainties in 2016 but they are proven performers today with industry-wide support. Moreover, they tend to run cooler and consume less power/task energy which, along with their higher performance, has implications on longevity. To not choose the clearly superior, more efficient and better value product just doesn't make sense to me.

Next comes the issue of choosing a specific laptop. The Legion and F15 are worlds apart in their chassis, cooling potential and overall trim. If another laptop has the same config. specs. as your XPS, that does not mean it is now directly comparable to it. Laptops, just like any other system are much more than the sum of their parts. The Legion also exceeds your specified budget, which doesn't exactly help with making recommendations.

Online/offline purchasing is upto your preference. Just make sure you're comparing like for like and between the exact same models for reasons specified above. Regardless of where you buy from, there is no substitute for thoroughly testing your purchase during the return window (big ecom. like Amazon are particularly good at returns/replacements).

Lastly, you shouldn't discuss piracy on a public forum such as this one. There are plenty of free alternatives to office that can be used if you don't feel like purchasing a license.

Regarding choosing Intel, it's just that my experience with it previously, wide spread use/support and the inputs that am getting with regards to durability as opposed to Ryzen. I agree the latter might be quick off the block but since am not an avid gamer and am keen on retaining the laptop for at least 5 years, i feel it's safer to stay with something that's familiar.

I know I've been switching a lot between the processor choices but i guess that is where most laptop buyers are confused. Heck even now, am pretty open to the processor choices provided one is available in stock: most of the showrooms haven't received a Ryzen laptop in the last few months while demand has been consistent for the 10th gen i5. I have also seen a few negative reviews for the Asus F15 with Ryzen processors.

Coming to Legion and TUFF, isn't every laptop that's from the same price band but different brands inherently different in their build, chassis, thermals and other approaches? As long as the performance is great, display is at par, looks and feel of the chassis is good (things which are observable and matter to a normal customer), am unsure how both these laptops would be different.

Maybe the underlying construction and how they deal with thermals are totally different and the Legion could be comparable to an A15 rather than the F15. But from a layman point of view, all i see is similar specs, build (i felt both are sturdy and durable), brand and cost. It's just like folks cross shopping between a compact SUV and a sedan in a similar price band with the same engine i guess! Totally wrong analogy but i hope it conveys my approach to shortlisting. Maybe its flawed given my lack of touch with the market but that is how things are as of now. Ill try looking up more information with regards to durability of a Ryzen processor as i still haven't made a purchase yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4991754)

...On another note, would installing a cracked version of MS Office have any negative impacts? Since this is for personal use, am not dependent on these applications for day to day tasks but would still require them for occasional use...

Apart from legal issues, your privacy and personal data are also at stake! Software and subscriptions are now more affordable than ever before. Start with the free web version of Microsoft Office and then take a call accordingly.