Decent 3rd gen i5 performer with good screen

R

1) What is your budget? (INR or USD)

45K INR (Max)

2) What size & weight consideration (if any) would you prefer?

Thin and Light; 14" screen or
Mainstream; 15" screen

3) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

Open to all, reliability and durability matters

4) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

Coding (MATLAB, ModelSim, Other Simulators), Multiple Browsers(Crome, Firefox), MS office, PDF(Mostly all apps open at a time), Movies. Not a gamer, so think 3rd gen i5 would be sufficient.

5) What screen resolution(s) & type (glossy/matte) would you prefer?

I work almost all day on PC, so need a screen which should be relaxing for eyes. (My main requirement is decent screen with good viewing quality suitable for long hours). Would prefer IPS Panel(If possible in my budget, or any other better alternative in TN-TFT)

6) Anything else you would like to say? (eg: local purchase, ASS,matte/glossy finish)

I would may be prefer 3rd gen procy with i5, mainly with low or no heating as I will be working long hours. Would prefer DOS, as I use multiple OS(Ubuntu, Windows).

7) When to Buy?

At max by 1st week of September.

I have looked Dell inspiron 15R, HP G6, Lenovo Z580 etc. But m not sure about there durability and scren quality. Please suggest something with good screen and durability(should last 3-4 yrs, unless disaster strikes

)

Thanks and Regards,
Rohit Murarka

Delll Inspiron 14R seems to pretty good option for you.
Avoid HP G6 as well as Lenovo

S

Hi, rohitmurarka!
Even I'm having exactly the same requirements. So, you may expect me following your thread as well! (Have a look a this thread of mine to see what others suggested me.) But I'm preferring WITH pre-installed Windows 7 since there's an offer going on which states that "any Windows 7 PC bought between 2nd June, 2012 to 31st January, 2013 (source of info) will get upgrade to Windows 8 Pro in $14.99 (that's Rs. 699 for India)."

aroraanant said:
Delll Inspiron 14R seems to pretty good option for you.
Avoid HP G6 as well as Lenovo

What is the price of Dell Inspiron 14R (without dedicated graphics)? I can't see on any of the online shops. (I could find only 15R)
Any specific reason for not recommending HP G6? Because I was considering this or this. And what about Lenovo?

G4 and G6 have poor build quality.
14R costs around 40-42k, just check dell India website for more info.

S

aroraanant said:
G4 and G6 have poor build quality.
14R costs around 40-42k, just check dell India website for more info.

Thanks for throwing light on the build quality issues of G4 and G6. I was waiting for inputs for the same query!

I'll certainly check 14R!

R

Hello guys,

Thanks for your feedbacks.

In this past one week, I had done lots of market research. And asusual, I have got highly confused.

To start with, some of my friends in IT support services have advised against Dell. I have been advised to look for sony. In sony there is no 14" 3rd gen i5 model. Also, I was just thinking will this
Sony VAIO E Series SVE14112EN Laptop: Flipkart.com: Compare, Review Sony Notebook
piece be enough for my stuff as I would be needing it to run programs mostly. Because spending another 14K(next option in sony as of today) for even an 2nd gen i5 seems worthless. Also, I may be using with Full HD external monitor at home sometimes, will i3 3000HD, handle such task? I hope so....

I have used B960 based lappy to run MATLAB, Mozilla and MS office at a time and it was smooth. So i hope even this could be fine. All i need is assurance from you experts that this lappy from Sony will serve me well with external monitor too and I could rely its build can last at least 3 years if disaster doesn't struck!!!

@swaroop: yes mate, we are in the same boat and am highly confused, where I should put my hard earned money. My desktop is 5 yrs old and served me well. Have formatted 100 times(approx) and have put in under worst possible tortures(didnt shut down for 3-4 months once when I used to be in Hostel ;-)

) Still its running great, but its time to say good bye

as I need mobility.

@rohitmurarka I think those IT guys are :crazy:

suggesting you core-i3 laptop of previous 2nd generation for 30k

Just buy the cheapest i5 (HP/Sony/Lenovo) and extend the warranty. Dell has sadly lost its repo and its true

Dunno who told you there is no 3rd gen i5 14" VAIO.
SVE14116GN : E Series : VAIO Laptop & Computer : Sony India

See this. It can be had for 46k if bought locally.

HP Pavilion G6 Series G6-2103TU for 38.4k INR
This is the best option for you, it comes with 2 years of onsite warranty, first year with damage cover.

R

@rider yes its a 2nd gen. what u suggest will that be durabe and capable for driving ext monitor??

@randomuser i know abt this sony lappy. i found 48k best price. but i am not sure if its build and screen quality as well as simple specs are worth 48k or simply speaking 18k xtra over i3-2370M model i have been suggested.

S

Hey, I went into market this evening to get the actually scenario. I was shocked that at EVERY SINGLE SHOP I was told that Sony Vaio is only for "light work", "only has brand", "poor quality", "only looks are good", "don't have good features"!!! What on earth! I assume it's just about the "profit margin" thing, or is it that my judgement about its build quality and overall feel is SO ABSOLUTELY WRONG?

Apart from this, many of the shopkeepers are "afraid" to sell Samsung, saying "if you wish we'll give you the laptop, but...". No comments on this. (not actually related to this thread, but the beloved Samsung NP550P has gone absolutely OUT OF STOCK)

Two laptops that I liked from "config", "build" and "feel" point of view, were HP dv4 and dv6 series laptops. Just that they come in "entertainment" genre, so have (in our case) lot of extra (and kinda of unnecessary at times?) dedicated graphics (2 GB GT630M), adding to the cost. Priced at 46k and 50k respectively. But I loved them both.

Inspiron 15r was something I was neutral about, till the end. I didn't find anything wrong in it, but neither it drew my attention. Plus have "heard" about recent downgrade in ever-famous Dell service...

I still believe SVE14112 (with added 2 GB RAM) can be sweet spot (just because the very next version of it costs a whooping 14k more, as OP said)

Hey, I went into market this evening to get the actually scenario. I was shocked that at EVERY SINGLE SHOP I was told that Sony Vaio is only for "light work", "only has brand", "poor quality", "only looks are good", "don't have good features"!!! What on earth! I assume it's just about the "profit margin" thing, or is it that my judgement about its build quality and overall feel is SO ABSOLUTELY WRONG?

Profit margin is actually low in vaios, and some of the local vendors told me this, that's why they don't bargain much on it.

Two laptops that I liked from "config", "build" and "feel" point of view, were HP dv4 and dv6 series laptops. Just that they come in "entertainment" genre, so have (in our case) lot of extra (and kinda of unnecessary at times?) dedicated graphics (2 GB GT630M), adding to the cost. Priced at 46k and 50k respectively. But I loved them both.

Not worthy.

S

Roger that! (dv ones were like the things you'd admire and talk about!)

If you want something good and cheap then Samsung NP300E5Z-A0PIN or if you want better performer then Samsung NP300E5X-A01IN

rohitmurarka said:
@rider yes its a 2nd gen. what u suggest will that be durabe and capable for driving ext monitor??

@randomuser i know abt this sony lappy. i found 48k best price. but i am not sure if its build and screen quality as well as simple specs are worth 48k or simply speaking 18k xtra over i3-2370M model i have been suggested.

Yes.

No. (I find it too costly

)

rohitmurarka said:
@rider yes its a 2nd gen. what u suggest will that be durabe and capable for driving ext monitor??

@randomuser i know abt this sony lappy. i found 48k best price. but i am not sure if its build and screen quality as well as simple specs are worth 48k or simply speaking 18k xtra over i3-2370M model i have been suggested.

Yes HDMI port can easily drive to ext monitor and 3rd gen Intel HD 4000 GPU is much better as good as XPS 15's GT 525M with directx 11.

R

@sujay & rider: thanks for adding more energy to my belief.

@swaroop: m amazed at how we think insanely same. my views abt DV series r same, gud bt nt worthy for us.
also, it true due to low profit margin retailers r nt suggesting this one. even m thnkng to buy sony with i3-2370M and add 4gigs f extra ram.
it will drive ext monitor too....

anyways i also found HP probook 4430 at flipkart with i5-2450M for 37k. if any one can assure abt probook build i can pick that one. what u suggest SWAROOP. i hv a toss between sony i3 2nd gen and HP probook i5 2nd gen.

Thr r no worthy offerimgs in i5 3rd gen yet!!!! :-(

^Take the probook. Its good.

Yes, if you can afford 40k+ budget get new HP ProBook 4540s powered by 3rd gen core-i5 processor.

^
+1. Yes probooks are good. I'd suggest both of you check out the probook models.

R

@rider and Sujay: honestly speaking affordability is not an issue. We both are looking for Value for Money. That's all!!!

All current offerings doesn't fit in this VFM category, so I am forced to look beyond 3rd Gen as I can't wait past August.

Thanks a lot for your help and support.

I think I will zero in on Probook in that case as I got many positive feedbacks for this series. Have to visit Nehru place tomorrow, will update u guys abt what exact config and price they r offering. based on that we can have one more round of discussion to finalize which config to go for.

Thanks and have a good day all my Geek mates ;-)

There is nothing great in the Probook 4430, a friend of mine owns it and he only says its not a good product to buy.

aroraanant said:
There is nothing great in the Probook 4430, a friend of mine owns it and he only says its not a good product to buy.

LOL, what is not great in that, is he expect good gaming in a probook?
BTW we are suggesting him HP ProBook 4540s that has battery upto 7 hours and very brilliantly and rough and tough metallic made.

R

@arrorant I agree with rider, is he complaining abt gaming?? I am a non-gamer(0%). I need a lappy with solid build, relaxing display and a good CPU performance. Please confirm in what regard ur friend dislikes probooks

@rider I can't find 4540s models anywhere online. Can you suggest me any link, where I can check the configs and pricing details.

Also, if it is supposed to arrive bit too late in India, shall I consider buying this one HP ProBook 4430s (2nd Gen Core i5) Laptop: Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
after waiting 3 weeks(Max I can wait).

rohitmurarka said:
@arrorant I agree with rider, is he complaining abt gaming?? I am a non-gamer(0%). I need a lappy with solid build, relaxing display and a good CPU performance. Please confirm in what regard ur friend dislikes probooks

@rider I can't find 4540s models anywhere online. Can you suggest me any link, where I can check the configs and pricing details.

Also, if it is supposed to arrive bit too late in India, shall I consider buying this one HP ProBook 4430s (2nd Gen Core i5) Laptop: Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
after waiting 3 weeks(Max I can wait).

If you live in delhi go to nehru place and buy it from hp world, shop name computer land.. they are the distributors of all hp laptops.

R

@rider ohhkk, i wl check nehru place hp showroom tomorrow for 4540s. i cudnt find it in local mkt or online.

some people say that probooks are not prone to heating issues but the one with the 2nd gen processors are prone to heating issues, I have seen that, that is the reason I m saying it.

I suggest you to opt for Samung laptop that I have suggested above or a thinkpad, and if your budget allows then Inspiron

S

rohitmurarka said:
@swaroop: m amazed at how we think insanely same. my views abt DV series r same, gud bt nt worthy for us.
also, it true due to low profit margin retailers r nt suggesting this one. even m thnkng to buy sony with i3-2370M and add 4gigs f extra ram.
it will drive ext monitor too....

Haha, so I am (amazed), mate! :thumbs:

SVE14112ENB + 2GB RAM (Total'd minimum 30.2k) was my first LOVE and still is!! Kept it in the Safe Zone! Now just need to clear things from my side (viz. my use and immediate future possibilities! Like, possibly I'll slightly upgrade my desktop so that it doesn't feel sluggish and buy the laptop which is my cool-looking, robust, secondary device to perform lighter additional tasks!)

rohitmurarka said:
anyways i also found HP probook 4430 at flipkart with i5-2450M for 37k. if any one can assure abt probook build i can pick that one. what u suggest SWAROOP. i hv a toss between sony i3 2nd gen and HP probook i5 2nd gen.

Thr r no worthy offerimgs in i5 3rd gen yet!!!!

I'm also with ProBook 4430s (i5 2nd gen). But the only trouble is, it doesn't come with Genuine Windows! Even for a Home Basic that'd cost 5.5k more. Plus I'm excited about the Windows 8 upgrade offer! aroraanant has mentioned that it suffers from heating issue. Remember that laptops are never going to be as robust as desktops. So, devices which are already suffering from heating, to be used in India as a desktop replacement may not be recommended. Seniors, please correct me if I'm wrong.

About i3 vs i5, I'd surely recommend you i5 (due to Turbo Boost). In general processors designed for laptops (and especially those used in mid-range laptops) have much less processing power as compared to their desktop siblings. On the basis of synthetic benchmarks, a desktop i3 is roughly comparable to laptop i5. (I know I'm talking very vague, but this is just remark after using them for a while and reading reviews/specs!) Even if you have a with-today's-comparison-low-end desktop, to match up its performance with a laptop for a long time from now, the on-paper specs of the laptop have to be much more powerful. And remember, you won't be able to add a graphic card or change the processor or plug in any add-on IO card in the laptop (which is piece of cake in case of desktops).

So, determine your current use, think about what you'll be needing in future and take a decision! Lastly, (unless your current machine is absolutely dead), you can always take your time! (There are options for i5 3rd gen slowly coming up!) And TDF members will for sure help you sort your doubts!

aroraanant said:
some people say that probooks are not prone to heating issues but the one with the 2nd gen processors are prone to heating issues, I have seen that, that is the reason I m saying it.

I suggest you to opt for Samung laptop that I have suggested above or a thinkpad, and if your budget allows then Inspiron

Did you/your friend who used ProBook make any complaint to HP about the heating issue? Or was it a known issue in the model? Is it the same/similar model I and rohitmurarka are talking about?

ThinkPad is certainly a good option when it comes to robustness. But it was a much better option when IBM used to rule it. These days only the T-series-plus are great enough (I've personally handled one). Other cheaper ThinkPads are sadly nothing more than "Lenovo Products".

^From my experience, probooks (2nd gen & later) don't heat. My best friend has bought its 3rd gen i5 model a few weeks ago.

^
+1. I haven't heard of any probook overheat either.

R

@everyone: thanks for all the feedbacks.

@swaroop yeah i knw performance gap bet same procesor series designed for laptops and desktops. bt the thing is i ran a simple matlab prog on b960 proc lappy and it run in one fourth time what my core2duo desktop takes. so the new gen r already btr than wat i hv. but m also more concerned abt overall config as we cnt hv too much f customization after purchase.

i went nehru place tomorrow, i cnt find probooks bt did found newer e430 with upgraded specs usb 3.0 being a welcome addition.
I found best price 36k at two shops for i5--2520M, 2GB/500HDD/one 3.0/DOS.

what u guys suggest? Is it a grt buy or shall i stick to probook(which i cudnt find on stores i visited)

^If possible get a 3rd gen i5 probook because it will fill the gap for missing dGPU. But this will also push your budget to 40+. If not possible, 4430s as you posted earlier. E430 is also good but personally I don't like looks of thinkpads and probooks are also 19 if not 20, in build quality. Just my view.

R

@sujay going 40+ nt an issue, bt m unable to find any probook in d mkt to evn decide whether to take that or nt. as far as thinkpad looks r concerned that's nt an issue fr me.

all i nd is good built and decent screen suitable fr long working hours. and i what i read on net i fl both probook and e430 have non glossy screen which wl servey purpose..
:-D

rohitmurarka said:
@sujay going 40+ nt an issue, bt m unable to find any probook in d mkt to evn decide whether to take that or nt. as far as thinkpad looks r concerned that's nt an issue fr me.

all i nd is good built and decent screen suitable fr long working hours. and i what i read on net i fl both probook and e430 have non glossy screen which wl servey purpose..

heyy, bro I would like to suggest to buy a 3rd gen core-i5 laptop, why to invest money on old 2nd gen sandy bridge thinkpad e430. I think lenovo will update the new thinkpad lineup with ivy bridge processor in few months.
And what hp world was saying about the model that hp India is showing their website?? When probook 4540s will come in the market ask hp customer care about it.

hp probook 4540s has too anti-glare, non-glossy display.

R

@rider i knw mate
i called lenovo and hp customer care for new proccy based books but bpth were unsure abt the new lineup availability. :-(

customer care guys are unsure what they are selling right now and you asked about updated laptops :grin:

keep going though indian tech sites. some may uncover info about new laptop launches long before official launch.

^ +1....he he

R

+1 from me too

dude i keep checking 3-4 times a day all the tech sites with indian updates ;-)

n i cn hold on till 3rd week of this mnth. in the 4th i will buy whatever best option avlb(even if it means 2nd gen i5) :-(

Not always, sometimes a good customer care representative or any senior can help in this. But its generally doesn't works because we all know who people do this job

the hp probook 4540s powered by 3rd gen processor is in official website from more than a month but it seems weird that its not available even in nehru place hp world yet.
HP ProBook 4540s Notebook PC (ENERGY STAR) (B8Z32PA)

How is the screen Sujay?

red dragon said:
How is the screen Sujay?

Of probook?

Probooks usually have decent screens but are not as bright as most other notebooks. Otherwise average like any other in the range 160:1 contrast and 180 nits bright.

^Yes, due to their anti-glossy feature, it looses on brightness/contrast, but it has much better viewing angles compared to dv6.

Which, do you reckon has the better screen ? Probook or Vaio SVS13112EN ?

dashing.sujay said:
Of probook?

Sorry,yes!

R

@all thnx everyone for ur regular feedbacks over here...

sry for delayed response as i was lil busy. i hv almost made up my mind on thinkpad edge e430. wl wait till nxt two sunday to see if lenovo announce avlblty f 3rd gen i5 for thinkpad edge. if they dnt wud go ahead with 2nd gen thinkpad as durability is f utmost importance. And thinkpad is smthng i cud.put blind faith in that category...

R

I got qoutation in pune for probook 4540s i5 3rd gen 3210m around 45k. But delivery after a month....

randomuser111 said:
Which, do you reckon has the better screen ? Probook or Vaio SVS13112EN ?

Can't say as haven't used S series.

red dragon said:
Sorry,yes!

dashing.sujay said:
^Yes, due to their anti-glossy feature, it looses on brightness/contrast, but it has much better viewing angles compared to dv6.

rusty4ever said:
I got qoutation in pune for probook 4540s i5 3rd gen 3210m around 45k. But delivery after a month....

Which GPU ?

R

dashing.sujay said:
Can't say as haven't used S series.

Which GPU ?

HD 4000. Didn't enquired for other options..

R

@rusty yes mate i guess u r correct with ur enquiry. in delhi dealers nt evn commiting an estimate date (neither HP nor Lenovo). And am thinking btr to wait a bit rather than crying after purchasing older model

T

Hi guys,

I know it's an old thread, but I'm looking for exactly the same requirement.
I found Probook 4540s at Flipkart for 42k HP 4540s ProBook (3rd Gen Ci5/8GB/ 500GB/ DOS): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
Is it worth it without Windows (only DOS)? Or is there a comparable /better lappy at the same price.
Please suggest. I'm also ok with 14" screen too. Please help me choose. I'm big time confused.

tonmoyfx said:
Hi guys,

I know it's an old thread, but I'm looking for exactly the same requirement.
I found Probook 4540s at Flipkart for 42k HP 4540s ProBook (3rd Gen Ci5/8GB/ 500GB/ DOS): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook
Is it worth it without Windows (only DOS)? Or is there a comparable /better lappy at the same price.
Please suggest. I'm also ok with 14" screen too. Please help me choose. I'm big time confused.

ProBook is said to have good built quality, and I will not deny with it (had a li'l experience with it). But 42k with no OS is simply not justified. Better look out for g580 with same config @ 34k.

T

dashing.sujay said:
ProBook is said to have good built quality, and I will not deny with it (had a li'l experience with it). But 42k with no OS is simply not justified. Better look out for g580 with same config @ 34k.

Yes, you're correct on that front too.

I saw the Lenovo model at some store the other day & was not that impressed by its looks, but no doubt that it's a good deal with the spec it packs into it.
I'm getting Dell 14R for around 42k. What do you suggest?

tonmoyfx said:
Yes, you're correct on that front too.

I saw the Lenovo model at some store the other day & was not that impressed by its looks, but no doubt that it's a good deal with the spec it packs into it.
I'm getting Dell 14R for around 42k. What do you suggest?

Its OS + bad built Vs w/o OS + good built. Your call.

R

Yes, I agree Sujay for ProBook but I have chose Z580 over G580 simply due to superior build quality. I had got it through my friend from US but not 3rd Gen i5, got a nice deal so chose that.
The Z580 feels good, doesn't heat much and pretty impressed with screen, better than expectation with decent viewing angle.

@tonmoyfx: If you are looking to spend arnd 42-43, check Sony Vaio new launches. They are offering 3rd Gen I5 arnd that price and are really great.

T

rohitmurarka said:
Yes, I agree Sujay for ProBook but I have chose Z580 over G580 simply due to superior build quality. I had got it through my friend from US but not 3rd Gen i5, got a nice deal so chose that.
The Z580 feels good, doesn't heat much and pretty impressed with screen, better than expectation with decent viewing angle.

@tonmoyfx: If you are looking to spend arnd 42-43, check Sony Vaio new launches. They are offering 3rd Gen I5 arnd that price and are really great.

Thanks for the reco:

I'm confused between: Lenovo Z580 (59-333345) Laptop (3rd Gen Core i5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7 HB): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review Lenovo Notebook and HP Pavilion G6-2016TX Laptop (3rd Gen Ci5/ 4GB/ 500GB/ Win7 HB/ 1GB Graph): Flipkart.com: Compare, Review HP Notebook

I'm getting both for around the same price from local dealer. Close to around 41k. What say? Should I still look for Sony? Are the specs comparable? What benefit will sony provide over these?

D

dashing.sujay said:
^From my experience, probooks (2nd gen & later) don't heat. My best friend has bought its 3rd gen i5 model a few weeks ago.

HP Probook's keyboard is crap. Buy probook only if you are going to use with a USB keyboard.

R

@tonmoyfx: HP laptops are nottorious for heating beyond normal. I have picked a DV6 and it was heating like hell, couln't hold even half a min.
Have experienced same with other HP laptops too, so is the case with dell. So think before you buy HP

You are primarily left with Lenovo nad Sony. If you are willing to spend 45K do check out sony too
*www.flipkart.com/browse/computers/...ion)&ref=f13c34d2-6a8d-4a32-beae-f43178799ed4

They also have great build and very good screen. just that incase nything goes wrng, service charges are way too steep(but Sony doesn't faults more than often)

Best go to market, check out both lenovo and Sony, go with your heart since all laptops will perform equally.