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-   -   The Laptop Thread: Configs, deals & questions (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/67390-laptop-thread-configs-deals-questions-437.html)

Guys I'm looking for a new laptop for daily usage, occasional office work too, no gaming at all. My budget is 40k ₹ and these are the ciritcal features I am looking fornin the laptop -
1) Minimum 128gb of SSD, no more HDDs laptops for me, fed up with thier sluggishness and I don't need extra storage.

2) Good quality screen, current Lenovo has pathetic sad LCD screen.

3) RAM - 8gb would be enough as I won't be running any heavy applications.

Good to have features (but not compulsory) -
Backlit keyboard
Nice sounding speakers
Metal frame (my office laptop is HP probook, and I just love it's premium build).
I'm fine with 14 inch screen size, as all my previous laptops were 16 inch huge slabs, and frankly I hated carrying around them. Which processor to go for ? Is Ryzen 3 better than Intel core i3 ?

Any suggestions are welcome, TIA !

It all depends on how much processing power you need :

. Most Laptops come with SSD, but 128 GB seems to be low. Why not think of an addition 1TB HDD.
. I3 is a bit low so I5 would be better.
. Most Laptops come with full HD screens, so go for that unless you need 4K for future proof.
. 8 GB may seem fine today, but with the way software is bloating 16 GB should be minimum if you want to own it for 5 years.

There are a lot of 14/15 inch low weight note books with low weight ~ 1kg to 2 kg

https://www.amazon.in/Lenovo-Keyboar...47&sr=8-3&th=1

https://www.amazon.in/HP-Pavilion-Wi...s%2C285&sr=8-5

or ultra light ones

https://www.amazon.in/HP-Pavilion-Ae...30&sr=8-6&th=1

Depending on the service network in your area Lenovo, HP or Dell are equally good. Just read up detailed reviews on the models you shortlist.
https://www.amazon.in/ASUS-i5-10300H...85&sr=8-3&th=1

But OP mentioned a budget of 40K, all the above are 60 K Plus! But I agree that unless he spends 50-52 k, he may not get a decent configuration of i5 / Ryzen 5.

Well, it all depends on how long you want to keep the Laptop, and then do a total-cost-of-ownership analysis.

. Less than 2 years - get the cheapest that suits your requirement.
. 2-3 years - get one with more memory and bigger disk space.
. 4+ years - get the best specifications that you can afford - more RAM, bigger HDD and higher resolution screen.

Where many stumble is in getting a configuration that is just-right for the current need, and then lament after a couple of years.

You are absolutely correct ! My previous laptop purchase was done with this view only and now I'm regretting it lol: Thank you for your suggestions, I'm now increasing my budget and trying to get the best specs for bucks laptop available. I'm looking at this Mi Notebook Ultra, as it's configuration is just what I need and metal frame will add some premiumness to overall ownership. Looking at offers and discounts. Thanks again for your recommendation :thumbs up

Consider something like Asus ExpertBook mate, if you can find one. Those claimed metal bodies in these Chinese laptops are of no use unless they actually are solidly built internally. And build quality is most important factor in today's laptops which are getting slimmer and lighter at the cost of long lasting durability.

Most worrying part with any Chinese gadget is the high probability of some spyware injected in the OS which you only know when the controversy is exposed in the international media after years. I have had one such experience with Lenovo. Not only the spyware concern, but the laptop, which had metal body all around lacked the quality where it was needed most, near the hinges. Now that laptop feels like it can fall apart any time. Even a plastic built Asus Vivobook feels much assuring while opening and alosing the lid compared to my metal built Lenovo. Avoid these risky toys.

ExpertBooks do not only come with MIL-STD-810G grade rating, but they are also upgradable and offer plenty of I/O ports which are tested for thousands of insertions. At the same time these laptops are slim, elegant and reasonably lightweight.

I would any day prefer something like P2 ExpertBook with i3 over an Chinese laptop with i5. No point in looking for higher specs for future proofing when the laptop's body itself is not able to hold them securely for long.

Few Dell models also come with similar grade build but going by the past experience with Dell battery in my friend and family circle, I am bit apprehensive about them. My perception about their batteries is they don't survive for long and finding replacement is very tough and costly affair compared to other popular brands.

Finding HP models with MIL-STD-810G grade build is very tough in India. So Asus seems to be the only option amongst top brands.

Just ordered a new laptop online and I'm looking for a cooling pad can anyone suggest a well built effective cooling pad for laptops that doesn't look too janky? I spent a lot (or atleast more than I have on laptops in the past) so I would like to ensure that it is taken care of properly. My current laptop; an old Asus N56 has lasted me exactly 10 years now and I hope the new machine lasts just as well.

I was looking to buy a gaming laptop near 60K. Came across a few MSI options that look good.
But read on some websites that the MSI service in India is horrendous, and the brand should be avoided.
If someone has used MSI laptops, how is the service? And how good is the reliability?

Hi,
Does anyone know of a smooth way to transfer files between an old laptop and a new one? Asking for my mother who just got a new laptop and has to transfer around 100gb worth of data. For reference both laptops are windows PC’s

Option1: Using external Backupplus Hard drive UsB 3.0/ Type C
Option 2: Connect new Laptop to Old laptop by using crossover patch cord (RJ 45 Ethernet Cable)

I don't know if you will be able to get a powerful enough "gaming" rig for 60k. You will be wasting your money instead on rgb lighting options and unnecessarily gaudy design. Instead try going for something like a Vivobook in that range they offer solid reliable and consistent performance for the price with no nonsense design, good keyboard+trackpad combo and I think these days they come with pretty bright OLED displays as well if not even their regular LCDs are pretty well calibrated. My overall experience with laptops from Asus is that they offer consistent trouble free performance.

All the gaming laptops in the 60-1lac range that I see come with very poor quality display panels which advertise high refresh rates but offer up very bad response times. That said, if you were to go for something like the MSI Bravo or any other Ryzen+Radeon laptop, there is a lot of performance value to be had albeit you will still have to put up with a mediocre screen.

Thanks for the reply Ishaan!
Yes, I do understand that these budget gaming laptops often have poor screens, but I may be able to mitigate that by using an external monitor some time down the line.

From what I read and have watched, OLEDs are just about beginning to make an appearance in PCs, and many static UI elements like the taskbar can have burn-ins. Even though Asus may have a good screen, for now, the long-term reliability of these screens is yet to be seen. That said, OLED or any kind of self-emitting screen is definitely the future.

MSI Bravo 15 seems really good on paper, I wanted to know if any issues exist with the brand in general and its service centers in India.

I do not own an OLED laptop myself but I love watching films on my plasma tv it is a Panasonic and was bought just before they stopped producing plasma panels. But I bought it because images looked better due to the higher contrast ratios and the colours looked much better or atleast more natural for movie watching. At the time when it was bought (sometime between 2010 - 2012) burn in was a hotly spoken about topic against plasma panels (apart from a lot of other stuff like brightness, weight, efficiency etc.) and nowadays after more than 10 years of usage I am noticing burn in but one thing I can confidently say regarding burn in, is that it is just something that reviewers like to bring up as a point to note. Just like with the creases in a Galaxy Fold or backlight bleed on a poorly constructed display or abrasion caused over time, when the screen is on and content is being displayed, these imperfections mean zilch to the viewing experience. I am not sure if it is the same exactly with OLED but thought I'd share my long term experience with the topic of burn-in.

One thing I have noted is that laptops these days are not made as well as they were. Obviously tech advancements cannot be ignored, but the chip shortage and supply issues have lead to QC deficiencies I feel. With this in mind, many companies might be keen to be the first to launch an intel 12th gen or ryzen 6000 series processor laptop and simply forget about testing basic things like driver and software stability, thermal management etc. In this regard I feel Asus and Lenovo offer the best out of the box experience while Dell offers excellent customer support; be it late night trouble shooting, proactively suggesting and issuing replacements, etc. So I would be a little wary only due to this current scenario.

That said I do have a friend in office who uses an MSI Katana with no issues.

Got a Dell 7420 as my company laptop. It is blazing fast and has excellent hardware configuration. However, it has a glaring design flaw.

We all know that the top row has F1-F12, and usually they add sound volume, brightness, etc as "Fn" key modifier.

In Dell 7420, in their zeal to reduce the size, they have combined some important keys together. They have placed the "Home" key functionality on F11, and "End" key functionality on F12. To make it worse, they have placed the PageUp and PageDown on the up and down cursors, respectively.



This makes it extremely painful to scroll pages up and down, or, go to the beginning or end of a page, or, beginning or end of a line. While fewer people might use F11 and F12 (and hence you can remap those keys), the PageUp/PageDown is used my most of the people. In addition, a one hand operation is practically impossible.

You have been warned :Frustrati

I have an Asus R510J gaming laptop, very good config, only problem i have is the screen is matte instead of glossy. Since i am a photographer, i would like to have a glossy screen for editing of images, etc. For now i use my desktop to edit images. Is there any way to change the screen to a glossy one? Or should i consider selling this one off and get a MacBook?