Zenith Director Plus Ultra Laptop

Well.. Is this the correct place to ask for one? Reviews? I dont know..

Anyways, that sounds like a hot deal. I also came to knoe about it recently.

ohkkk....sorry for posting such a question here...so if u need a review that is then go over to this link......
*www.techtree.com/India/Reviews/Zenith_Director_Plus_Ultra/551-97098-616.html

but in the review they've mentioned that its got 1 gb ram and 160gb HDD which is wrong and its actually got 4gb RAM! and 320 GB HDD!!
and now if someone could tell me anything more on this laptop and the exact price(inc. taxes) ?? Is there an option of not getting original windows...coz then it could be cheaper by 3k...
The techtree site says the price is 40k and this one *answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081223200952AAihOPD
says that its for 36k!!

They have shops all around mumbai. See in their website. Just ring them up and satisfy your queries.

@abhisheksohal

Prices maybe cheaper on the street. Also, these laptops dont have a tap on the specifications. So the model reviewed may have had only 1GB RAM.

i've checked the zenith site and there too its mentioned that its got 4gb ram! and 320 gb HDD!! but i wanna know if zenith is a reliable company or not...coz u know its an Indian brand...so thats why i am also lukin into lenovo 3000 G430a with geforce 9300M GS..but this zenith one has got much better config. and also a geforce 9600M GS which would be way better than 9300...thats why i am confused b/w what to choose..plz help me out...i dont want to compromise on reliability..

As far as laptops are concerned, MNCs rule the roost.

in the review it says:

"Heats up quite a bit"

its quite a prblm for a Notebook owner... this heating thingy blew up ma notebooks mobo

Im not concerned about the heating etc. ..all im concerned is about performance..and reliabilty of parts etc. for cooling i can obv. use a cooling pad..

nah, dont go for it, its old dual core, thats not any steal price,

@azaad_shri75
What world do u live in!?? Intel T5800 is an old dual core?!?!??! Its one of the latest from Intel...i think its under the Centrino 2 range of processors...
And i enquired Zenith showroom in Chandigarh and the price of this laptop is 38k(incl. tax)...if one doesn opt for genuine vista business...its definitely a steal at that price...compared to the features its got...

its showing T 3200 and written pentium dual core,


ok I am sorry I did not see the Ultra, You are right.

simple example

650VA Mercury UPS costs 1000 bucks less than APC UPS and is thinner and looks better too. But it's crap.

In Indian brands, I prefer HCL over Zenith. Their laptop lineup is much more matured and their support team are much more technical.

I am also looking to buy this lappy. Shud i go xps m 1530 instead? All i want is a gud gpu.

^ If money is not an issue, don't just go for xps m1530, JUMP for it!!

yeah XPS 1530 would be best if budget is not an issue...coz if u configure it with the same config. as this zenith laptop ,the xps would come out to be priced at more than 60k...and this one is for around 40k...

Yeah, money is not an issue. Actually i was considering hp dv5-1015tx but i was unable to find it even at 1 shop.
The only thing holding me back of xps is that it has a buggy gpu.
Wel, now i dont hav a choice. Shud i buy from dell online or do u people think a local store can have it at a cheaper price?
Also i read sumwhere if one call dell & bargain they might take off some taxes.(unbelievable) Is it true?

before that, check with HP. They have dv5 series models with 9600M GT graphics chip.

^^ which go 50k+

^^ yes. budget isn't a constraint here. and xps too costs 50k+ if i am correct.

Hp had only 1 model dv5-1015tx at 63k which is centrino 2 nd 9600gt but not available anywhere.
So what do u ppl suggest?
I m getting a deal at 61k for xps by a local store.

hmm. don't buy it at local store. you may face warranty issues. I don't think there are any direct dealers for Dell laptops in India.

Order online!!!

Did you call HP and ask them if they can ship dv5-1015tx to you if you purchase online?

Does hp sell online in india?

^^ correction. yes. they don't sell online.

Pre Sales queries: *h50043.www5.hp.com/formlab/en-IN/inpresales_1.aspx

abhisheksohal said:

i've checked the zenith site and there too its mentioned that its got 4gb ram! and 320 gb HDD!! but i wanna know if zenith is a reliable company or not...coz u know its an Indian brand...so thats why i am also lukin into lenovo 3000 G430a with geforce 9300M GS..but this zenith one has got much better config. and also a geforce 9600M GS which would be way better than 9300...thats why i am confused b/w what to choose..plz help me out...i dont want to compromise on reliability..

Click to expand...

just coz its a indian brand u think its not good

^^ It's not about Indian or foreign. It's about the quality and after sales support. companies like Dell, HP, apple etc are famous for their solid support structure. That is the reason that they are on top.

@desiibond
I agree its not about Indian or foreign...but the thing is that the laptops sold by biggies like HP,Dell ,apple,lenovo,acer etc. also have a lot of problems...for eg. the battery of HP laptops wears out very soon,my friends got an HP laptop which he bought like a year n a half back...and his laptop's battery has totally worn out..so that he always has to use it while plugged in. I would also like to mention that Acer is the no. 2 company in laptops and u know i had sent them a mail sometime back when i wanted to enquire about their 4530 laptop..but they didnt reply for weeks!! and i jus mailed these zenith guys y'day and 2day i got a prompt reply along with the whole list of their laptops and prices...and this zenith director plus ultra as listed as having a price of 36K!(w/o tax)!! even lesser than i thought..If some company provides some high end config. at a cheaper price does that always have to mean that the product will be defective or something?!? I bet these MNCs like Dell,HP etc. always overprice their products.

^^ You do have a point. Okay. yes. even big companies sometimes make crap products and that why forums like this are present. To help people choose the right model. One bad apple won't mean that entire basket of apples is bad.

I had mentioned earlier that if you want to go for Indian brands, pick HCL.

and yes, if someone gives a great config for dirt cheap price, I do doubt the quality of the product.

@above
Yeah me too doubtful.
& Thanx for giving the link for hp enquiry.

desiibond said:

^^ You do have a point. Okay. yes. even big companies sometimes make crap products and that why forums like this are present. To help people choose the right model. One bad apple won't mean that entire basket of apples is bad.

I had mentioned earlier that if you want to go for Indian brands, pick HCL.

and yes, if someone gives a great config for dirt cheap price, I do doubt the quality of the product.

Click to expand...

yup true that . hcl is one of the best .their customer service is just awesome. my mom works in a bank(cant tell which security reasons) they have hcl pc's. she tells me the customer service is the best. all the problems worked out in just 24 hours. n it also helps that i have been selected in hcl infosystems

If u wanna know about the service and reliability of Zenith i can just mention the following facts:
1. All laptops are ICT passed(Indian Condition Testing )
2. Support at 450+ locations in india
3. 24x7 ONSITE support in all metros and major cities.
4. ONSITE warranty which i think only dell provides. Btw what is the exact meaning of On-site warranty?? Is it that they replace the faulty parts then and there at their service center and one can take it away from there itself??
5. And i went to a zenith showroom in Chandigarh and saw the body of the laptop and it looked no way less than an HP or dell laptop. The build is sturdy and finish is also really good.

good, did you happen to see any high end 17" models, if yes what was the config and price.

17" models!!?!?!?!?! Which 17" models!??!?!
This Director Plus Ultra IS the HIGHEST model available from zenith!!!
What more do u want at 39k!??!

ok, does it has a graphic card, if yes which one, of what capacity, and how much is the memory.

U wont believe me if i tell u that this laptop at 39k has got an Nvidia Geforce 9600M GS with 512 MB dedicated memory!!
No other company can match this config. at this price!
Go for it!

yeah, every thing looks tempting, however it has only one esata/usb port, and vista basic , so we have to buy home premium separately, did you bought it, if yes, could you upload the pics and your experience, and its only 15.4", I was looking for 17", so no 17" models are there in Zenith.

No...its got 2 usb ports....one HDMI port too! and one port replicator..and its not that u get vista home basic with it...u can get even vista business from them..but then it'll cost a little more...and i havent bought it as yet...have plans to buy it next month...and its not quite portable if u get a 17" screen in a laptop..unless u dont want to carry it around and have it just as a desktop replacement..

I will not be carrying it, as I need to do some designing works, some times so 17" would be helpful, other wise it looks really tempting.

Im finally buyin this laptop in the coming week!
And guess wat...this laptop is now coming with the latest penryn processor P8400(2.26 ghz ,3 MB cache, 1066 Mhz FSB!!) and the rest of the same config. The price has been increased a bit..its now 44k(final inc. taxes) but im buying it thru a guy who knows me well ..and hes gonna get it for me at 41k!

Eagerly waiting for review. Till then, can you post COMPLETE specs ?
And yeah, does it come with an OS or is it Barebones ?
How many MP Camera ?

Yeah im surely gonna write the review on it whenever i get it..
Heres the final config. again
Intel C2D P8400 processor( 2.26 Ghz, 3MB cache, 1066 Mhz)
4 gb ddr2 ram
Geforce 9600M GS with 512 MB dedicated
320 gb SATA2 Hdd
HDMI port
Port Replicator
15.4" WXGA screen(1280x800)
2 omni directional micorphones
2 MP Camera
Dual layer writer
But sadly its got only 2 usb ports, although u can use a USB hub if u want more USB ports..
and rest of the standard features
And in 44k final price it comes w/o OS
I also wanna ask that since i'll be using it for heavy gaming ,the laptop is bound to get hot...so will those 500 bucks cooling pads effectively cool it? I dont wanna buy more expensive cooling pads like cooler master etc. if these 500 bucks ones do the same job as effectively..

P8400 ? Aren't the P series 25 watt CPUs ? Good. Wanna see power saving with it.
But wasn't the config with T5800 for 36K ? Did you change it or something ?
I personally think 8K extra for P8400 is NOT worth the extra money.

2MP camera is better than most lappys.

What upsets me is the Screen. I was hoping to see 14.1" screen in it. I personally feel that 15.4" is both bulky and consumes higher power.

Its a great thing that it comes without OS. Nice to know that Indian Companies allow us freedom to choose our OS.

Well id like to tell u that this model was launched by zenith in dec. Then it came with T5800 processor which is quite slow in comparison to P8400. 36k wasnt the final price!! it was 39k! 36k was w/o levies,octroi,vat etc. And this new one is for 44k final so around 5k is the price difference. And P8400 is a lot better than T5800! So I think the price difference of 5k is worth it..
And about the screen..I think it may not have been 14" coz zenith considers this as a gaming laptop and these would definitely look better with a bigger screen..more emphasis would have been on this and not mobility...

P8400 is NOT a lot better than T5800 to justify its price.

1. Just 15% to 20% boost in performance.
2. Just around 30min increase in Battery life.

As for screen, if it was a gaming laptop it should have had WXGA+ (1440x900) instead of WXGA(1280x800).

Ok agreed that P8400 is 20% better but then u can go for T5800 if its available at the distributor still, the difference b/w T5800 and P800 is around 5k..i 've checked evrywhere...so its not that zenith is earning something extra outta it...and as far as the screen is concerned...how much would u xpect in 44k man!?!? Now u want a better resolution! All the features provided otherwise are just mind blowing at that price...i hope u agree...

And i also plan to buy a laptop cooling pad coz the Geforce 9600M GS is surely gonna generate a lotta heat if pushed to the limits..which i am gonna do..I went to a shop in chandigarh 2day nd there was this 350 bucks cooling pad..with 3 cooling fans...and then there was a coolermaster cooling pad which started at around 1700-2000...so will that 350 one do the job as effectively as the cooler master one?? Obviuosly the life of the 350 one will be less than the coolermaster one..but i wanna know if it would be as effective as the higher priced one...

I agree. I also agree that difference b/w T5800 and P8400 is around 5K, and checked NewEgg.com for that.

But I am just pointing out this small fact because its still true that T5800 is more VFM than P8400, just as E7300 is more VFM than E8600.

abhisheksohal said:

Im finally buyin this laptop in the coming week!
And guess wat...this laptop is now coming with the latest penryn processor P8400(2.26 ghz ,3 MB cache, 1066 Mhz FSB!!) and the rest of the same config. The price has been increased a bit..its now 44k(final inc. taxes) but im buying it thru a guy who knows me well ..and hes gonna get it for me at 41k!

Click to expand...

buddy even i am planning to buy man asked now and cme ..
P8400 + 4gb rams +9600M 512 and rest same .. 47k al inclusive...

When u gettin it man . ur from chandigarh na how are they charging u 6k less man this dealer told me 47k al inclusive ll bargain just asked the specsa and cme . he dint hava lappy but i saw asus F5Sl there wit 3470 graphics...

Im probably gonna get it the next week. In their brochure it is mentioned that its for 47k but thats just an indicative price..the actual price I confirmed from the zenith showroom in chandigarh is 44k final. But a guy who knows me who deals in computers etc. will get it for me from the distributor i think at 41k!
Please reconfirm from the zenith outlet in your city that its actually for 47k or not..
anyways...best of luck for your purchase...

i asked in the zenith outlet in brochure he said it was 47k and i dint ask abt reducing yet..just enquried and came...i am tempted abt this config don wan hasssles atleast 3-4 yrs...and wat abt resale value ...service and reliability

I have mentioned before too about the service support of zenith. Here it is again:
1. All laptops are ICT passed(Indian Condition Testing )
2. Support at 450+ locations in india
3. 24x7 ONSITE support in all metros and major cities.
so its quite good actually...
Dont know much about resale value and stuff like that..but one thing i can say is that since this laptop's got a very high configuration which some people havent even heard of..it certainly is futureproof and so i expect a good resale value...
and as for reliabilty..that guy whom i told u bout who already has this laptop says that he hasnt had any problems...hes had it for a month or two though...but hes sayin that he is satisfied..

This is one awesome config lappy.. did u buy it how are u gettin /?? dealer told me 47k.. even i am buyin this lappy soon gotta go home and ask dad today if he say yes nw i need to convince him today when i go home today. check PM .. ...

please post a complete review this laptop when you finally get it . also please provide details about availabilty of drivers for vista /xp / linux .. install xp /linux on it and tell us about your experience.

A little bad news for all the people w8in for the review and for me too..
Actually the guy who was to get the laptop for me has told my dad that there is a chance of drop in prices in March coz he says that distributors try to cover their target sales before filing the tax returns which take place in March..... but i dunno if this would really be so...will have to w8 for 10-15 days more now!! argghh!! 10 more sleepless nights!
btw...wat do u say? do prices usually drop in march? ?

Yes they do. Trust me, especially true for INDIAN companies.

ohkk! thanks for sayin dat...just hope they do othawise all this waitin will be futile.. ..but my dad ain't agreein and i've also got my xams in b/w so it'll be really hard to concentrate..

Yeah. For the same reason I am putting off my upgrade till around June.

i might even wait now as need to collect some cash dad nt allowing me 2 take loan too... so by april may i might buy ..

guys dont worry.. i am ordering this laptop on monday, get it in next 3 days(i.e wed or thr)... will post a review...

I was planning to buy a laptop from last two months. This is my first ever laptop purchase. Believe me.. i have done so much market/brand/quality/price R&D. I have seen a demo of almost every laptop in market. Even laptops from US markets(some of my friends just got them).

Finally my research says that zenith is the one to go. will post more details when i get it.

Im buyin it tomorrow or day after!!
What price are u gettin it at man?!?
Im gettin it at around 41k..thru a guy who knows me well..
I've been waiting for months...now its finally coming!

congratulations to both of you.

abhisheksohal said:

Im buyin it tomorrow or day after!!
What price are u gettin it at man?!?
Im gettin it at around 41k..thru a guy who knows me well..
I've been waiting for months...now its finally coming!

Click to expand...

i get it in 44k final. I read your price of 41k before but no one was giving me this lappy at 41k. Can i get it from your guy? I think it is not possible because i am in ahmedabad rite now.

secondly make sure that you are getting the right model. Zenith have several configuration under the same name. I have seen four models with the same name "Director plus ultra" having T5800/T6400/P7350/P8400, processors. The prices of these vary. So make sure that u get the P8400 only.

azaad_shri75 said:

congratulations to both of you.

Click to expand...

Thx man

Are the models with these processors all named Director Plus Ultra ?? I think all above are Director Plus models but the one with P8400 is the ULTRA one..others are named supreme,extreme etc. Anyways..i've made sure that im gettin the P8400 one only...

abhisheksohal said:

Are the models with these processors all named Director Plus Ultra ?? I think all above are Director Plus models but the one with P8400 is the ULTRA one..others are named supreme,extreme etc. Anyways..i've made sure that im gettin the P8400 one only...

Click to expand...

yes.. only ultra models have 9600GS card and 4Gb ram. others lack one of these.

@Nishant. Congratulations on your purchase. we are waiting for a review here.

Can you also try to make few mock calls to support center, ask few questions about how to setup this and that and check how the support is

@ abhisheksohal Hi, I'm also planning to buy a laptop and as I live very near to Chandigarh, can you tell me where is Zenith's showroom in Chandigarh?
BTW Have you bought the laptop? Have you tried any distro of Linux on it?

@Plasma_Snake
Zenith has two showrooms in chandigarh..one is North India computers s.c.o 52,sec 20-c and other is sco 179-180 in sec. 17-C..
I went to that guy whos gettin the laptop for me but he told me that the distributor was out of stock and i'll get it definitely on friday..
I don't work with Linux nor would i like to...i'll load windows 7 x64 on it.. 8)

So have u bought it? Can u please lay on me the config once again please?

@Plasma_Snake
No man..i've told u above that i'll get it on friday!
I've mentioned the config. too often now..here it goes again..
Core 2 Duo processor P8400(2.26 ghz,3 mb cache,1066 mhz FSB)
15.4" screen(1280x800)
Geforce 9600M GS with 512 mb dedicated memory
4 gb ddr2 ram
320 gb SATA 2 Hardisk
E-sata port
HDMI ready
2 MP camera
and rest of the standard features

So my mistake for asking again. I'll too pay them a visit by next week.

so got delayed again, no problem another day to get your hands dirty.

desiibond said:

@Nishant. Congratulations on your purchase. we are waiting for a review here.

Can you also try to make few mock calls to support center, ask few questions about how to setup this and that and check how the support is

Click to expand...

review version 1.0 posted.

here *thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111022

^^ Where ?

Updates: Zenith Admiral Plus, with a Core2 Dual Core 2.16GHz 1MB L2 Cache and GM45 chipset (Intel GMA 4500 GPU) and 1GB RAM costs just Rs. 22,000. Its the most VFM laptop I have ever seen.

Thanks Nishant for your review.

Wherez ur review Abhishek ?

@ AbhishekSohal

I was doing a bit of search for the same laptop on net and what a coincident, I found the review written by you on Tech enclave.

Digit Forum pe likhne ko kya huwa tha ?

@ AbhishekSohal

I was doing a bit of search for the same laptop on net and what a coincident, I found the review written by you on Tech enclave.

Digit Forum pe likhne ko kya huwa tha ?

I had posted the Review here in Digit forum too man!! Check it...heres the link!
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112494

How is it working now ?
Facing any problems ?