Top 5 Recommended Laptops For This Season

Choosing a laptop can be quite tricky at times because there are so many options available across categories and budgets. Also, considering the fierce competition, the quality of products and the value for money they offer are becoming better by the day. Out of the many laptops we’ve reviewed recently, we’ve hand-picked a few. Also, these are machines across segments like multimedia, entry-level, business and such. So if you’re looking to buy a laptop in the near future, consider these options.

Entry-level multimedia

Lenovo IdeaPad z460 ( Read full review )

• Weight: 2.4 kg
• Processor: Intel Core i3-350, 2.27 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache
• RAM: 2 GB DDR3
• Graphics: Intel HD
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi N and Bluetooth
• HDD: 320 GB
• Optical Drive: DVD Writer
• Screen: 14-inch glossy (1366x768)
• Battery Test: 3 Hours 35 minutes
• Price: Rs 34,481

The Lenovo IdeaPad Z460 is an entry-level multimedia machine that offers a superb price-performance ratio. Apart from that, that laptop is not too heavy and offers a decent 3 hours 35 minutes of battery life. While it looks pretty sober (yet stylish), it boasts of very good build quality and is comfortable to use. All-in-all, if gaming is not in your agenda, for a sub 35K bracket, the Z460 is an excellent pick for home and office users. Speaking of gaming. If you want a laptop that’s more powerful and lets you play games, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 is a very good option.

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Mainstream multi-media
HP Pavilion DV6 6050TX ( Read full review)

• Weight: 2.45 kg
• Processor: Intel Core i7-Q720, 1.6 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache
• RAM: 4 GB DDR3
• Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi N and Bluetooth
• HDD: 640 GB
• Optical Drive: DVD Writer (Lightscribe)
• Screen: 15.6-inch glossy (1366x768)
• Price: Rs 63,000

The HP Pavilion DV6 is one of the best laptops we’ve tested in a 60K price range. So if you’re looking to buy a mainstream multimedia laptop, just go for this one. It looks pretty good, sports excellent build quality, doesn’t weigh much and it’s a true performer. With a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 640 GB storage space, 4 GB RAM and a GPU capable of handling games seamlessly, you just can’t go wrong. Now, there have been complains about this machine heating up beyond the point of tolerance, but we’ve tested it and it’s not as bad as it’s made to sound. It does heat up, but that’s mainly when you’re gaming. This machine is for multimedia and not continuous gaming. We strongly recommend it.

Mainstream business
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Acer Timeline X 4820TG ( Read full review )

• Weight: 2.2 Kg
• Processor: Intel Core i5-430M, 2.26 GHz
• Memory: 4 GB DDR3
• Hard disk: 500 GB
• Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 5650 (1 GB)
• Screen size: 14-inch
• Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi N
• Battery life: 6 hours 10 minutes
• Price: Rs 48,924

The latest in the Timeline series, the Timeline X 4820TG is a fine example of portability combined with slickness, performance and superb battery life. Despite having a 14-inch screen, a mainstream processor, and a good discrete GPU, this machine offers over 6 hours of battery backup. Although it isn’t a multimedia machine, nor does it look like one, its performance says more than that. For people who need a business laptop with good multimedia capabilities, it’s an excellent pick.

High-end multimedia

Dell XPS 1645 ( Read full review )

• Chipset: Intel PM55
• Processor: Intel Core i7-720QM, 1.6GHz, 6 MB L3
• RAM: 4 GB DDR3
• Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4670
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi N and
• HDD: 500 GB
• Screen: 15.6-inch glossy (1920 x 1080)
• Battery Life: 3 Hours 35 minutes
• Price: Rs 73,900

Usually, when it comes to getting a good price-performance ratio, high-end laptops aren’t the best option to go for. However, the Dell XPS 1645 offers just that and obviously more. It boasts of very good build quality (typical of XPS laptops), performs like a monster and isn’t too heavy on the pocket either, comparatively speaking of course. Overall, it’s a very good option if you compare it with other high-end laptops.

Entry-level business

Dell Vostro 3400 ( Read full review )

• Weight: 2.16 Kg
• Processor: Intel Core i3 350M, 2.26 GHz
• Memory: 2 GB DDR3
• Hard disk: 320 GB
• Graphics: Intel HD
• Screen size: 14-inch (1366 x 768)
• Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi N and Bluetooth.
• Battery runtime: 4 hours 16 minutes
• Price: Rs 35,250

Dell Vostro laptops are ideal for SMB or SOHO setups, where you don’t require much processing power or multimedia functionalities. However, with the Vostro 3400, you get more than just a basic office machine. We recommend the Vostro 3400 mainly because of its superb looks and build quality, light-weight design, and most importantly, the attractive price tag. All-in-all a great pick if you also want to enjoy the best after sales service in the world.