Laptops URGENT: Laptop @ around 30K

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I need to buy a laptop for college use.

My budget is 30K +- 3K

Purposes are gonna be:

  1. Running games at mid to low settings on Windows 7 Basic
  2. Running Gentoo Linux 64bit.
  3. Audio workstation use with JACK based apps like Ardour, JackRACK, Hydrogen, etc.
  4. Using CAD with softwares like AutoCAD.
  5. Lots of programming and compiling (thanks to gentoo)
  6. Will use at Hostel and at home. In hostel I have generator backup for power and at home current does not go for more than 2 hours at a stretch. So battery life would not be a problem.
  7. Size does not matter. Value for money is what I am looking for.
  8. SHOULD support OpenGL 3.2. OpenCL support is welcome.
  9. I need atleast a low end dedicated graphics card. Intel GMA4500MHD onboard is a strict NO since they suck with gaming, 3D and CAD.
  10. The laptop needs to last from now until 2013. It should be reliable enough for that.
  11. Above point means I don't want a powerful machine which can die on me in 2 years time. It should last full 4 years and I am willing to sacrifice features for durability.
  12. I will be using it for long hours at a stretch. So overheating should not be a problem.
  13. In case the heating is light, I can buy a laptop cooler. But mad temps are a strict no.
  14. I need good driver support for linux and CPU should obviously be 64bit capable.
I am considering following laptops:

1. Dell Inspiron 14 @ ~33K

  • Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200 @ 2.0GHz. 1MB L2 cache.
  • 2GB DDR3 RAM
  • 250GB 7200RPM HDD with Free Fall Sensor
  • ATI Radeon HD4330 GPU with 512MB Dedicated Buffer
  • 14" bright glossy 720p Screen
  • Bluetooth and WiFi
  • Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic
  • 6-cell Lithium Ion
What I like is that this is a Dell. Its reliable and wouldn't fail on me. The HDD is a FFS type so its more durable.

What I dislike is that compared to everything below, the Dell has a slightly weaker GPU and lower capacity HDD.

I would buy it INSTANTLY if the price could come down to 30K. Is it bargainable ?

2. Lenovo G450 @ ~ 33K

  • Intel® Pentium® Processor T4300 ( 2.10GHz 800MHz 1MB )
  • Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic 32bit
  • NVIDIA GeForce G 210M 512MB
  • 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz
  • 14.0 " WXGA LED Backlight TFT 1366x768
  • 320GB 5400RPM HDD
  • DVD Recordable (Dual Layer)
  • Buetooth Version 2.1 + EDR
  • 6 Cell Lithium-Ion
What I like is the configuration. Neat and tidy. G210M is a plus because nVidia has the best Linux support, and it supports OpenGL 3.2 comfortably and has CUDA to play with in case I need to use GPU based encoding of video for a quick rip.

I don't dislike anything in this laptop and is my most probable buy, but I am concerned about it being a Lenovo. Heard issues with them but can't recollect anything now. Has anybody on this forum faced problems with this laptop ?

3. Acer 5542 @ ~31.5K

  • Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic
  • AMD Athlon X2 M300 (1MB L2 cache, 2.0GHz)
  • ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics
  • 15.6″ Inch (1366×768 pixels) Acer CineCrystal TFT LCD
  • 2 GB DDR2 RAM
  • 320GB Hard Disk
  • DVD Writer
  • Dolby optimized surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers
  • Acer Crystal Eye webcam
  • Acer InviLink 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi
  • 4 USB port, 1 HDMI port
  • 5-in-1 card reader
  • 6-cell Li-Ion Battery
I like this laptop because its got an Athlon II CPU which I like for its low power consumption and cool running. Its also cheap. CPU supports OpenCL.

But problem areas are the weak onboard graphics, HD4200 which can barely be used for gaming. This is even weaker than the Dell's GPU and is the weakest GPU I am considering. This uses outdated DDR2 RAM instead of DDR3 which is standard on all other laptops. And I'm not sure if Acer is trustable as a brand. Need member opinions on it.

4. Acer Aspire 5536G @ 29K

  • Linpus Lite Linux
  • AMD Turionâ„¢ X2 RM-75 (1 MB L2 cache, 2.20 GHz)
  • AMD M780G Chipset
  • ATI Mobility Radeonâ„¢ HD 4570 with 512 MB dedicated VRAM
  • 3 GB DDR3 RAM
  • 320 GB Hard Disk
  • 15.6″ 720p Screen
  • DVD Writer
  • Acer InviLinkâ„¢ 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
  • BlueTooth
  • MultiCard Reader
  • Acer Crystal Eye webcam
  • Dolby Stereo Speakers
  • HDMI
  • Fingerprint Reader
Config wise this is a KILLER but its probably due to absence of windows which costs a few thousands more so its in the same 33K range. It still has the BEST hardware feature list. Really unbelievable for the price range its targeted at. And has the best GPU of the lot.

Problem area is the CPU. Its a Turion Ultra X2 2.2GHz and this is said to be a hot one. I don't want overheating issues. Anybody with this laptop can confirm if this has any issues being put overnight for downloads (with cool and quite enabled ofcourse) ?
 
Karthi007 said:
You say you need it for 3-4 years. So go for the dell inspiron14~33k as it has better build quality. Have been using one for ~2.5years. Flawless. Better After sales service too.
But the G210 > HD4330
So choose between power and better build quality, after sales service.
Notebookcheck: Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List
Click to expand...

What about the build quality of the lenovo ?
Any experience on it ?

Like I said in the first post, the reason I choose dell is because I KNOW it has a good build quality. Acer and Lenovo on the other hand are less known among peers so I have no data on reliability.
 
Acer aspire 5536g@ 34k,
cpu: amd turion X2@2.2ghz,
3gb ddr2 ram,
320 gb hard drive,
hdmi port,
ati radeon hd 4570 512 MB.
Price may vary by 2k. Donno exact price. But really performs well in games.

Oh. You've already mentioned it in your post. How come I didn't see it?
 
vercetti4x6 said:
Acer aspire 5536g@ 34k,
cpu: amd turion X2@2.2ghz,
3gb ddr2 ram,
320 gb hard drive,
hdmi port,
ati radeon hd 4570 512 MB.
Price may vary by 2k. Donno exact price. But really performs well in games.
Click to expand...

Yeah heard a LOT about it.
But any idea of stability and temps ?
I intend to keep it on overnight for downloading files.
Or even 24/7 since it will be in my locked room.

If need be, I'm even willing to underclock the thing from 2.2GHz to 2.0GHz or 1.8GHz and reduce voltage if it can keep it cool.
 
U can get a powerhorse desktop for 30k, is portibility your greatest priority? If yes ignore my post, if no think hard! Component per component laptops are costlier. Stick with Dell because good after sales is a must!
 
saqib_khan said:
Acer Aspire 5738 is available for 30k. Good config and really VFM.
Click to expand...

Yeah but GPU is too weak.

Rockfella said:
U can get a powerhorse desktop for 30k, is portibility your greatest priority? If yes ignore my post, if no think hard! Component per component laptops are costlier. Stick with Dell because good after sales is a must!
Click to expand...

Well obviously I would have gone for a desktop (actually had an Athlon II X4 rig with a 1080p screen ready to order under 33K) but I'm not at home for 75% of an year. I'm at my college's hostel. And there anything which runs on electricity drawn from the mains needs to be approved by the management, and the only things approved are Laptops, "basic model" mobile phones, table lamps and any medical stuff like a steamer.
 
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