Tips to buy good Notebooks

Every notebook brings with it, its own flavor of class and quality. Some have looks; some class, while some claim to have it all. In this Shootout we dissected 18 different models, belonging to the 'Business Class' range from 9 different brands. We tested them for various aspects ranging from Component level testing, Productivity, battery backup, Graphics, Connectivity, to even Vista compatibility. To test all this, we used proven benchmarks like 3D Mark06, 3D Mark05 for Graphics test, Battery Mark for backup test, PC Mark05 for component test, etc. We used our standard and proven Brown Gibson statistical model to arrive at the weightages for all the categories.

Speaking of category, we've divided the 18 laptops into four of them--budget laptops under 55K, mid-range laptops between 55-70K, ultraportables, and finally those that are a class apart for people with a style to match.

Performance tests

In performance test we used benchmarks like Multimedia Content Creation 2003 and Business Winstone 2002, so as to stress the notebook with regular productivity applications as well as multimedia content applications. Likewise for graphics test, we used 3D Mark05 and 3D Mark06 which not only test the gaming potential of the notebook, but also the image rendering and image threading, through which one can easily determine the graphics potential of a notebook. We used 3D Mark06 for notebooks that were shipped with dedicated in-built graphics, so you might not find the 3D Mark06 scores for those notebooks that do not come with in-built graphs card. This is because of the fact that those notebooks have in-built graphics and no dedicated graphics card, thus, limiting their graphics potential. In fact one notebook (Sahara HJ06C) didn't give a score on 3D Mark05 as well, mainly because of its lower video memory that restricted it from delivering any high-end graphics experience.

We used PC Mark05 to test notebooks for things like the hard disk general usage, multithreading, Web page rendering, file decryption and 3D-pixel shader. It's a synthetic benchmark that covers almost all such important components of a notebook. This benchmark, in itself, runs 11 different tests. For testing the backup and connectivity, we used Battery Mark02 and QCheck for wireless connectivity.

Last but least, we also ran the Vista compatibility check on all the laptops to check their Vista readiness. This was done irrespective of which OS they shipped with. We have also taken the problems faced with Vista drivers that have become common. As a result, the notebooks that have more number of drivers working fine for them get a better rating compared to those which don't. In short, even the minute details have been tested for, as far as the Vista upgradability/compatibility is concerned.

Features

Talk of notebook features and they come from all walks of it. There are built-in Web cams, finger-print readers, TPM and so on. We broke up the features according to the notebook category under test. We categorized all these features into five categories--physical, connectivity, components, software and protection. The 'physical' category comprises screen size and the weight of the notebook.; Connectivity has options like Bluetooth version 1/2, infrared, MMC reader, S-Video, DVI port, FireWire, etc other than the regular LAN/modem, WLAN, etc. We also looked at the number and type of USB ports and PCMCIA slots. The third feature category--component--looks at the type of optical drives, whether the notebook has a DVD combo, a CD-RW or a multi-recorder DVD-RW. We also took into consideration the hard-drive capacity and any additional component that has been shipped with the notebook, for eg, wireless optical mouse or an MMC adapter etc. Software have always been an essential part of the package, hence whether or not all the essential software were shipped with the notebook, has also been taken into consideration. These include recovery CDs, driver CDs, OSes, etc are always a boon to the buyer. Lastly, we took into account, what could be a very important factor in today's data threat scenario, the protection. We looked at all types of protection available in a notebook, be it a finger-print reader, BIOS level HDD protection, touch-pad lock, TPM, or even rescue option available at the time of boot up.

Pricing

Price remains a very important feature that people base their buying decisions on. So we took into account both price and warranty in deciding for the winner. The notebooks we received range from INR 50k to 2 lakhs. In terms of warranty, almost all came with a 1-year warranty but there are some with the option of additional extended warranty, which is always a better deal.

With competition and entry of new brands in the market, the prices of notebooks are nose-diving with each passing day and vendors are coming up with new tricks to win the market share. Hence, we hope our extensive review will help you arrive at the best notebook for your requirements.

Note: All the overall scores in the pages to follow are out of 300, while the individual scores are out of 100 each.

 Budget-Less than 55K

HCL AX009012

(+) Only Core 2 Duo in budget range, best performance and features

(-) None

This notebook is the only one with a Core 2 Duo processor, which coupled with 1 GB RAM gave the best performance in this category. It gives an ample battery backup of slightly more than 3 hours, and gave decent performance in the remaining tests. Other specs of the notebook include a 160 GB HDD, a DVD-Writer and add to this the slew of features like Bluetooth, FireWire, card reader, etc and you have a really good buy in your hands. Overall, a really good notebook, well worth the price.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core 2 Duo T5200 1.6 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, 14" widescreen, integrated Bluetooth, FireWire, 4-in-1 card reader, 2.5 kg

Price: Rs 43,990 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Contact: HCL Infosystems, Noida, Tel: 9350206771, E-mail: response@hcl.in

HCL AX009011

(+) Excellent performance

(-) No Bluetooth

This model is very similar to the winner of this shootout, with a few exceptions. It comes with a Core Duo processor instead of Core 2 Duo, a 120 GB HDD, and there's no Bluetooth. Otherwise, it gave the exact same performance as the winner. The reason is simple. The only advantage of having a Core 2 Duo processor is support for 64-bit, which would reflect only if you load a 64-bit OS. The laptop lags just a little behind the Intex Performer in features, in that the latter has a multi-card reader and Bluetooth. Overall, this HCL laptop is a good buy for its performance and price, although we would like it to have a higher warranty.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2250 1.73 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB HDD, 14" widescreen, 4-in-1 card reader, 2.5 kg

Price: Rs 41,990 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Contact: HCL Infosystems, Noida Tel: 9350206771, E-mail: response@hcl.in

Intex Performer 032DW

(+) Feature packed

(-) Costly

Despite being the most expensive laptop in this category, the sleek looking Intex Performer managed to gain the second spot in this category. This was primarily because of the host of features it offers, like a multicard reader, Bluetooth, and a DVD-Writer. Plus, it has three USB ports, a FireWire port and a SPDIF jack arranged along both sides. Launch keys are provided for instant access to Net and e-mail. The speakers are placed on the LCD panel and support 3D sound. Performance wise, it was average in productivity and component tests, and lagged behind in graphics and battery backup (only 2 hrs). Overall a good buy given the features, though we wished that its price also included the OS cost.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2050 1.6 GHz, 512 MB, 60 GB HDD, 14" TFT screen, Bluetooth, FireWire, 4-in-1 card reader, 2.5 kg

Price: Rs 48,000 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Contact: IntexTechnologies, Delhi, Tel: 9312096084, sanjay@intextechnologies.com

HCL AX0K1901

(+) Well priced

(-) Low battery backup

This HCL notebook has a Pentium Dual Core processor of 1.6 GHz and 256 MB RAM. It does have a basic configuration in terms of features. The PCMCIA slot, DVD-RW and a USB port are placed along the sides. While the Ethernet, modem and three other USB ports are placed at the back, this is not a comfortable position while working. The notebook is well priced, and its performance is average. It scores more in graphics and component test compared to the Sahara laptops. Its battery performance could do better, giving only 2 hours. Overall, a good laptop for the budget conscious who just need a laptop for basic productivity.

Quick Specs

Specs: Pentium Dual Core T2060 (1.6 GHz), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB HDD, 15.4" widescreen, PCMCIA slot, Wi-Fi ready, 3 kg

Price: Rs 36,990 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 0

Contact: HCL Infosystems, Noida, Tel: 9350206771, E-mail: response@hcl.in

HCL AX0S1904

(+) Lowest price

(- )Low battery backup, heavy

This is the cheapest notebook in this category, having a Celeron M processor with 512 MB RAM. It has the same design as the HCL AX0K1901. The ports for Ethernet, modem and USB (three such for USB) are at the back. It also has application launch keys. With the lowest price, this notebook leads the price score. Coming to performance, the scores are pretty low, which is understandable since the other laptops have better processors. This laptop also gave the lowest battery backup of just below 2 hours. At 3 kg, it's also pretty bulky. If you're on a tight budget and need a no frills laptop for basic productivity usage, then go for this. Otherwise, spend a little more and go for some of the other budget laptops in this segment.

Quick Specs

Specs: Celeron M (1.46MHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD, 15.4" widescreen, PCMCIA slot, Wi-Fi ready, 3 kg

Price: Rs 30,990 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 1

Contact: HCL Infosystems, Noida, Tel: 9350206771, E-mail: response@hcl.in

Sahara CK76

(+) Very robust; best battery backup

(-) High price compared to features

This was the toughest notebook (literally) in this category. We dropped it from a height of about 1 meter and spilt about 3 liters of water across its body. It came out with flying colors in both, running happily. All this makes it a very safe and convenient notebook for heavy duty usage. This ensures that data is not lost from accidental drops and rough handling. The sturdy protection from shocks and drops that this notebook enjoys, gives it good features score. Comparing its performance with Intex and basic models of HCL, it scores well in productivity and battery backup. In fact, it gave a whopping battery backup of over 5 hrs, which is the best in this segment. Overall a good buy given the battery backup and sturdiness.

Quick Specs

Specs: Pentium M 740 1.73GHz, 512 MB, 80 GB HDD, 14.1" TFT screen, WiFi ready, PCMCIA slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 2.67 kg

Price: Rs. 46,999 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 1

Contact: Sahara Computers, Noida Tel: 0120- 4397777, E-mail: info@saharacomputers.co.in

Sahara HJ06

(+) Light in weight

(-) Low battery backup

This Sahara notebook is second only to the HCL AX0S1904 in terms of price. The notebook has a Pentium M processor and 512 MB RAM. It does not have a widescreen, but does have a built-in microphone on the LCD panel. The speakers are on the front side just like the HCL 1901 and 1904. Looking at the performance, it scores more in productivity compared to the base HCL models. It gives a battery backup of about 2 hrs and has the lightest weight in this category. An average notebook overall.

Quick Specs

Specs: Pentium M (2 GHz), 512 MB, 40 GB HDD, 14.1" TFT screen, WiFi ready, 2.35 kg Price: Rs. 33,899 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 1

Contact: Sahara Computers, Noida Tel: 0120- 4397777, E-mail: info@saharacomputers.co.in

Mid-range-55K to 70K

Asus F3JC

(+) Excellent graphics performance

(-) Heavy and bigger in size

This notebook came out as the winner in this category because of the perfect balance between its price, performance and features. It has a really good configuration of a Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz) with 2 GB RAM, 120 GB hard disk, and a powerful NVidia GeForce Go 7300 GPU onboard. This along with the 15.4" widescreen LCD panel make it a great choice for heavy duty multimedia 1and digital content creation work. Coming to its other features, the notebook has a 1.3 MP Web camera that has an in-built microphone. There are interfaces available for TV Out and this was the only notebook to come with a DVI port. Plus it also has a Gigabit Ethernet port, Bluetooth connectivity and a 3-in- 1 card reader. Performance wise, it smashed all competition in its category, giving excellent graphics and productivity scores. It loses some points in battery back-up to the Lenovo R60, giving 3 hours and 44 mins. Overall, a great notebook for multimedia work.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 120 GB HDD, NVidia GeForce Go 7300 graphics, 15.4" widescreen, TPM chip, Bluetooth, 3-in- 1 card reader, 3.12 kg

Price: Rs 65,000 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 3.1

Contact: Asus Technology Mumbai, 40058888 E-mail: media_india@asus.com

Lenovo ThinkPad R60

(+)Excellent battery backup; Good price

(-) None

Lenovo R60 grabbed second place in this category because of its great price and features. It has tons of features like fingerprint sensor for security and Bluetooth for connectivity. Plus, it also gives you a good quick recovery option with its colored ThinkVintage button. The notebook is powered by a Core Duo T7300e (1.66 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk and a 15â€Â TFT screen. On performance front, it gave the best battery backup of the lot, clocking 4 hours and 10 minutes. Overall, a great choice for people who are constantly on the move and need an economical notebook.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T7300e (1.66 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 15" TFT screen, fingerprint sensor, IR port, Bluetooth, docking port

Price: Rs 63,490 (3 yrs warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2.2

Contact: Lenovo India, Bangalore. Tel: 1800-425-3336, E-mail:directlenovo@in.lenovo.com

Connoi GL31

(+) Good price for these features

(-) No DVD writer

This Connoi notebook is the cheapest in this category, and comes with an in-built 1.3 MP Web camera and microphone, so it can be used for online video conferencing without having to dangle cables. It has a wide touchpad. It lacks a DVD writer. In performance, it gave decent scores in graphics, component and productivity tests, but gave the lowest battery backup of the lot at 2 hours and 50 minutes. Interestingly, Connoi GL31 and Connoi EL81 share the same basic specs (CPU and RAM), but this one has lesser features. Overall, if you have a budget of under 60k and you just need basic notebook features with decent performance, this notebook is worth buying.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 14.1" widescreen, card reader, 1.3 MP Web cam, Weight – 2.5 kgs

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Price: Rs 56,650 (1 yr warranty)

Contact: Connoiseur Electronics Bangalore, Tel: 41152202

Connoi EL81

(+) Good battery backup

(-) One year warranty

This is the elder brother of Connoi GL31 and shares the same system specs in terms of CPU and RAM. It has 20 GB more HDD capacity. The notebook comes with an in-built web camera and a microphone for efficient online conferencing. It also has wider touchpad and a side scrollbar. Plus, it has a big 15.4â€Â LCD panel. Coming to performance, it scored more or less the same as the Conmoi GL31 in graphics, productivity and component tests. The notebook gave very good battery backup around 3 hours 44 mins, which is second highest in this lot after the Lenovo Thinkpad R60. Overall a good notebook for decent performance at an average price.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 15.4" widescreen, IR port, Web cam, Weight 2.85 kgs.

Price: Rs 59,150 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Contact: Connoiseur Electronics, Bangalore, Tel: 41152202

Intex Challenger 012DW

(+) Compact, good battery backup

(-) Poor graphic performance

The most compact in its category, Intex challenger 012DW is based on Core Duo T2050 processor with 512 MB RAM and 80 GB HDD. It is the only notebook in this category that weighs under 2 kg and has a screen size of 12.1 inches. It's a little heavy for its size. It lost 1out in the battle mainly because it couldn't run one of the graphics tests, whereas all the other notebooks in its class did. Even in productivity test, it scored the lowest compared to the rest. The battery backup time of 3 hrs 20 mins, it offers, is good enough. It's the cheapest notebook in this category but has just one year of warranty compared to Asus' 2 yrs and Lenovo's 3 yrs. Overall, a decent buy at its price.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T 2050, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD, Bluetooth, IR Port, Web cam, 1.9 kg, 12.1" monitor

Price: Rs 55,000 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2

Contact: IntexTechnologies, Delhi. 9312096084, E-mail: sanjay@intextechnologies.com

Ultraportable

Lenovo ThinkPad X60

(+) Small and Compact, battery backup

(-) No optical Drive, no Touch pad

As there were only two laptops in the ultraportable category, there was not much we could do in terms of ranking. It comes with a finger-print sensor for security and ThinkVintage that provides recovery against data loss. Plus it's light weight too. The only drawback in this notebook is that it doesn't have any optical drives. However, you can buy a docking station if you intend to use any optical drive. Coming to performance, it gave decent scores in all performance tests. It scored better than Wipro's Little Genius only due to its excellent back-up time of 5 hours 24 mins. For the rest of the tests, the Wipro notebook got better scores than this one.

The notebook's configuration managed to fetch it a Vista ready score of 2.9, which means that you can comfortably run Vista on it. The notebook has a host of good features packed in its small form factor, like Bluetooth, FireWire, SD slot, and of course the regular slew of recovery options that all ThinkPads are famous for. We did miss having a touch pad on it, and not having an optical drive can be a little disturbing. However, it's a great choice for mobile professionals who don't want to carry too much weight around.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T7300e (1.83 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 12.1" TFT screen, Gigabit Ethernet, fingerprint sensor, Firewire, 1.62kg Price: Rs. 88,000 (3 yrs warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2.9

Contact: Lenovo India. Bangalore. Tel: 1800- 425-3336. Email: directlenovo@in.lenovo.com

Wipro Little Genius 7130

(+) Recovery tools, economical

(-) No Finger print reader, low Vista score

This is cheapest notebook in this category, which comes with a small screen size of 13.3 inches and has three USB, a Bluetooth, a FireWire and a 9-in-1 card reader slot. The notebook is powered by a Core Duo T2300 1.66 GHz processor, 512 RAM and 80 GB HDD. Coming to its performance, the notebook did better in graphics, productivity and component tests compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad X60, in the same category. However, its rival Lenovo beat it in battery backup test, by a wide margin. It claims to provide you 8 level of security right from BIOS level. Plus it also comes with a staller data recovery kit. That helps you to recover data in case of data loss . It also had dual layer DVD writer. This the only laptop which comes with CA eTrust antivirus protection preloaded. For power management it has four gear power option , which enable you to select various power managent as per your needs. If you are looking for a compact notebook which comes for less than 80k then this notebook is worth buying

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo T2300 1.66GHz, 2MB Cache, 512 MB DDRII 533MHz, 80 GB HDD, 13.3" TFT screen, 9-in-1 card reader, 1.96 kg

Price: Rs 77,400 (3 yrs warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 2.3

Contact: Wipro Banglore, Tel: 25056319, Email: nitish.bhushan@wipro.com

A class apart

Sony Vaio VGN-SZ-48GN

(+) Graphics card, light weight

(-) Bigger form factor

The much deserving winner in this group, Sony VGN–SZ-48GN, is a slick and lightweight notebook, perfect choice for a business executive who cares not only about looks but also performance. Built around a Core 2 Duo processor, it has 1 GB of RAM and 160 GB of HDD. It comes pre-loaded with Vista Business. It scored the maximum in performance mainly because of its high scores in component test and Graphics test. In productivity test, it scored 52 and 27 in MCCW and BW respectively giving it an edge over others. Some additional features like Web cam, fingerprint reader, TPM add more to its basket. Even though the Dell in this category came very close to it in terms of features, on the performance front, it lost out due to the absence of good onboard graphics. This Vaio has a slightly bigger form factor compared to ASUS S6F but its weight at just 1.69 kg makes it the perfect companion on those long trips. The battery backup time is 3 hrs 50 mins, which is fractionally lesser than the ASUS S6F. Since it outperformed others in two of the three categories, it stands out as a winner. Overall a great choice.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core 2 Duo T7200 (2 GHz), 1 GB RAM, 160 GB hard disk, NVidia GoForce 7400 graphics, 13.3” widescreen, Web cam, TPM chip, Bluetooth, 1.69 kg

Price: Rs 1,24,900 (1 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 3.5

Contact: Sony India, Delhi Tel: 26991205, E-mail: sonyindia.care@ap.sony.com

Dell Latitude ATG D620

(+) Tough,HDD protection

(-) Heavy, expensive

This tough notebook from Dell is not only tough but also a consistent performer. It is specifically meant for people who work in testing environments like military camps and coalmines. It is designed to protect itself against accidental bumps, moisture and other such extreme conditions. Dell has also introduced a new concept of 'Complete Cover', under which they propose to replace or repair any accidental damage or spill on the notebook. Built on a Core 2 Duo Processor, it gave a consistent performance. It comes with almost all features as the Sony Vaio but misses out on a few things. It doesn't have a Web cam, is heavy at 3 kg and has a larger form factor compared to Sony. Since it doesn't have very good onboard graphics, its performance score is also on the lower side. For productivity, it scored 2nd best compared to all in this category. Nevertheless, it is the joint winner in this category mainly because of its consistent performance and features. Despite being more expensive than the Sony, it scores more in price because of its 3 years warranty.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core 2 Duo T7200 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 14.1” widescreen, card reader, IR port, Bluetooth, 3 kg

Price: Rs 1,30,294 (3 yrs complete cover)

Vista Ultimate Score: 3

Contact: Dell India, Bangalore. www.dell.com

ASUS Lamborghini VX1

(+) Good graphics, Zero Bright Dots & sound quality

(-) No finger print reader, no web cam, expensive

Acommon trend among most users is to compare the speed of their machine with high performance cars. To match user expectations, Acer pioneered the Ferrari range with their collaboration with Ferrari. This is now followed by Asus collaborating with Lamborghini. Asus Lamborghini VX1 is a high-end notebook and specifically meant for business executives who want to associate style with them. With a Core 2 Duo T7400 processor, the VX1 is set for high speed performance, much in line with Lamborghini's reputation. For all said and not, we have placed it in the 'A Class Apart' category, which has four other competitors for it. It was 2nd highest scorer in our performance test mainly owing to its GoForce 7400 graphics. It is the costliest notebook in this category and lacks some features like fingerprint reader, TPM, and Web cam. At this price, one would expect to find all these features.

It is a little overpriced for its features and the Lamborghini brand name brings it to this category. So, meant for people who want to own a Lamborghini for less than 2 lakhs. The laptop clocks a decent Vista ready score of 3.5.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core 2 Duo T7400 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, nVidia GoForce 7400, Bluetooth, 15” screen, Asus Zero Dot Bright, 2.57 kg

Price: Rs 1,98,620 (2 yrs warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score: 3.5

Contact: Asus Technology Mumbai, Tel: 40058888, E-mail: media_india@asus.com

Asus S6F

(+) Compact and light weight.

(-) Low processor,No Web Cam,No Finger print reader

Asus S6F brown is a compact and stylish notebook meant for a business executive who likes to make a style statement. It has a unique texture resembling good leather finish, which differentiates it from the rest. The small form factor and lightweight are two plusses for it, but it lacks a Core 2 Duo processor that most notebooks in this line-up have and some additional features like fingerprint reader, TPM, Web cam, etc. It scored nothing extraordinary in the component and graphics tests.

Though, it did manage to get the top position in productivity test. The backup of 3 hr 58 min is 2nd best for Sony. At this price, a few additional features would have made it a potential force to recon with. In Vista compatibility, it scored 3, which is good, though not enough to top this category. It lost the battle mainly because of missing features and low performance scores. Its compactness and light weight with good battery backup makes its a good buy for business travellers who wants a notebook with style and class.

Quick Specs

Specs: Core Duo L2400 (1.6 GHz), 1 GB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 11.1” widescreen, Bluetooth, 1.53 kg

Price: Rs 1,09,800 (2 yr warranty)

Vista Ultimate Score - 3 Contact: Asus Technology Mumbai,

Tel:40058888, E-mail: media_india@asus.com