Midrange Laptop for Parents - Day to Day Use

U

Need your help guys to pick a laptop for my parents for day to day use.

1) What is your budget?

INR 35k to 40k

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

Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

As I am buying this laptop for my parents bigger screen size is better.

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

My Parents will mainly use it for :-

Skype (so good built in camera and microphone will be helpful)
Youtube
Mircosoft Office
Watching Movies
Internet Access

5) Any typical configuration in your mind you're eying for ?

Nothing Specific

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

Nothing specific. Open for all brands.

6) Anything else you would like to say?

Screen resolution ( 768p (HD) / 900p / 1080p (Full HD) ) - Flexible
Battery back up ( normal (3-4hrs) / extended (5-7hrs) ) - Normal
Purchase place ( Online (eg - flipkart, infibeam) / Local / Abroad (do mention the country) ) - Online. Mostly Flipkart.

N

What about Inspiron 15? It has camera but I don't know about Mic.

nandu26 said:
What about Inspiron 15? It has camera but I don't know about Mic.

It does have a mic, at least in mine it does.

Get an elchepo head phone with mic and enjoy.

$hadow said:
Get an elchepo head phone with mic and enjoy.

It would look pretty cool for an elderly couple to use headphones.

New Gen Elders.

U

Thanks Guys for feedback.

Does anyone recommend any other latop (other then Dell Inspiron 15) ??

ultimaterinks2006 said:
Thanks Guys for feedback.

Does anyone recommend any other latop (other then Dell Inspiron 15) ??

For this purpose almost any good laptop will do. Just don't get 1920x1080 resolution as that will make things on screen very small. Stick to a 1366x768 panel. You can't get a 17" laptop in this budget, get a 15.6".
These things can be handled by any laptop.
If you want you can add a msata SSD or replace the HDD with a SSD to reduce lag.
Dell is recommended because of good After Sales Service.

U

What are you thoughs about Acer Aspire 5750G. On Pcworld performance test it came out best. Here is the link i referrred : - Top 5 Laptops Hardware Systems < Best Hardware Systems with latest features, specifications, prices and comparison < PC World Top 5 < PC World.in

ultimaterinks2006 said:
What are you thoughs about Acer Aspire 5750G. On Pcworld performance test it came out best. Here is the link i referrred : - Top 5 Laptops Hardware Systems < Best Hardware Systems with latest features, specifications, prices and comparison < PC World Top 5 < PC World.in

Why are you so concerned about performance when your basic requirements are

Skype (so good built in camera and microphone will be helpful)
Youtube
Mircosoft Office
Watching Movies
Internet Access

Any laptop in this segment will perform these tasks equally fast.
Performance only matters when you are playing games on it.
Dell is preferred because of it's good build quality and top notch after sales service.
If you want the Acer you can go for it after all it's your money.

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$hadow said:
Get an elchepo head phone with mic and enjoy.

If someone's laptop doesn't have a mic(Dell Inspiron 15 has two(dual array)) he can buy an el cheapo earphones(30 bucks) and use it as a mic, by inserting it in the mic slot. The main speaker(in case of a headphones the one the wire is attached to) will act as the mic.

N

seamon said:
It does have a mic, at least in mine it does.

Nowadays, laptops have only one port for headphones. Is that port only for headphone or mic or combo port (both headphone/mic)

What about the quality of Inspiron 15 display compared to 15R? Same or different.

I heard that 15 series is made of cheap plastic.

nandu26 said:
Nowadays, laptops have only one port for headphones. Is that port only for headphone or mic or combo port (both headphone/mic)

What about the quality of Inspiron 15 display compared to 15R? Same or different.

I heard that 15 series is made of cheap plastic.

The underside of both laptops is same, there is a metal(aluminium) upper cover in 15R. The 15 has strong plastic on the upperside which is much stronger than the plastic used in the underside.

U

I understand your feedback regarding Dell after sales service. I am trying to find the best machine for money.
Thanks for your feedback.

Go with Dell Inspiron. Good after sales service and well-built machines. My Dell studio was purchased 5 years ago and it is still rocking. The customer support and repairability of their laptops has been excellent in India.

geek_rocker said:
Go with Dell Inspiron. Good after sales service and well-built machines. My Dell studio was purchased 5 years ago and it is still rocking. The customer support and repairability of their laptops has been excellent in India.

Exactly my point. Getting a VFM for your purposes is not worth it because even if you get good hardware and something goes wrong, you'll have to go through a lot of hassles when you buy other brands. Dell has a hassle free after sales service.

Absolutely, I am a big fan of Dell after sales service. Very good customer support from them.

U

Thanks All. Buying Dell Inspiron 15