Your search for a multipurpose
laptop, with minimum compromise and on a budget, ends right here. Here
are our picks of the best laptops you should buy under 35k.
Hey there students, planning to buy a
laptop to assist you in your studies, are you? Today’s your lucky day,
because we have listed just the laptops that you’re looking for - in
this article. Advice regarding specific brands and models will help you
make an informed buying decision. And all of the laptops featured here
sell under Rs. 35k (at least at the time of writing and publishing this
article; we don’t know how the Dollar-to-Rupee ratio will cause price
fluctuations in the future, but for the sake of you and your student
loan we hope and pray it is minimal at best).
Last month we did a piece on six ultraportable laptops for students interested on light, thin, small form factor laptops
above anything else. Although we address this article for students,
primarily, because of their perennial credit crunch status (no, we
aren’t making fun of you students, just stating facts -- based on
personal experience, been there done that), this article is applicable
to anyone who wants a budget laptop under Rs. 35k.
1) HP Pavilion 15-n208TU
Best online price: Rs. 34,550
The HP Pavilion series of notebooks is a decent one, and we’ve
never come across a Pavilion laptop with any glaring deal-breaking
features. They’re all generally good, as per our past experience, and
from the looks of it, this HP Pavilion 15-n208TU continues in that
tradition. It offers a 15-inch screen and a 3rd generation Intel Core i3
processor, ably assisted by 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.
What separates this laptop from others is that this one isn’t
excessively bulky, despite being a 15-inch laptop, weighing in at 2.33
kg. It also has a pleasing appearance with an extensive white finish and
a textured finish that stands out from other laptops -- especially in
the budget segment. Windows 8.1 and dual onboard speakers with DTS
surround sound complete this package. This won’t just take notes, but
will also let you do multimedia and entertainment related activities
with ease. But no gaming or video editing on this one, please.
2) Acer Aspire E1-572
Best online price: Rs. 34,570
Another 15-inch laptop with an all-black formal appearance, the
Acer Aspire E1-572 comes with the latest hardware packed inside (unlike
the HP Pavilion 15-n208TU above). It has a 4th Generation Intel Core i5
processor built-in, which is quite mainstream and almost a steal at this
price. Its onboard graphics are also better -- Intel HD 4400 --
compared to previous generation products. Overall, the laptop should
offer better battery life compared to a machine based on 3rd generation
Intel chips. This laptop isn't for gaming but you might still get away
with running heavy graphics editing and video editing tools, not to
mention animation software as well -- everything that a college going
student needs or dabbles in.
The Acer Aspire E1-572’s only catch? It comes with Linux and no
Windows 8 flavour -- the reason why it’s so inexpensive. But if you can
workaround this obstacle, and somehow manage to procure a Windows OS,
this is a great laptop at the price.
3) Lenovo Ideapad S510p (59-398253)
Best online price: Rs. 33,699
If you want to have a fully functional laptop with good build
quality, decent looks and all the latest hardware and the latest Windows
8.1 operating system, the Lenovo IdeaPad S510p at under Rs. 34k is a
good laptop to check out. Lenovo machines always have a good pair of
keyboard and touchpad, and it seems to be the same story on the IdeaPad
S510p -- which isn’t a great looking laptop, but you can hardly get
anything chic at the price. If there’s anything, we don’t approve of the
laptop’s paltry 2GB of RAM, but there’s an unused DIMM slot which can
be easily accessed and equipped with extra RAM goodness, should you feel
the need. Overall, a good machine at the price.
4) Dell Inspiron 15 3537
Best online price: Rs. 34,550
Dell’s Inspiron series of laptops continues to be the calling card
of the brand amongst the masses, and the Inspiron 15 SKU highlighted
here continues that story forward. Features and specs-wise, this is a
good laptop to have at the price. It has Intel’s 4th generation chips,
4GB of RAM, onboard graphics, 500GB hard drive, and other up-to-date
connectivity features that cover all bases. What’s good about this
machine is that at 2.25 kg, it tips the scales towards the lighter side
for a 15-inch laptop, and might just help sway students or customers
who’re looking for a large form factor budget laptop that doesn’t cost
much and isn’t bulky either.
5) Asus X551CA-SX014H
Best online price: Rs. 28,991
If you can’t spare more than Rs. 30k, here’s an interesting ASUS
laptop that’s worth considering. It’s based off Intel’s 3rd Generation
chip -- which won’t be as good as Intel’s current 4th generation CPU --
but that’s a compromise you’ll have to make if you’re absolutely
cash-strapped and out of all wiggle room. Barring the CPU, everything
else is promising on this ASUS laptop, as it comes with a 15-inch form
factor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, onboard Intel HD 4000 graphics and
Windows 8 out-of-the-box. Plus it’s a decent looking machine, if looks
count in your book. A safe bet under Rs. 30k.
6) Sony VAIO Fit 15E
Best online price: Rs. 30,068
A Sony VAIO stands out from the crowd, at any price bracket, and
it’s the same story with the VAIO Fit 15E which is one of the better
looking laptops around the Rs. 30k mark. It doesn’t have looks going for
it, as it also promises to deliver a fairly acceptable utilitarian
experience for a cash-strapped customer interested to buy a multipurpose
laptop. This machine runs on a dual-core Intel Pentium chip, so be
prepared for a basic experience, and don’t get your hopes up. However,
it should have a positive impact on your overall battery life compared
to power hungry Core i3s and Core i5s, so there’s a silver lining here
after all, eh?
