Dell XPS 1530 Vs. Sony CR35G/36G by Gaurav Gupta's Blog

March 18, 2008

Dell XPS 1530 Vs. Sony CR35G/36G

Of late, I have been caught in the middle of a laptop buying decision. With a budget of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000, I am spoiled for choices, with each brand I see claiming to sell me the best of what they have. (Yes, 60k is good enough to get a good high-end laptop today!)

I have the following brands under consideration:

1. Dell – “Cool” reputation + Solid price/performance ratio
2. IBM (Not Lenovo) – My old R40 is 4 yrs old and still works perfectly.
3. Sony – The #1 electronics company in the world gotta get it right. Sony is style!

Brands like HP, Acer and others are not even in the picture. They just don’t cut it.

So I went to Nehru Place, Delhi’s IT hub for a quick stroll of what is available for sale. My first stop was Toshiba. I was mighty impressed with the solid build and excellent LCD display of some of the laptops they had on display. Toshiba was suddenly “into the picture” now. The one I liked the most was about 77k… Too much. Time to move on. Out of the picture again.

The next stoppage was a general multi-brand consumer electronics showroom, which had Dell and Lenovo on display. Saw the Dell XPS 1330 out here (Base configuration, without any customizations are also available off the shelf, as per that shopkeeper) – Seemed flimsy and delicate. The silver keyboard sucked. The LCD wasn’t as bright as Toshiba’s. It seemed that opening the LCD cover above the maximum angle would make the laptop break into two. Overall, the machine fell well below my expectations. Almost dropped the idea of buying a Dell whole my life.

Next landed up at Sony. Although I was sure I can’t afford a good Sony laptop in my budget, it wasn’t really the case. Sony’s price range starts at about 50k or so, and the starting model they have on sale (The CR 35G and CR36G) is almost as powerful as the Dell’s XPS 1530 which is Dell’s flagship model! And prices are almost the same! Whew!

There was something about Sony that I couldn’t resist. First was the super solid build. The laptops looked super sturdy and rugged. The LCD’s were super-bright and the front of the laptop in that stunning golden color with V A I O written over it in silver almost took my breath away. There was something in there that stuck.

Now I am back home and thinking about the final decision I have to make. The Dell XPS 1530 or the Sony Vaio CR36G (since I need black anyway, I get a extra fingerprint reader built in)

Comparing Dell XPS 1530 and Sony CR35, I see the following:

Pro’s for Sony:

1. Trusted name
2. 3 yr extendable warranty (Costs about Rs. 5000 extra)
3. Oomph factor (it’s a VAIO after all)
4. Plenty of after sales service
5. Stylish looks
6. Business laptop

Pro’s for Dell:

1. Popular brand
2. CNET editor’s choice + 8.1 rating (This means a lot!)

Cons for Sony:

1. “Starting model” syndrome
2. No standard reviews on the Internet so far

Cons for Dell XPS:

1. Hate that silver keypad
2. 15 days delivery time – Way too long!
3. After sales service existent?
4. Not too sturdy and rugged
5. More of a gaming machine than a business machine. Good if you are buying a laptop for games.
6. The fully loaded model would cost about 8k more than the equivalent model for Sony.

Configuration wise, 62k for Dell = 53k for Sony. Plus, I wonder about this as well – Dell’s flasgship model costs same as Sony’s starting model. It’s like buying a high end Honda vs. a low end Mercedes.

So which one should I buy?

1. Sony Vaio VGN CR35G and CR36G Review

2. VAIO Laptops give electric shocks

Comments

harry said on March 21, 2008 at 12:02 PM:

I would say “Buy Vaio”, though i havet seen the Dell XPS but as far as i could gather Dell has serious issues with servicing. And the Oomph which Vaio oozes can only be matched by Apple Notebooks and i dont think XPS stand any closer in that.

P.S.: I myself am buying the Vaio in next few days just confused on wether to purchase one with finger sensor or one with vibrant colours
harry said on March 21, 2008 at 7:02 AM:

I would say “Buy Vaio”, though i havet seen the Dell XPS but as far as i could gather Dell has serious issues with servicing. And the Oomph which Vaio oozes can only be matched by Apple Notebooks and i dont think XPS stand any closer in that.P.S.: I myself am buying the Vaio in next few days just confused on wether to purchase one with finger sensor or one with vibrant colours
Gaurav Gupta said on March 21, 2008 at 12:09 PM:

@Harry,

Depends. If you want your laptop to project a serious look (say, if you’ll use it at work or take it to company meetings etc.), it’s good to take black. And black actually gives a nice contrast with the VAIO written in silver. And the black has a nice reflective surface as well. It’s not like a typical IBM black. So I went for a black.

For casual usage, colored laptops are super-cool. Just have a look at those colors in real by visiting some Sony showroom. You’ll realize how awesome they are.
Gaurav Gupta said on March 21, 2008 at 7:09 AM:

@Harry,Depends. If you want your laptop to project a serious look (say, if you’ll use it at work or take it to company meetings etc.), it’s good to take black. And black actually gives a nice contrast with the VAIO written in silver. And the black has a nice reflective surface as well. It’s not like a typical IBM black. So I went for a black.For casual usage, colored laptops are super-cool. Just have a look at those colors in real by visiting some Sony showroom. You’ll realize how awesome they are.
salah said on March 25, 2008 at 6:27 PM:

Hi Gaurav,

I need a little information.

I am using Dell XPS M1530 with wirless card is
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG.

OS is Vista.

I am using BSNL broadband. The max bandwidth they provide is 2mbps.

My problem is that while connecting to the modem via WiFi my bandwidth is only 250-350kbps. But when i connect via ethernet cable it increases to around 2mbps.

The network strength is excellent.

Why does speed decrease when i use WiFi?

When i connect my brothers laptop (Lenovo, OS- Windows XP) to the same network i get a speed of arond 2mbps.

Is something wrong with my laptop??

If i upgrade my present wireless card to
Intel(R) 4965AGN wireless-N mini card, will it make any difference??

I mean will the speed increase??

Please comment.
salah said on March 25, 2008 at 1:27 PM:

Hi Gaurav,I need a little information.I am using Dell XPS M1530 with wirless card isIntel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG.OS is Vista.I am using BSNL broadband. The max bandwidth they provide is 2mbps.My problem is that while connecting to the modem via WiFi my bandwidth is only 250-350kbps. But when i connect via ethernet cable it increases to around 2mbps.The network strength is excellent.Why does speed decrease when i use WiFi?When i connect my brothers laptop (Lenovo, OS- Windows XP) to the same network i get a speed of arond 2mbps.Is something wrong with my laptop??If i upgrade my present wireless card toIntel(R) 4965AGN wireless-N mini card, will it make any difference??I mean will the speed increase??Please comment.
viv1435 said on May 7, 2008 at 2:39 PM:

Gaurav,

From what you’ve written I understand that you are mesmerized by the Sony Vaio CR35.I’ve been a Sony fan all my life and have used all their products from like the Walkman,Cybershot and others.Of course, the build quality is amazing.But laptops are a whole different story altogether.In simple words, the words Vaio and value for money never go hand in hand.I understand that you have a decent budget but you still have to get your money’s worth, right?

Coming to the Dell XPS M1530, I don’t think you have enough information on this machine yet.Check out http://www.notebookreview.com.It‘s got some of the best laptop reviews on the internet.And talking about performance just have a look at the 3DMarks and PCMarks scores of the XPS.It beats any other laptop(maybe not the Alienware Area 51) hands down.The Vaio might make you feel happy with the glossy front and stylishly written V A I O but that’s about it.The XPS is about an inch in thickness up front.The CR35 in comparision, is more like a ‘dubba’.At more than 52K, this laptop makes little sense for offering the crappy Intel GMA X3100(which belongs to the stone age now) compared the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT of the XPS.To add to this, you don’t even get a remote control, carry case and there is not even a slot for your SIM card for wireless bradband(when it comes to India)

Now, a few misconceptions you have about Dell in general.

1.I agree that the silver keyboard looks a little of sci-fi alien movies, but believe it or not it’s got a much better review than the CR35’s ‘Macbook wannabe’ keyboard.Using the XPS keyboard is like running a hot knife through butter.

2.Dell has a great after sales service.There is a separate support staff for XPS laptops.Call them on the toll free number, and a technician will be at your doorstep.A part will be replaced if it is found to have the smallest flaw.Calling up your Vaio dealer will probably give you no more than an invitation back to his store!

3.Dell also offers an extended 3-year warranty and unlike the Vaio you can actually solve any problem by just dialing a toll free number.

4.”It seemed that opening the LCD cover above the maximum angle would make the laptop break into two”….after blowing a 50k hole in his wallet, which sane man would do this?..the lid easily opens to 180 degrees and I don’t see why it needs to open further.Do you?

5.The build quality of the XPS may not be as good as the Vaio.But that doesn’t mean the panels come off if you pull them.It is still relatively sturdy.

6.It is a well known fact that Dell doesn’t sell it’s products through third party dealers.So I can only imagine the history of the XPS M1330 you saw in the store.If I were you, I wouldn’t even buy an mp3 player from this store, let alone a notebook.

I’m probably too late in posting this as you would have already bought the CR35.I don’t want to beat around the bush but I feel all you have gained from this notebook is satisfaction from the Vaio brand and that glossy back with 4 letters on it.

Just for the record, I got myself an XPS M1530 recently.This is a replacement for my old Compaq Presario.I must admit that after my iPod Nano, this is the sexiest piece of engineering I have ever used.It’s as thin as a razor and Dell really deserves a pat on the back for housing a GeForce 8600GT inside with absolutely no overheating.

My XPS cost me Rs 50,480 in Mumbai.Stuff I got with this laptop? Take a look:

-Creative noise isolation earphones that otherwise cost 1500 bucks in the market.

-A nice leather CD folder with the words X P S inscribed on it.

-A nylon wrap-around case in addition to the huge Dell backpack.

-A USB modem, AV out and SPDIF cables.

-Soundblaster Audigy HD

Of course the Geforce 8600GT needs no introduction at all.

Lastly, I’d like to conclude by saying that you never should compare a Dell Xtreme Performance System with puny little Vaio CR series.Maybe the newer N series is more of an even match.

Happy Notebook hunting!

🙂
viv1435 said on May 7, 2008 at 9:39 AM:

Gaurav,From what you’ve written I understand that you are mesmerized by the Sony Vaio CR35.I’ve been a Sony fan all my life and have used all their products from like the Walkman,Cybershot and others.Of course, the build quality is amazing.But laptops are a whole different story altogether.In simple words, the words Vaio and value for money never go hand in hand.I understand that you have a decent budget but you still have to get your money’s worth, right?Coming to the Dell XPS M1530, I don’t think you have enough information on this machine yet.Check out http://www.notebookreview.com.It‘s got some of the best laptop reviews on the internet.And talking about performance just have a look at the 3DMarks and PCMarks scores of the XPS.It beats any other laptop(maybe not the Alienware Area 51) hands down.The Vaio might make you feel happy with the glossy front and stylishly written V A I O but that’s about it.The XPS is about an inch in thickness up front.The CR35 in comparision, is more like a ‘dubba’.At more than 52K, this laptop makes little sense for offering the crappy Intel GMA X3100(which belongs to the stone age now) compared the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT of the XPS.To add to this, you don’t even get a remote control, carry case and there is not even a slot for your SIM card for wireless bradband(when it comes to India)Now, a few misconceptions you have about Dell in general.1.I agree that the silver keyboard looks a little of sci-fi alien movies, but believe it or not it’s got a much better review than the CR35’s ‘Macbook wannabe’ keyboard.Using the XPS keyboard is like running a hot knife through butter.2.Dell has a great after sales service.There is a separate support staff for XPS laptops.Call them on the toll free number, and a technician will be at your doorstep.A part will be replaced if it is found to have the smallest flaw.Calling up your Vaio dealer will probably give you no more than an invitation back to his store!3.Dell also offers an extended 3-year warranty and unlike the Vaio you can actually solve any problem by just dialing a toll free number.4.”It seemed that opening the LCD cover above the maximum angle would make the laptop break into two”….after blowing a 50k hole in his wallet, which sane man would do this?..the lid easily opens to 180 degrees and I don’t see why it needs to open further.Do you?5.The build quality of the XPS may not be as good as the Vaio.But that doesn’t mean the panels come off if you pull them.It is still relatively sturdy.6.It is a well known fact that Dell doesn’t sell it’s products through third party dealers.So I can only imagine the history of the XPS M1330 you saw in the store.If I were you, I wouldn’t even buy an mp3 player from this store, let alone a notebook.I’m probably too late in posting this as you would have already bought the CR35.I don’t want to beat around the bush but I feel all you have gained from this notebook is satisfaction from the Vaio brand and that glossy back with 4 letters on it.Just for the record, I got myself an XPS M1530 recently.This is a replacement for my old Compaq Presario.I must admit that after my iPod Nano, this is the sexiest piece of engineering I have ever used.It’s as thin as a razor and Dell really deserves a pat on the back for housing a GeForce 8600GT inside with absolutely no overheating.My XPS cost me Rs 50,480 in Mumbai.Stuff I got with this laptop? Take a look:-Creative noise isolation earphones that otherwise cost 1500 bucks in the market.-A nice leather CD folder with the words X P S inscribed on it.-A nylon wrap-around case in addition to the huge Dell backpack.-A USB modem, AV out and SPDIF cables.-Soundblaster Audigy HDOf course the Geforce 8600GT needs no introduction at all.Lastly, I’d like to conclude by saying that you never should compare a Dell Xtreme Performance System with puny little Vaio CR series.Maybe the newer N series is more of an even match.Happy Notebook hunting!:)
Gaurav Gupta said on May 7, 2008 at 4:21 PM:

@viv1435

Thanks for the amazing feedback. This is one of the best comments on this blog ever.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 7, 2008 at 11:21 AM:

@viv1435Thanks for the amazing feedback. This is one of the best comments on this blog ever.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 7, 2008 at 4:23 PM:

Note to readers:
Please do seriously consider @viv1435’s comments and suggestions about the Dell XPS.

In no way am I promoting a Sony or a Dell. I am just comparing the two and leaving the decision upto you.

I chose the Sony for reasons I have mentioned very clearly. I am not a gamer so I don’t need a heavy duty graphics card either.

Do all your research and make a wise choice 🙂
Gaurav Gupta said on May 7, 2008 at 11:23 AM:

Note to readers:Please do seriously consider @viv1435’s comments and suggestions about the Dell XPS.In no way am I promoting a Sony or a Dell. I am just comparing the two and leaving the decision upto you.I chose the Sony for reasons I have mentioned very clearly. I am not a gamer so I don’t need a heavy duty graphics card either.Do all your research and make a wise choice 🙂
salah said on May 7, 2008 at 5:51 PM:

Problems Gallore…..XPS 1530

I got my 1st XPS on Feb 26th2008, it had faulty multimedia buttons

I got a newsystem as a replacement for the previous system.

I got the following problems with the new system.

SOFTWARE Problems,

1.USB devices will be working fine and then all of a sudden the computer fails to recognise any USB device connected to it, be it mouse or pen drive or anything else.A popup window comes up with a message that the program is not responding.

2.The same thing happens with bluetooth.a popup window comes up with a message that the program is not responding.

3.At this time i tried to restart but system doesn’t shutdown.A blue screen appears saying windows is shutting down and it goes on.Even waiting for upto 45min. it doesnt shutdown.Finally i had to shutdown by pressing the power button for a few seconds.

4.Apart from these overall performance of the system is very slow compared to the system i got previously which was replaced.For this the technician said that Vista OS is a bit on the slower side especially when AERO is active.But i say the previous system was working absolutely fine and fast inspite of AERO and all other Enhancements being active.

I did inform the engineer who had come over for intallation.He did try to rectify it.But nothing has changed.Then i called up your Technical support and he advised me to restore system using Dell PC restore which i did.Still nothing has changed.At times is is fine at times very slow.He has asked me to re-instal the OS in case problem is solved but then if i do that then the Dell PC RESTORE recovery drive wont be availiable anymore.

HARDWARE Problems,
1.All multimedia buttons were working fine initially but then the eject button has started giving problems.Most of the times it required multiple hard “pushes” inorder to function where as it actually should be touch sensitive.Other buttons were working fine till now.

2.The “hinges” that open and close the LCD were not smooth.At certain angles it is tight where as at times it is loose.It isn’t like this in the previous system or any of my friends systems.

When i had told this to the technician he told me that the previous system was manufactured in Malaysia where as the present one is manufactured in India.So there will some difference in quality and standard.Is that right??Is Dell lowering its production standards in India?

Apart from these there is a “Dent” on the palmrest which i have already reported to them.

AAhaa it was really frustrating…I agree there support service has been good.The replacemnt was delivered within 5days.Even gaveme a complimentary Bluetooth Headphone but Repeated replacements and re-installation do frustrate…

After a lot of thinking and research i decided to get a complete system replacement, which was readily provided..
Well my worries didnot end there..

Got 3rd system on April 5th…
fine till 2 days back…
OS stopped responding…had to shut down using the power button…
restarted…got a warning msg while checking disk for errors that MASTER FILE CORRUPTED..CANNOT BE REPAIRED…
Disk checking stopped there…had to shut down again…and restarted using safe mode…backed all data…then restarted again…it started working fine after restoring system back to a previous restore point….

NOW…
today…again same thing happened….
so after i conacted dell they advised a dianostic test of hard drive….
I GOT THE FOLLOWING ERROR MSGS ON RUNNING DISK READ DISK TEST..

Error code-0F00:0244
MSG BLOCK:25069819 , 25069820 AND 25069821.
UNCORRECTABLE DATA ERROR OR MEDIA WRITE PROTECT..

Well i dont know wat do these indicate…but technician told me hard drive is faulty n i ll have to replace it…

Will someone please tell if its worth replacing the hard drive n continuing with same system??

3 XPS 1530 s giving problems so in a matter of weeks…
Should i go for a refund???
coz i had put forward a condition with my customer care rep. that if i get any problem with my third system i ll take refund..

So now i have decided not to persist with XPS anymore..No doubt it is a fantastic system, and the most popular selling model. But for me it has been a nightmare.

And now for my budget of 50k-55k, i think the best option availiable is the Sony Vaio CR36G.

I think i ll take that.
If any of you brothers have a better option to suggest in that range please do. Your suggestions are of utmost value because my knowledge of computers is vary basic. I am a medico.

Thank You one and all.
salah said on May 7, 2008 at 12:51 PM:

Problems Gallore…..XPS 1530I got my 1st XPS on Feb 26th2008, it had faulty multimedia buttonsI got a newsystem as a replacement for the previous system.I got the following problems with the new system.SOFTWARE Problems,1.USB devices will be working fine and then all of a sudden the computer fails to recognise any USB device connected to it, be it mouse or pen drive or anything else.A popup window comes up with a message that the program is not responding.2.The same thing happens with bluetooth.a popup window comes up with a message that the program is not responding.3.At this time i tried to restart but system doesn’t shutdown.A blue screen appears saying windows is shutting down and it goes on.Even waiting for upto 45min. it doesnt shutdown.Finally i had to shutdown by pressing the power button for a few seconds.4.Apart from these overall performance of the system is very slow compared to the system i got previously which was replaced.For this the technician said that Vista OS is a bit on the slower side especially when AERO is active.But i say the previous system was working absolutely fine and fast inspite of AERO and all other Enhancements being active.I did inform the engineer who had come over for intallation.He did try to rectify it.But nothing has changed.Then i called up your Technical support and he advised me to restore system using Dell PC restore which i did.Still nothing has changed.At times is is fine at times very slow.He has asked me to re-instal the OS in case problem is solved but then if i do that then the Dell PC RESTORE recovery drive wont be availiable anymore.HARDWARE Problems,1.All multimedia buttons were working fine initially but then the eject button has started giving problems.Most of the times it required multiple hard “pushes” inorder to function where as it actually should be touch sensitive.Other buttons were working fine till now.2.The “hinges” that open and close the LCD were not smooth.At certain angles it is tight where as at times it is loose.It isn’t like this in the previous system or any of my friends systems.When i had told this to the technician he told me that the previous system was manufactured in Malaysia where as the present one is manufactured in India.So there will some difference in quality and standard.Is that right??Is Dell lowering its production standards in India?Apart from these there is a “Dent” on the palmrest which i have already reported to them.AAhaa it was really frustrating…I agree there support service has been good.The replacemnt was delivered within 5days.Even gaveme a complimentary Bluetooth Headphone but Repeated replacements and re-installation do frustrate…After a lot of thinking and research i decided to get a complete system replacement, which was readily provided..Well my worries didnot end there..Got 3rd system on April 5th…fine till 2 days back…OS stopped responding…had to shut down using the power button…restarted…got a warning msg while checking disk for errors that MASTER FILE CORRUPTED..CANNOT BE REPAIRED…Disk checking stopped there…had to shut down again…and restarted using safe mode…backed all data…then restarted again…it started working fine after restoring system back to a previous restore point….NOW…today…again same thing happened….so after i conacted dell they advised a dianostic test of hard drive….I GOT THE FOLLOWING ERROR MSGS ON RUNNING DISK READ DISK TEST..Error code-0F00:0244MSG BLOCK:25069819 , 25069820 AND 25069821.UNCORRECTABLE DATA ERROR OR MEDIA WRITE PROTECT..Well i dont know wat do these indicate…but technician told me hard drive is faulty n i ll have to replace it…Will someone please tell if its worth replacing the hard drive n continuing with same system??3 XPS 1530 s giving problems so in a matter of weeks…Should i go for a refund???coz i had put forward a condition with my customer care rep. that if i get any problem with my third system i ll take refund..So now i have decided not to persist with XPS anymore..No doubt it is a fantastic system, and the most popular selling model. But for me it has been a nightmare.And now for my budget of 50k-55k, i think the best option availiable is the Sony Vaio CR36G. I think i ll take that.If any of you brothers have a better option to suggest in that range please do. Your suggestions are of utmost value because my knowledge of computers is vary basic. I am a medico.Thank You one and all.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 8, 2008 at 12:48 PM:

This review is in direct contrast from the one posted by viv1435.

The bottomline:
If you are comfortable buying a laptop from a company which has no retail outlets and you are ready to take the risk of getting an imperfect (but slightly better) product, go for a Dell.

If you want to play safe and still get a killer deal, Sony is the way to go.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 8, 2008 at 7:48 AM:

This review is in direct contrast from the one posted by viv1435.The bottomline:If you are comfortable buying a laptop from a company which has no retail outlets and you are ready to take the risk of getting an imperfect (but slightly better) product, go for a Dell.If you want to play safe and still get a killer deal, Sony is the way to go.
salah said on May 8, 2008 at 7:27 PM:

I would like to correct viv1435 wrt the graphics card of the CR35G…

Wat he mentioned is Intel GMA X1300.
Take a look at Sony Vaio CR35G and CR36G.

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T8100(2.10GHz)*1*2
3MB cache
RAM 2GB DDR2 SDRAM
HARD DISK 200GB*5(Serial ATA, 5400rpm)
Graphics Accelerator ATI Mobility Radeon™ X2300
Dedicated Video Memory 128MB
Network Connection Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
1.3MP intergrated webcam
14.1 INCH DISPLAY

The difference between the 35G and 36G is that, 36G has a finger print sensor but comes only in black and 35G doesnot have a finger print sensor but has 5-6 colour options.
I dont think the graphics card of Sony for this model iss all that bad either.
salah said on May 8, 2008 at 2:27 PM:

I would like to correct viv1435 wrt the graphics card of the CR35G…Wat he mentioned is Intel GMA X1300.Take a look at Sony Vaio CR35G and CR36G.Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T8100(2.10GHz)*1*2 3MB cacheRAM 2GB DDR2 SDRAMHARD DISK 200GB*5(Serial ATA, 5400rpm) Graphics Accelerator ATI Mobility Radeon™ X2300Dedicated Video Memory 128MB Network Connection Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 1.3MP intergrated webcam14.1 INCH DISPLAYThe difference between the 35G and 36G is that, 36G has a finger print sensor but comes only in black and 35G doesnot have a finger print sensor but has 5-6 colour options.I dont think the graphics card of Sony for this model iss all that bad either.
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 12, 2008 at 2:04 PM:

Guys,

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion or XPS), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). First of all i want to know shud i go for Lenovo, sony or Dell and then which series among the above mentioned brands…. totally confused…So guide me in making an informed decision.

I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends.

Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change its config.

What i have heard about each brand is as follows:

Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of Dell

Lenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problem

Vaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlier

Plz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 12, 2008 at 9:04 AM:

Guys,This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion or XPS), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). First of all i want to know shud i go for Lenovo, sony or Dell and then which series among the above mentioned brands…. totally confused…So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends. Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change its config.What i have heard about each brand is as follows:Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of DellLenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problemVaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlierPlz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 12, 2008 at 2:06 PM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends.

Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config.

What i have heard about each brand is as follows:

Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of Dell

Lenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problem

Vaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlier

Plz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 12, 2008 at 9:06 AM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends. Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config. What i have heard about each brand is as follows:Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of DellLenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problemVaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlierPlz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
Not so pagalguy said on May 12, 2008 at 6:04 PM:

hey hii gaurav
pretty nice blog yaar kudos.
i own a dell xps 1530 .bought it in january this year
specs goes like
c2d 1.66
2gb ram
160 hdd
geforce 8600 gt

i myself being an half geek
settled for it after looking and reviewing every laptop
available at that time .

see the xps 1530 is the most popular laptop .

decieding a laptop purely and solely depands upon a person who gonna use it .

i had a hp pavillion with me before this and i wasnt impressed by it.

i use my laptop for multimedia and gaming dats why i needed a machine to perform comparable to desktops and also to fit my budget dat was the same as yours 50-60k

a novice dnt knw abt which laptop to buy
comparing sony and dell isnt the thing

see the basic diff
stated by you being the same btw sony n dell

i wud like to add that dell is offering an excellent support
xps comes with a ‘COMPLETE COVER’ and a Next Businees Day support warranty
tk a look at dis

http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/client_support/complete_cover?c=in&cs=indhs1&l=en&s=dhs

its the only company dats offering it i guess
its not a service which can be ignored

my vista performance index gives me a rating of 4.5 which is pretty decent yaar.

and @salah see the probs can come anytime with anything goes the murphy law.

u cant be sure that if u bought a viao and u wud’nt have any problem with it for its whole tenure whatsoever

i too gt a prob with my right speaker .called the tech support and an engg visited and replaced it with a new speaker the very next day.because dell offers an on site warranty which is mostly offered only with desktops not laptops.

see viao has got the oopmh factor which pretty much is justified.
and speaking of rigidity
viao are the one touch me not sort of laptop prons to scratches n stuff

with xps 1530 u got the mettalic inside and matte finish outside.and it doesnt give shocks too(puns intended)

guys at sony hv gr8 a good job by introducing CR series
by lowering their prices to suit ones budget

i dint opt for Sony coz
they dnt hv any tech support .
ambigous after sales.
laptops are more vulnerable then desktops guys

u cant become an engg on ur own with a laptop.:)

if you are not a basic user go for sony looks n specs.
if you are a person who had his desktop left panel opened all the time go for the dell xps 1530
its true to its name
extreme performance system.

best thing with dell is u can customize the whole system according to ur needs which isnt available with any other co. till.
Not so pagalguy said on May 12, 2008 at 1:04 PM:

hey hii gaurav pretty nice blog yaar kudos.i own a dell xps 1530 .bought it in january this year specs goes likec2d 1.66 2gb ram 160 hddgeforce 8600 gti myself being an half geek settled for it after looking and reviewing every laptopavailable at that time .see the xps 1530 is the most popular laptop .decieding a laptop purely and solely depands upon a person who gonna use it .i had a hp pavillion with me before this and i wasnt impressed by it.i use my laptop for multimedia and gaming dats why i needed a machine to perform comparable to desktops and also to fit my budget dat was the same as yours 50-60k a novice dnt knw abt which laptop to buy comparing sony and dell isnt the thingsee the basic diffstated by you being the same btw sony n dell i wud like to add that dell is offering an excellent support xps comes with a ‘COMPLETE COVER’ and a Next Businees Day support warrantytk a look at dishttp://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/client_support/complete_cover?c=in&cs=indhs1&l=en&s=dhsits the only company dats offering it i guessits not a service which can be ignored my vista performance index gives me a rating of 4.5 which is pretty decent yaar.and @salah see the probs can come anytime with anything goes the murphy law.u cant be sure that if u bought a viao and u wud’nt have any problem with it for its whole tenure whatsoeveri too gt a prob with my right speaker .called the tech support and an engg visited and replaced it with a new speaker the very next day.because dell offers an on site warranty which is mostly offered only with desktops not laptops.see viao has got the oopmh factor which pretty much is justified.and speaking of rigidity viao are the one touch me not sort of laptop prons to scratches n stuffwith xps 1530 u got the mettalic inside and matte finish outside.and it doesnt give shocks too(puns intended)guys at sony hv gr8 a good job by introducing CR series by lowering their prices to suit ones budget i dint opt for Sony coz they dnt hv any tech support .ambigous after sales.laptops are more vulnerable then desktops guysu cant become an engg on ur own with a laptop.:)if you are not a basic user go for sony looks n specs.if you are a person who had his desktop left panel opened all the time go for the dell xps 1530its true to its name extreme performance system.best thing with dell is u can customize the whole system according to ur needs which isnt available with any other co. till.
Not so pagalguy said on May 12, 2008 at 6:09 PM:

and guys who wanna know more about xps system u can get back at http://www.notsopagalguy.blogspot.com

or abhi2dj@gmail.com

and on my opinion always look for a better graphic card in ur system as it gonna help you in future use.
shelling out for a processor is not relavent.beacause vista aero needs a good GPU

and with the rumours of release of windows 7
tk a look
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7

you gonna need a graphics card as minimum requirement .

hope i helped .:)
Not so pagalguy said on May 12, 2008 at 1:09 PM:

and guys who wanna know more about xps system u can get back at http://www.notsopagalguy.blogspot.comor abhi2dj@gmail.comand on my opinion always look for a better graphic card in ur system as it gonna help you in future use. shelling out for a processor is not relavent.beacause vista aero needs a good GPUand with the rumours of release of windows 7 tk a lookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7you gonna need a graphics card as minimum requirement .hope i helped .:)
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 13, 2008 at 12:57 PM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), 13.3 inches display screen (max 14.1 inches), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends.

Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config.

What i have heard about each brand is as follows:

Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of Dell

Lenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problem

Vaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlier

Plz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
TATVA - Online Battle said on May 13, 2008 at 7:57 AM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), 13.3 inches display screen (max 14.1 inches), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends. Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config. What i have heard about each brand is as follows:Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of DellLenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problemVaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlierPlz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
Gunners said on May 13, 2008 at 1:14 PM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), 13.3 inches display screen (max 14.1 inches), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends.

Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config.

What i have heard about each brand is as follows:

Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of Dell

Lenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problem

Vaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlier

Plz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
Gunners said on May 13, 2008 at 8:14 AM:

This post is a little bit off the track… these days i am also going through the blues of purchasing a laptop. i am totally confused among the following brands… Lenovo (Y or N series), Dell (Inspirion), Sony Vaio. My budget is 45k (+-2k). So guide me in making an informed decision. I am not a gaming freak. one of my concerns is battery back up. and the basic config goes as follows: Intel Core 2 duo (min 1.66 Ghz, Min T5550), min 2GB RAM (3 wud be ideal), 250 GB HDD (160 wud also do), 13.3 inches display screen (max 14.1 inches), Bluetooth, WIFI Enabled, Stereo Speakers and OS should be XP… Vista is giving problem to lot of my friends. Also let me know that like Dell can Lenovo people make some amendments in the config if i tell them e.g XP instead of Vista. Sony i know doesnt change in is config. What i have heard about each brand is as follows:Dell – Heating problem , delivery time is quite a bit, plz let me know the sales service of Dell, how is the battery back up of DellLenovo – Good Battery back up, on an expensive side,less heating problemVaio – stylish, expensive, parts are costlierPlz also tell me the other benefits and disadvantages of the brands i have mentioned… yur suggestions wud be damn valuable in my buying decisions
Khanh said on May 14, 2008 at 8:47 PM:

@viv1435 – Great Write-Up.

Like many of you we all face the dilemma when we are looking for a new laptop. Sony has it’s marketing for gadgets with bells and whistles and Dell has it solid reputation with some boring designs at times. I have had a dell M60 Precision Laptop for over 4 years now and it has been nothing but wonderful. Still runs as strong as many of the current laptops. Time for an upgrade and I was looking around at the Sony, Apples, Compaq/HP and Dells.

I always shop the competitors because I want to know I made the best decision because I looked at most of them and came to the right conclusion without reading too many opinions online.

I ordered my Dell M1530(BLACK) 2.6mhz, 256K GT Card, 320HD, 4Gig RAM, etc… So that tells you what i went with.

My reason is simple. I spoke to people who have owned them since I work around people who are heavy laptop users and I wanted “REAL” input. HP/COMPAQ was almost an immediate “DO NOT BUY” because of my recent bad experience with the support(returned the M9160F PC) and my two friends with the Compaq Workstations said they wished they went with DELL because the support for HP/COMPAQ is horrible and they want you to pay for more support at the higher level and the laptop in my configuration was over $1200(US) more.

The Sony option got thrown off the table because I couldn’t get the 1900×1600 resolution that I wanted. And I wasn’t impressed with it’s speed and keyboard when I used it. With the options I got and the options my friend got – I was almost $800(US) cheaper than her Sony for almost the same configuration.

Apple was really nice on the feel but not nice on the price and the upgrades were CRAZY in price. The resolution was the same at 1900×1600 but it just wasn’t enough for me to spend that much more for a litle sleeker design. Can’t upgrade the HDD once you get it(BIG NO NO). RAM on an APPLE is not cheap.

So the last choice was the M1530 and I asked around to see who had one for me to test out. I called a friend who owns an IT company that I knew pushed DELL and he had two that he and one other tech uses daily. I liked the design and he had the 9 Cell Battery which was a little bulky but it still looked sleek. He has the 6 cell as well and it made it look really sharp. I liked the feel of the keyboard the best out of all of them(apple is a very close tie). The laptop was as sturdy in my opinion as the Sony and much better than the HP’s(in-store models) and about the same at the COMPAQ workstations(they are thick BTW).

I have always liked Sony for their innovations and I can respect that. But that is not what sells me. Overall I am happy I made the decision for the DELL.

In truth is that it doesn’t matter to me what you get because you are the one’s paying for it. But don’t read too much about one persons opinion or bad experience. You can’t get a perfect laptop every time through mass manufacturing. You will have problems. Sometimes like one of the user who said he had all these Horrible problems with his DELL it is not DELL it was the VISTA OS. I know I read his problems. Most of it was OS related. You can’t blame DELL for the USB issues. The VISTA SP1 will help with that.

You can’t discount an entire BRAND because of user error or OS error.

I wish everyone of you get exactly what you want but if you are fortunate enough to test the machine before you buy I would highly advise it. Don’t buy because it looks cool and that’s it. Buy because you are getting the best value for your hard earned money. Problems will always occur no matter the BRAND you buy but its the service afterwards that will have you referring others to that BRAND.
Khanh said on May 14, 2008 at 3:47 PM:

@viv1435 – Great Write-Up.Like many of you we all face the dilemma when we are looking for a new laptop. Sony has it’s marketing for gadgets with bells and whistles and Dell has it solid reputation with some boring designs at times. I have had a dell M60 Precision Laptop for over 4 years now and it has been nothing but wonderful. Still runs as strong as many of the current laptops. Time for an upgrade and I was looking around at the Sony, Apples, Compaq/HP and Dells.I always shop the competitors because I want to know I made the best decision because I looked at most of them and came to the right conclusion without reading too many opinions online. I ordered my Dell M1530(BLACK) 2.6mhz, 256K GT Card, 320HD, 4Gig RAM, etc… So that tells you what i went with.My reason is simple. I spoke to people who have owned them since I work around people who are heavy laptop users and I wanted “REAL” input. HP/COMPAQ was almost an immediate “DO NOT BUY” because of my recent bad experience with the support(returned the M9160F PC) and my two friends with the Compaq Workstations said they wished they went with DELL because the support for HP/COMPAQ is horrible and they want you to pay for more support at the higher level and the laptop in my configuration was over $1200(US) more.The Sony option got thrown off the table because I couldn’t get the 1900×1600 resolution that I wanted. And I wasn’t impressed with it’s speed and keyboard when I used it. With the options I got and the options my friend got – I was almost $800(US) cheaper than her Sony for almost the same configuration.Apple was really nice on the feel but not nice on the price and the upgrades were CRAZY in price. The resolution was the same at 1900×1600 but it just wasn’t enough for me to spend that much more for a litle sleeker design. Can’t upgrade the HDD once you get it(BIG NO NO). RAM on an APPLE is not cheap.So the last choice was the M1530 and I asked around to see who had one for me to test out. I called a friend who owns an IT company that I knew pushed DELL and he had two that he and one other tech uses daily. I liked the design and he had the 9 Cell Battery which was a little bulky but it still looked sleek. He has the 6 cell as well and it made it look really sharp. I liked the feel of the keyboard the best out of all of them(apple is a very close tie). The laptop was as sturdy in my opinion as the Sony and much better than the HP’s(in-store models) and about the same at the COMPAQ workstations(they are thick BTW). I have always liked Sony for their innovations and I can respect that. But that is not what sells me. Overall I am happy I made the decision for the DELL.In truth is that it doesn’t matter to me what you get because you are the one’s paying for it. But don’t read too much about one persons opinion or bad experience. You can’t get a perfect laptop every time through mass manufacturing. You will have problems. Sometimes like one of the user who said he had all these Horrible problems with his DELL it is not DELL it was the VISTA OS. I know I read his problems. Most of it was OS related. You can’t blame DELL for the USB issues. The VISTA SP1 will help with that. You can’t discount an entire BRAND because of user error or OS error. I wish everyone of you get exactly what you want but if you are fortunate enough to test the machine before you buy I would highly advise it. Don’t buy because it looks cool and that’s it. Buy because you are getting the best value for your hard earned money. Problems will always occur no matter the BRAND you buy but its the service afterwards that will have you referring others to that BRAND.
viv1435 said on May 15, 2008 at 12:59 AM:

What Khanh said can effectively be termed as the bottom line to this discussion.When buying a computer pay more attention to whats under the hood than to how cool it looks.

I have always wanted to own a Dell XPS and now my dream has finally come true.In the beginning I was also pretty much attracted to the Vaio, but a closer analysis revealed the lack of practicality on this machine.But the Vaio no matter how old, will manage to turn heads everywhere it goes.Its the heavy weight reputation that it’s got.

My friend keeps his Inspiron E1505 on for weeks on end.Yes, I really mean weeks.Not once has the computer hung, hiccuped or broken down.This was more like a test that proves Dell reliability.I was particularly impressed by the fact that it could return solid performance even after being abused to this extent.Anyway, I don’t recommend this kind of use for any notebook.

My XPS M1530 isn’t yet a celebrity.At least not in India.But unlike the Vaio it isn’t obese and when I run NFS Pro Street with maximum detail settings, it does feel good to realise that the Xtreme Performance System really does live upto its name.

Yeah, I know that a lot of you don’t care about games, but trust me it’s always better to have a few extra horses under your hood than a few flowers on it.

Happy laptop hunting 🙂
viv1435 said on May 14, 2008 at 7:59 PM:

What Khanh said can effectively be termed as the bottom line to this discussion.When buying a computer pay more attention to whats under the hood than to how cool it looks.I have always wanted to own a Dell XPS and now my dream has finally come true.In the beginning I was also pretty much attracted to the Vaio, but a closer analysis revealed the lack of practicality on this machine.But the Vaio no matter how old, will manage to turn heads everywhere it goes.Its the heavy weight reputation that it’s got.My friend keeps his Inspiron E1505 on for weeks on end.Yes, I really mean weeks.Not once has the computer hung, hiccuped or broken down.This was more like a test that proves Dell reliability.I was particularly impressed by the fact that it could return solid performance even after being abused to this extent.Anyway, I don’t recommend this kind of use for any notebook.My XPS M1530 isn’t yet a celebrity.At least not in India.But unlike the Vaio it isn’t obese and when I run NFS Pro Street with maximum detail settings, it does feel good to realise that the Xtreme Performance System really does live upto its name.Yeah, I know that a lot of you don’t care about games, but trust me it’s always better to have a few extra horses under your hood than a few flowers on it.Happy laptop hunting 🙂
Gaurav Gupta said on May 16, 2008 at 11:06 AM:

Here is a link worth checking out from CNET Asia, one of the world’s most trusted technology reviews.

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1504283307014263502&postID=7069670128186210344

Quote from CNET – “Lenovo, Toshiba, Compaq and Sony’s laptops were given top marks for quality control”
Gaurav Gupta said on May 16, 2008 at 6:06 AM:

Here is a link worth checking out from CNET Asia, one of the world’s most trusted technology reviews.https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1504283307014263502&postID=7069670128186210344Quote from CNET – “Lenovo, Toshiba, Compaq and Sony’s laptops were given top marks for quality control”
Thunder said on May 16, 2008 at 6:16 PM:

Trust me guys just go for DELL XPS. Infact i am picking up M1330 and since i work in DELL itself i know in and out of this system. Frankly speaking Dell has worked really hard to bring out a product like this and launch with such a low price. Well when it comes to technical support nothing can beat dell, customers are considered god here.
Thunder said on May 16, 2008 at 1:16 PM:

Trust me guys just go for DELL XPS. Infact i am picking up M1330 and since i work in DELL itself i know in and out of this system. Frankly speaking Dell has worked really hard to bring out a product like this and launch with such a low price. Well when it comes to technical support nothing can beat dell, customers are considered god here.
Som Shekhar said on May 19, 2008 at 7:28 PM:

i assume that since you are still getting comments, you are still waiting to buy one.

i have a dell xps 1330 which i bought around 3 weeks back.

I have used almost 9-10 laptops so far ranging from ibm, lenovo, dell, acer and toshiba.

what i know is that there are 3-4 things to consider before buying a laptop:

1. configuration: buy something which is gonna work after 2 years from now. the technology is getting outdated very fast and a model competitive today might not work tomorrow.

the only thing you will cry about after 1-2 years of usage.. is the configuration of your machine… as it might be slow… not running enough programs… or need upgradation.

2. looks: yes looks is important… but only for first year… because after that, the marks become visible, scratches come into picture.

3. your working environment: if you are going to use if for office work, use a laptop bag, work on a table, you can buy any machine. if you are a casual user, work on a bean bag with coffee next to you, you need some serious thinking about the kind of structure your laptop should have.

now… different companies:

1. toshiba: one of the best machines… but costly at the same time. the reason is probably because toshiba still doesn’t manufacture here in india

2. ibm: its like nokia… you can rely on it. but i hate the looks

3. HP: recently it started doing well… the new machines are better than earlier…

4. sony/mac: best looks… good configuration… but an attached cost to their name. one thing is for sure… that the same configuration would always be available for a lesser price somewhere else.

5. Dell: great price/feature combination… my first choice forever as i believe in a laptop’s performance.

my laptop costed me 56k with 2.1ghz processor, 4 gb ram, 250 gb hard drive… some goodies… i didn’t take the graphics card as i didn’t need it. intel is good enough for me.

the best feature about dell is that you can configure it as you want. looks wise, its a beautiful machine… and i am also happy with silver keyboard… frankly speaking… i am tired of black ones… now someone should get red keyboards too

oomph factor is something that comes by your persona… and not from the laptop… so upto you.
Som Shekhar said on May 19, 2008 at 2:28 PM:

i assume that since you are still getting comments, you are still waiting to buy one. i have a dell xps 1330 which i bought around 3 weeks back. I have used almost 9-10 laptops so far ranging from ibm, lenovo, dell, acer and toshiba. what i know is that there are 3-4 things to consider before buying a laptop:1. configuration: buy something which is gonna work after 2 years from now. the technology is getting outdated very fast and a model competitive today might not work tomorrow.the only thing you will cry about after 1-2 years of usage.. is the configuration of your machine… as it might be slow… not running enough programs… or need upgradation.2. looks: yes looks is important… but only for first year… because after that, the marks become visible, scratches come into picture.3. your working environment: if you are going to use if for office work, use a laptop bag, work on a table, you can buy any machine. if you are a casual user, work on a bean bag with coffee next to you, you need some serious thinking about the kind of structure your laptop should have.now… different companies:1. toshiba: one of the best machines… but costly at the same time. the reason is probably because toshiba still doesn’t manufacture here in india2. ibm: its like nokia… you can rely on it. but i hate the looks3. HP: recently it started doing well… the new machines are better than earlier… 4. sony/mac: best looks… good configuration… but an attached cost to their name. one thing is for sure… that the same configuration would always be available for a lesser price somewhere else.5. Dell: great price/feature combination… my first choice forever as i believe in a laptop’s performance.my laptop costed me 56k with 2.1ghz processor, 4 gb ram, 250 gb hard drive… some goodies… i didn’t take the graphics card as i didn’t need it. intel is good enough for me. the best feature about dell is that you can configure it as you want. looks wise, its a beautiful machine… and i am also happy with silver keyboard… frankly speaking… i am tired of black ones… now someone should get red keyboards toooomph factor is something that comes by your persona… and not from the laptop… so upto you.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 19, 2008 at 8:53 PM:

@som shekhar

Thanks for your excellent feedback. I’ve already made my choice though – I got the Sony Vaio CR36G.
Gaurav Gupta said on May 19, 2008 at 3:53 PM:

@som shekharThanks for your excellent feedback. I’ve already made my choice though – I got the Sony Vaio CR36G.
Gunners said on May 21, 2008 at 4:56 PM:

thanks everyone… for writing about different aspects which has actually made my decision a bit easier…. now i am going to buy Dell… thats for sure… i wanted to know couple of things before i really order my machine…

First- shud i go for inspiron or XPS… i have heard that inspiron1420 has a better back up than any of the XPS machines (talking about 6-cell battery). i am asking this bcos… if i customize inspiron1420 similar to XPS1530 (except for the screen)… the cost of inspiron is cheaper than the XPS one.

Secondly- if XPS is recommended then Should i go for XPS1330 or XPS 1530. or is XPS 1530 too bulky like any other 15.4″ laptops(SAY hp,LENOVO)

Thirdly- how much of a difference wud it make if i do not go for Nvidia grapix card… i am not a big gaming freak… i do play some of them but not at all a heavy user…

Fourth- How is the after sales service of Dell… and is there any difference between the service provided to XPS holders and the inspiron ones… how much time do they usually take to sole a given problem…

Fifth- i donot want to order via internet… the other option is i think.. thru phone… i need to know all the steps involved right from ordering the Dell lapton via phone till the machine is finally delivered to my doorsteps. i will b grateful if someone can really throw some light on this issue.

Sixth – there is an additional cost on every Dell laptop (excise duty of Rs 5588 + Vat at 4%)… is there any way to get rid of these additional costs… can they be negotiated

Guys i think answering these queries wud definitely make me an informed person and then i can give my final order
Gunners said on May 21, 2008 at 11:56 AM:

thanks everyone… for writing about different aspects which has actually made my decision a bit easier…. now i am going to buy Dell… thats for sure… i wanted to know couple of things before i really order my machine…First- shud i go for inspiron or XPS… i have heard that inspiron1420 has a better back up than any of the XPS machines (talking about 6-cell battery). i am asking this bcos… if i customize inspiron1420 similar to XPS1530 (except for the screen)… the cost of inspiron is cheaper than the XPS one.Secondly- if XPS is recommended then Should i go for XPS1330 or XPS 1530. or is XPS 1530 too bulky like any other 15.4″ laptops(SAY hp,LENOVO)Thirdly- how much of a difference wud it make if i do not go for Nvidia grapix card… i am not a big gaming freak… i do play some of them but not at all a heavy user…Fourth- How is the after sales service of Dell… and is there any difference between the service provided to XPS holders and the inspiron ones… how much time do they usually take to sole a given problem…Fifth- i donot want to order via internet… the other option is i think.. thru phone… i need to know all the steps involved right from ordering the Dell lapton via phone till the machine is finally delivered to my doorsteps. i will b grateful if someone can really throw some light on this issue.Sixth – there is an additional cost on every Dell laptop (excise duty of Rs 5588 + Vat at 4%)… is there any way to get rid of these additional costs… can they be negotiatedGuys i think answering these queries wud definitely make me an informed person and then i can give my final order
Not so pagalguy said on May 21, 2008 at 10:09 PM:

@ gunner
i will try to answer ur querry man

see btw xps and inspiron
if u can stretch ur budget go for xps
its more refined and better looking than inspiron

with after sales in both xps and inspiron

with XPS u ill get complete cover and
next business day warranty

between both 1330 and 1530
depands on ur requirement
if u want a light portable notebook go for 1330
1530 supporting large resolutions woll provide better multimedia experience

its purely on choice
1330 is lighter but 13.3″ is more of business laptop i mean movie viewing experience are nt as gud on them

about graphix card
1530 come with a 128mb 8600
whcih is more than enough if u are a entry level gamer
it can play all the games presently available on medium or low setting in extreme cases

steps in ordering thro phone from dell

dial their toll free number

talk configure your system accordingly ur choices

representative ill mail you the configuration choosed

u can pay both by credit card or by demand draft .
ill suggest d.d its more safer

u will have to send the demand draft
as soon as they recieve it they will place ur order .
with ur acknowledgement

after that it will take two to three weeks in all to deliver ur notebook

mine took exactly 15 days .
in between u can track ur order on their website by entering ur order no.
and check its status

and regarding those taxes thing talk to them about it

i ordered my xps1530 in jan 2008
i was expemted from those taxes
i paid just the price of notebook.
Not so pagalguy said on May 21, 2008 at 5:09 PM:

@ gunneri will try to answer ur querry man see btw xps and inspiron if u can stretch ur budget go for xps its more refined and better looking than inspiron with after sales in both xps and inspiron with XPS u ill get complete cover and next business day warranty between both 1330 and 1530 depands on ur requirement if u want a light portable notebook go for 1330 1530 supporting large resolutions woll provide better multimedia experience its purely on choice 1330 is lighter but 13.3″ is more of business laptop i mean movie viewing experience are nt as gud on them about graphix card 1530 come with a 128mb 8600whcih is more than enough if u are a entry level gamer it can play all the games presently available on medium or low setting in extreme cases steps in ordering thro phone from delldial their toll free number talk configure your system accordingly ur choices representative ill mail you the configuration choosed u can pay both by credit card or by demand draft .ill suggest d.d its more safer u will have to send the demand draft as soon as they recieve it they will place ur order .with ur acknowledgement after that it will take two to three weeks in all to deliver ur notebook mine took exactly 15 days .in between u can track ur order on their website by entering ur order no. and check its status and regarding those taxes thing talk to them about it i ordered my xps1530 in jan 2008 i was expemted from those taxes i paid just the price of notebook.
rajeev said on May 22, 2008 at 12:18 AM:

Well I was lamost sure of purchasing a DELL XPS 1530 for my 2 years of MBA @ IIT Kanpur…. but after reading gauravs review, Viao has also come into consideration..

What I want is:
Min – 1.8 Ghz Intel COre 2 Duo
800 Mhz FSB
3 MB cache memory
2 GB RAM
DVD Writer
WINDOWS XP – A MUST

I am not interested in games..

But require pure raw processing horsepower, speed and good sound quality for music..

Not interested in looks or aesthetics – if they are unjustifiably heavy on the pocket..

I want lappy that will last for atleast 4 years with good performance… Pure superb spped and memory… no hangs.. I dont want Window Vista as it sounds more of a nuisance..

AND NO NIGHTMARE PROBLEMS like one of the guys has vividly described above …. (probably due to Vista)

Pls pour in your suggestions..
rajeev said on May 21, 2008 at 7:18 PM:

Well I was lamost sure of purchasing a DELL XPS 1530 for my 2 years of MBA @ IIT Kanpur…. but after reading gauravs review, Viao has also come into consideration..What I want is:Min – 1.8 Ghz Intel COre 2 Duo800 Mhz FSB3 MB cache memory2 GB RAMDVD WriterWINDOWS XP – A MUSTI am not interested in games.. But require pure raw processing horsepower, speed and good sound quality for music..Not interested in looks or aesthetics – if they are unjustifiably heavy on the pocket..I want lappy that will last for atleast 4 years with good performance… Pure superb spped and memory… no hangs.. I dont want Window Vista as it sounds more of a nuisance..AND NO NIGHTMARE PROBLEMS like one of the guys has vividly described above …. (probably due to Vista)Pls pour in your suggestions..
rajeev said on May 22, 2008 at 10:24 AM:

performance wise is Inspiron 1525 same as XPS M 1530 when configured appropriately?

If I dont consider looks, weight and beauty and the stuff..
rajeev said on May 22, 2008 at 5:24 AM:

performance wise is Inspiron 1525 same as XPS M 1530 when configured appropriately?If I dont consider looks, weight and beauty and the stuff..
salah said on May 22, 2008 at 11:19 AM:

hey guys…
i have decided to stick on with XPS M1530 ang not go for a refund.
At first Dell din’t replace my system…and offered refund aftre deducting the courier charges of Rs.1800/-
But then i read one guy had got FREE Warranty extension of Three Years Including Complete Cover and another guy got a free MotherBoard, RAM, Graphics n other upgrades worth Rs.18,000/- free..Sao i decided to ask for it..
But then Customer care declined to provide any such freebees as in my case the defect was very much repairable. I really din’t want2go for refund and wait for 10 day for the money to reach n buy sony and all..
So, as a lst resort, i mailed Mr.Micheal Dell, he’s the head of DELL…He responded and directed the CC to issue a part replacement and three years complete cover free of cost…
and i have taken it…
Complete Cover does mean alot and for the next four years i can sleep in peace…
By then any laptop will be out dated…
No doubt the CR36G is far more better than the XPS i have configuration wise and price wise too it costs me Rs.2000/- less, but then complete cover means alot, like i spill liquid on the keyboard DELL repairs it for free, I drop it accidentally, again it’ll get repaired.
Apart from that the post purchase service of sony takes alot of time, like you dont get Next bussiness day Onsite servicing, No complete cover (means you have to be carefull not to inflict any physical, accidental damage), Plus Dead pixels not covered in warranty. Plus i am still a student so i can’t afford spending on repairs.

So all that in mind i decided to stick on. The hard drive has been replaced. And its working fine for now.
Lets see whats in store for the future.
And guys..let me assure you…At present Dell has the best Post purchase Servicing amongst all the laptops availiable in market. The product has no doubt created Hell for me. But then their Servcing and Customer Care is the best as of now.
Look what they have given me each time my laptop was faulty.

1st time-> 2 Bluetooth Headphones(Yes its true they sent me twice, it was their mistake but then they told i can keep both)
2nd time-> 1 bluetooth mouse.
3rd time-> 3 years extended complete cover FREE.

I understand this is only to prevent bad publicity, but then i came across a Notebook Review site which showed that XPS M1530 most popular selling model.
Rest you engineers must comment. I am a medical student.
Hope i took the right step in sticking on with XPS. As aid earlier i can sleep without worries for the next Four Years.

Thanks to all for their valuable suggestion and feed backs…

@ABOVE..
Bro A similar configuration as that of VAIO CR36G would cost more 8-9k in Dell.
I would not say Dell is a good option. But then do keep in mind that Sony spares are very costly and servicing needs to been done in factory, that means u’ll have to send it to them and wait for days or weeks depending on the severuty of the problem. I’v already mentioned the Warranty limitations. Once bought no replacement of system in case of defects, only repair.
As far XPS is concerned it is sleek. Performance is good. Its only hard luck with me that i got defects, and believe me their Servicing is very prompt. Let me give an example.
My system hanged a lot. Called up tech support at around mid night. They did online diagnosis, like they connected to my system via internet,then they advised me to run diagnosis on booting and give them error codes, which i did, it was 2am by then, they say hard drive is faulty, they offer replacement, i accept, by 4pm new hard drive is delivered to me Via Bluedart, Technician reaches my home by 5.30pm, replaces hard drve and reinstalls OS n drivers, leaves by 7pm. Within 24hours its fixed, without you having to step out of your house for it.

At the end of the day, its all personal choices, You buy what you are comfortable with.
Sony has its own charm, and Dell has its own. A comparision is not worth it, I feel so.

Hope I have helped.
Thank you once again.
salah said on May 22, 2008 at 6:19 AM:

hey guys…i have decided to stick on with XPS M1530 ang not go for a refund.At first Dell din’t replace my system…and offered refund aftre deducting the courier charges of Rs.1800/-But then i read one guy had got FREE Warranty extension of Three Years Including Complete Cover and another guy got a free MotherBoard, RAM, Graphics n other upgrades worth Rs.18,000/- free..Sao i decided to ask for it..But then Customer care declined to provide any such freebees as in my case the defect was very much repairable. I really din’t want2go for refund and wait for 10 day for the money to reach n buy sony and all..So, as a lst resort, i mailed Mr.Micheal Dell, he’s the head of DELL…He responded and directed the CC to issue a part replacement and three years complete cover free of cost…and i have taken it…Complete Cover does mean alot and for the next four years i can sleep in peace…By then any laptop will be out dated…No doubt the CR36G is far more better than the XPS i have configuration wise and price wise too it costs me Rs.2000/- less, but then complete cover means alot, like i spill liquid on the keyboard DELL repairs it for free, I drop it accidentally, again it’ll get repaired. Apart from that the post purchase service of sony takes alot of time, like you dont get Next bussiness day Onsite servicing, No complete cover (means you have to be carefull not to inflict any physical, accidental damage), Plus Dead pixels not covered in warranty. Plus i am still a student so i can’t afford spending on repairs. So all that in mind i decided to stick on. The hard drive has been replaced. And its working fine for now.Lets see whats in store for the future.And guys..let me assure you…At present Dell has the best Post purchase Servicing amongst all the laptops availiable in market. The product has no doubt created Hell for me. But then their Servcing and Customer Care is the best as of now.Look what they have given me each time my laptop was faulty.1st time-> 2 Bluetooth Headphones(Yes its true they sent me twice, it was their mistake but then they told i can keep both)2nd time-> 1 bluetooth mouse.3rd time-> 3 years extended complete cover FREE.I understand this is only to prevent bad publicity, but then i came across a Notebook Review site which showed that XPS M1530 most popular selling model.Rest you engineers must comment. I am a medical student.Hope i took the right step in sticking on with XPS. As aid earlier i can sleep without worries for the next Four Years. Thanks to all for their valuable suggestion and feed backs…@ABOVE..Bro A similar configuration as that of VAIO CR36G would cost more 8-9k in Dell.I would not say Dell is a good option. But then do keep in mind that Sony spares are very costly and servicing needs to been done in factory, that means u’ll have to send it to them and wait for days or weeks depending on the severuty of the problem. I’v already mentioned the Warranty limitations. Once bought no replacement of system in case of defects, only repair.As far XPS is concerned it is sleek. Performance is good. Its only hard luck with me that i got defects, and believe me their Servicing is very prompt. Let me give an example.My system hanged a lot. Called up tech support at around mid night. They did online diagnosis, like they connected to my system via internet,then they advised me to run diagnosis on booting and give them error codes, which i did, it was 2am by then, they say hard drive is faulty, they offer replacement, i accept, by 4pm new hard drive is delivered to me Via Bluedart, Technician reaches my home by 5.30pm, replaces hard drve and reinstalls OS n drivers, leaves by 7pm. Within 24hours its fixed, without you having to step out of your house for it.At the end of the day, its all personal choices, You buy what you are comfortable with.Sony has its own charm, and Dell has its own. A comparision is not worth it, I feel so.Hope I have helped.Thank you once again.
Gunners said on May 22, 2008 at 8:54 PM:

@ Not so pagalguy

Hey man thanx a lot for answering to my queries… i think i will go for DELL XPS1530… ppl jus wanna know one more thing… can i ask Dell ppl to put Win XP instead of Vista… some how i am not comfortable with Vista…
Gunners said on May 22, 2008 at 3:54 PM:

@ Not so pagalguyHey man thanx a lot for answering to my queries… i think i will go for DELL XPS1530… ppl jus wanna know one more thing… can i ask Dell ppl to put Win XP instead of Vista… some how i am not comfortable with Vista…
vini said on May 23, 2008 at 12:29 AM:

hey i need to buy a laptop for study purpose(mba) and very confused between vaio cr 36 and xps 1530
since u have one can u pls tel me how was the service experience..
are they very much laidback or quick and friendly to respond?
vini said on May 22, 2008 at 7:29 PM:

hey i need to buy a laptop for study purpose(mba) and very confused between vaio cr 36 and xps 1530since u have one can u pls tel me how was the service experience..are they very much laidback or quick and friendly to respond?
salah said on May 23, 2008 at 10:44 AM:

@VINI.

i think i have answered ur query with regards to the servicing in my previous post.
plz refer
thank you
salah said on May 23, 2008 at 5:44 AM:

@VINI.i think i have answered ur query with regards to the servicing in my previous post.plz referthank you
Saarthak said on June 2, 2008 at 11:29 AM:

guys,i’ve ben bugged to death comparing these two for weeks now. after reading all the above, i personally feel tht given all the tech specs of the dell xps m1530 its more of a gamble, coz i’ve read extreme reviews on either sides by ppl…they’re are either too good, or vice versa. although vaio cr 36 doesnt come into immediate comparision to the xps, if you want to play a safe deal, it seems petty ok, but again the services and spare parts are a conflict…with all this going, i’m wondering i’ll have to build my own laptop 🙁
Saarthak said on June 2, 2008 at 6:29 AM:

guys,i’ve ben bugged to death comparing these two for weeks now. after reading all the above, i personally feel tht given all the tech specs of the dell xps m1530 its more of a gamble, coz i’ve read extreme reviews on either sides by ppl…they’re are either too good, or vice versa. although vaio cr 36 doesnt come into immediate comparision to the xps, if you want to play a safe deal, it seems petty ok, but again the services and spare parts are a conflict…with all this going, i’m wondering i’ll have to build my own laptop 🙁
vini said on June 2, 2008 at 11:43 PM:

i had the similar confusion but then decide to go for sony vaio
decent service
great brand
coz after all “IT’S A SONY!!”
and a personal choice!!
[gettin more discount from college]
vini said on June 2, 2008 at 6:43 PM:

i had the similar confusion but then decide to go for sony vaiodecent servicegreat brandcoz after all “IT’S A SONY!!”and a personal choice!![gettin more discount from college]
rajeev said on June 3, 2008 at 10:55 AM:

I was interested in purchasing DELL Inspiron 1525 and we had negotiated a good bulk deal for the same with some discounts and a free upgrade on the battery.

Contrary to all expectations.. on the last day.. on the last hour… and the last minute before ordering for DELL Inspiron 1525.. I read about an AD of a showroom offering SONY VAIO 35g at a stunning price of 49,990 Rs.

Yes at the last moment, I bought a Sony Viao 35G, blazing red colour …which really “Shouts It Out”….having a basic price of Rs 54,990….. I got a cash discount of 5000 Rs

Our DELL Inspiron 1525 deal was still far better in terms of performance-price ratio… Infact some other ppl who have already ordered for Inspiron 1525 seem to have made a savings of around 10,000 Rs… 8000 for free battery upgradation and 2000 as bulk discount…

But fates always find a way… “Vaio Vaio per likha hai computing karne vale ka naam.”.

The model SONY VAIO 35G
http://www.sony.co.in/product/vgn-cr35g?site=hp_en_IN_i

configs
2.1 Ghz, 800 Mhz FSB, 3 MB Cache T8100 Intel core-2-duo
200 GB Hard disk
2 GB 667 Mhz RAM
128 MB video graphics memory card ATI-Radeon
14.1″ screen 1200×800 TFT (no distortion from any angle )

I would still say… not a very good performance to price ratio as compared to DELL Inspiron.. but then
“ITS A SONY”

And then the stunning beauty of my blazing red VAIO, I slept whole the night with the lappy at my side 🙂
rajeev said on June 3, 2008 at 5:55 AM:

I was interested in purchasing DELL Inspiron 1525 and we had negotiated a good bulk deal for the same with some discounts and a free upgrade on the battery. Contrary to all expectations.. on the last day.. on the last hour… and the last minute before ordering for DELL Inspiron 1525.. I read about an AD of a showroom offering SONY VAIO 35g at a stunning price of 49,990 Rs.Yes at the last moment, I bought a Sony Viao 35G, blazing red colour …which really “Shouts It Out”….having a basic price of Rs 54,990….. I got a cash discount of 5000 RsOur DELL Inspiron 1525 deal was still far better in terms of performance-price ratio… Infact some other ppl who have already ordered for Inspiron 1525 seem to have made a savings of around 10,000 Rs… 8000 for free battery upgradation and 2000 as bulk discount…But fates always find a way… “Vaio Vaio per likha hai computing karne vale ka naam.”.The model SONY VAIO 35Ghttp://www.sony.co.in/product/vgn-cr35g?site=hp_en_IN_iconfigs2.1 Ghz, 800 Mhz FSB, 3 MB Cache T8100 Intel core-2-duo200 GB Hard disk2 GB 667 Mhz RAM128 MB video graphics memory card ATI-Radeon14.1″ screen 1200×800 TFT (no distortion from any angle )I would still say… not a very good performance to price ratio as compared to DELL Inspiron.. but then”ITS A SONY”And then the stunning beauty of my blazing red VAIO, I slept whole the night with the lappy at my side 🙂
Saarthak said on June 3, 2008 at 10:28 PM:

i just confirmed my order with dell for the xps m1530, core 2 duo T8100, 2.1 GHz, 3 GB Ram, 265MB GEfore8600 video card, 250 SATA with a partitin of 60 GB for the C: and rest in the D: did an upgradation in the speakers, the 4965 AGN wireless mini card, a wireless headset, a bluetooth travel mouse, a backpack,a finger print reader and all the other routine stuff. a one year Complete Cover which is more than equivalent to an insurance along with the warranty. all this for 62 K. i was almost on the verge of buying the sony vaio cr 36 for 53-54K but bang !! something struck me and i was game for the dell, perhaps that was what first love was !!
Saarthak said on June 3, 2008 at 5:28 PM:

i just confirmed my order with dell for the xps m1530, core 2 duo T8100, 2.1 GHz, 3 GB Ram, 265MB GEfore8600 video card, 250 SATA with a partitin of 60 GB for the C: and rest in the D: did an upgradation in the speakers, the 4965 AGN wireless mini card, a wireless headset, a bluetooth travel mouse, a backpack,a finger print reader and all the other routine stuff. a one year Complete Cover which is more than equivalent to an insurance along with the warranty. all this for 62 K. i was almost on the verge of buying the sony vaio cr 36 for 53-54K but bang !! something struck me and i was game for the dell, perhaps that was what first love was !!
Rakesh Reddy Ponnala said on June 27, 2008 at 1:08 AM:

Hi,
I was planning to buy a Laptop a month ago. I love hard core gaming. I was looking at Sony and Dell. All the other makes(IBM,HP,..) are not even in the picture.

I read lot of reviews and did lot of research.

I observed every one who posted in this blog are comparing sony CR36G with Dell XPS 1530.

But in reality Sony CR is no match for dell xps 1530.

if you want to compare, compare sony FZ series with dell xps.

I have ordered a dell xps finally on June 16th.

with the below configuration after lot of research.

Core 2 Duo 8100(2.4Mhz, 3Mb Cache)
4Gb ram
250 GB HDD 5400 RPM
High resolution Glossy screen.
Nvidia Geforce 8600M (256MB)
Intetl Nextgen Mini wireless
Built in webcam(2MP)
Bluetooth Wireless Mouse.
HDMI port.
Creative Audigy HD
Finger print scanner.
. for just 1262USD including tax.

The same in sony FZ series would definitley cost me around 1700$.
or even more.

And FZ sereis doesn’t have the stunning looks of CR series.

If you want to compare a CR series , compare it with Dell Inspiron. Even dell inspiron has good looks, and is less expensive compared to CR sereis.

I am not sure if CR series has a HDMI port.

But FZ series has one, and Dell inspiron also has CR series.

—-RRP
Rakesh Reddy Ponnala said on June 26, 2008 at 8:08 PM:

Hi, I was planning to buy a Laptop a month ago. I love hard core gaming. I was looking at Sony and Dell. All the other makes(IBM,HP,..) are not even in the picture.I read lot of reviews and did lot of research.I observed every one who posted in this blog are comparing sony CR36G with Dell XPS 1530.But in reality Sony CR is no match for dell xps 1530.if you want to compare, compare sony FZ series with dell xps. I have ordered a dell xps finally on June 16th.with the below configuration after lot of research.Core 2 Duo 8100(2.4Mhz, 3Mb Cache)4Gb ram250 GB HDD 5400 RPMHigh resolution Glossy screen.Nvidia Geforce 8600M (256MB)Intetl Nextgen Mini wirelessBuilt in webcam(2MP)Bluetooth Wireless Mouse.HDMI port.Creative Audigy HDFinger print scanner.. for just 1262USD including tax.The same in sony FZ series would definitley cost me around 1700$.or even more.And FZ sereis doesn’t have the stunning looks of CR series.If you want to compare a CR series , compare it with Dell Inspiron. Even dell inspiron has good looks, and is less expensive compared to CR sereis.I am not sure if CR series has a HDMI port.But FZ series has one, and Dell inspiron also has CR series.—-RRP
sanjeev said on July 2, 2008 at 9:57 AM:

Hi,
Today I got Sony cr-36g looks it’s looks stunning and I am very satisfied with this model previously I was heaving Dell it was good but I never get to hat much satisfaction with Dell as I am with Sony.

I will suggest Sony in all the way
sanjeev said on July 2, 2008 at 4:57 AM:

Hi,Today I got Sony cr-36g looks it’s looks stunning and I am very satisfied with this model previously I was heaving Dell it was good but I never get to hat much satisfaction with Dell as I am with Sony.I will suggest Sony in all the way
Varun said on July 14, 2008 at 2:06 PM:

@ rajeev.
can you let me know d address of shop which is givin 5000 discount on sony vaio cr36.my phone no. is
9871631666.

@ others
sony vaio latest cr model is VGN-CR590.for 1200$ u get a much better config.plus u can customize also
my question is if i order online how much custom duty i have to pay say for a 1400 $ laptop.
p.s. assumin askin someone to get it for me frm US is not a possibility.
Varun said on July 14, 2008 at 9:06 AM:

@ rajeev.can you let me know d address of shop which is givin 5000 discount on sony vaio cr36.my phone no. is9871631666.@ otherssony vaio latest cr model is VGN-CR590.for 1200$ u get a much better config.plus u can customize alsomy question is if i order online how much custom duty i have to pay say for a 1400 $ laptop.p.s. assumin askin someone to get it for me frm US is not a possibility.
Dharma said on July 25, 2008 at 6:47 PM:

Hello Everyone,
I’ve used various laptops extensively and knows the bits and pieces of them. I remember having a Compaq Armada or something like that with a 486MHz processor as my first notebook computer.

Now this is a good discussion going on over here and very helpful.

The key factors which people should consider while buying a laptop are :
1. Price factor – You should know your budget very well, and then search for notebooks in that budget.
2. Configuration – What configuration can you get within your budget.
3. Looks – Of course last but not the least most important aspect.

When someone buys a Mac Book he doesn’t looks at the price, he looks for the best model with upto date configuration. Looks come by itself.

When someone buys a Sony Vaio, he looks for price, looks and configuration. He needs it all.

But when someone buys a Dell, he looks for price, configuration and looks. And he thinks of buying a computer not just another flashy gadget. When he gets an XPS, looks come by itself.

So IMHO, nothing is better than XPS 1530 or 1330 when it comes to buying a great laptop with everything in it.

Sony is good, but the config you can get would always be lower than what you can in Dell.

Forget about Mac Book.

Also the world is changing from the days when we used to buy ration from local stores to malls, then why should we be inclined to local stores for buying expensive laptops. I would prefer configuring anything I buy depending on my needs and further would place the order directly to the company than having a middleman to take care of the order.

And always remember XPS is no less than flashy Vaio written on the top. Both looks same when you use a glowing sign (Mac Book) out there.

Hope it helps you all.
Dharma said on July 25, 2008 at 1:47 PM:

Hello Everyone,I’ve used various laptops extensively and knows the bits and pieces of them. I remember having a Compaq Armada or something like that with a 486MHz processor as my first notebook computer.Now this is a good discussion going on over here and very helpful.The key factors which people should consider while buying a laptop are : 1. Price factor – You should know your budget very well, and then search for notebooks in that budget.2. Configuration – What configuration can you get within your budget.3. Looks – Of course last but not the least most important aspect.When someone buys a Mac Book he doesn’t looks at the price, he looks for the best model with upto date configuration. Looks come by itself.When someone buys a Sony Vaio, he looks for price, looks and configuration. He needs it all.But when someone buys a Dell, he looks for price, configuration and looks. And he thinks of buying a computer not just another flashy gadget. When he gets an XPS, looks come by itself.So IMHO, nothing is better than XPS 1530 or 1330 when it comes to buying a great laptop with everything in it.Sony is good, but the config you can get would always be lower than what you can in Dell.Forget about Mac Book.Also the world is changing from the days when we used to buy ration from local stores to malls, then why should we be inclined to local stores for buying expensive laptops. I would prefer configuring anything I buy depending on my needs and further would place the order directly to the company than having a middleman to take care of the order.And always remember XPS is no less than flashy Vaio written on the top. Both looks same when you use a glowing sign (Mac Book) out there.Hope it helps you all.
Arush said on August 4, 2008 at 3:34 AM:

@viv1435
Hey bro…thnx fr da review yu gave a few dayz bak o yer dell xps…m gonna order one soon in a few dayz..minez costin me arund 58…amost da same config…since dell dzn do any 3rd party buizznezz…ratez increased hun then??
Arush said on August 3, 2008 at 10:34 PM:

@viv1435Hey bro…thnx fr da review yu gave a few dayz bak o yer dell xps…m gonna order one soon in a few dayz..minez costin me arund 58…amost da same config…since dell dzn do any 3rd party buizznezz…ratez increased hun then??
vivvaid said on August 28, 2008 at 10:23 PM:

hey, i know this is a little late to comment on this post, but anyways..
with the same config, the dell studio comes upto 52,000-odd, while the sony vaio CR 35/36 is around 54,000-odd..
would anyone be able to give me a suggestion on whether the sony is better, in wat way and is it worth the extra 2000?
Any kinda info would be greatly appreciated..
p.s. config in both cases is the new T8100 processor,3 gb ram, 250 hdd,256 graphics card,etc..
vivvaid said on August 28, 2008 at 5:23 PM:

hey, i know this is a little late to comment on this post, but anyways..with the same config, the dell studio comes upto 52,000-odd, while the sony vaio CR 35/36 is around 54,000-odd.. would anyone be able to give me a suggestion on whether the sony is better, in wat way and is it worth the extra 2000?Any kinda info would be greatly appreciated.. p.s. config in both cases is the new T8100 processor,3 gb ram, 250 hdd,256 graphics card,etc..
Michael said on September 4, 2008 at 3:23 AM:

You can’t imagine how many problems I have had. I bought my machine in February. Since then, I have had to do 4 factory resets, replaced my hard drive twice, replaced my wireless card, and have spent more that 70 hours on the phone with technical support who still can’t seem to fix the problem. Dell says it can’t replace my machine until after it has replaced three major parts (the wireless card didn’t count). I have been on the phone w/ technical suport about 4x more than I have been able to use my machine. I finally put it away for two months because it exhausted me. When I tried to use it again, nearly all of my third party software had corrupted.
Michael said on September 3, 2008 at 10:23 PM:

You can’t imagine how many problems I have had. I bought my machine in February. Since then, I have had to do 4 factory resets, replaced my hard drive twice, replaced my wireless card, and have spent more that 70 hours on the phone with technical support who still can’t seem to fix the problem. Dell says it can’t replace my machine until after it has replaced three major parts (the wireless card didn’t count). I have been on the phone w/ technical suport about 4x more than I have been able to use my machine. I finally put it away for two months because it exhausted me. When I tried to use it again, nearly all of my third party software had corrupted.
vikas said on September 5, 2008 at 1:08 PM:

you r too good man………….good exempiflication.
vikas said on September 5, 2008 at 8:08 AM:

you r too good man………….good exempiflication.
Honey Varshney said on October 6, 2008 at 12:34 AM:

hello all.

I want to purchase a laptop and my range is not more than Rs 50,000. Can any one tell me about any good deal.

I want good speed as i am a regular internet user and have a good interest in gaming. Preferably I want Sony VAIO but can go with any brand offering good deal.

I have searched for many brands and finally come for these models..

1.LG R2oo with dual screen and 4 MB cache with 1 GB RAM and graphics card.
2.SONY VAIO VGN-CS 14G
3.DELL STUDIO/XPS
4.Compaq-Presario CQ-137TX

any of the above or any other model u suggest, please provide me some good knowldge and comments.

thanx n regards

Honey
Honey Varshney said on October 5, 2008 at 7:34 PM:

hello all.I want to purchase a laptop and my range is not more than Rs 50,000. Can any one tell me about any good deal.I want good speed as i am a regular internet user and have a good interest in gaming. Preferably I want Sony VAIO but can go with any brand offering good deal.I have searched for many brands and finally come for these models..1.LG R2oo with dual screen and 4 MB cache with 1 GB RAM and graphics card.2.SONY VAIO VGN-CS 14G3.DELL STUDIO/XPS4.Compaq-Presario CQ-137TXany of the above or any other model u suggest, please provide me some good knowldge and comments.thanx n regardsHoney
chaitali said on December 11, 2008 at 10:52 AM:

why don’t we try other specimens rather than only SONY, DELL, and LENOVO?
there are other brands as well that help you buy the best.
HCLDirect
chaitali said on December 11, 2008 at 5:52 AM:

why don’t we try other specimens rather than only SONY, DELL, and LENOVO?there are other brands as well that help you buy the best.HCLDirect
Anurag said on December 12, 2008 at 7:37 PM:

hey guys… its really nice to see so many XPS fans out here….

have been plannin a buy 1 since 2 months….
but cudnt do so cos of cash crunch….

just wanna ask u all 1 Q…
does the Dell sales executives really give reduce the Excise duty as well as the VAT(which amounts to almost 8k)?????

eager to see ur replies as m on the verge of buyin a 1530…….
Anurag said on December 12, 2008 at 2:37 PM:

hey guys… its really nice to see so many XPS fans out here….have been plannin a buy 1 since 2 months….but cudnt do so cos of cash crunch….just wanna ask u all 1 Q…does the Dell sales executives really give reduce the Excise duty as well as the VAT(which amounts to almost 8k)?????eager to see ur replies as m on the verge of buyin a 1530…….
Tarun said on January 19, 2009 at 3:22 AM:

I am currently in philadelphia and I own a Dell XPS and my friend has a Sony Vaio.

Our experience – SONY customer care sucks big time, it is the worst possible customer service and expensive too..
Dell customer service is top notch instant replies and agent at your doorstep to fix things, no questions asked..

xps 1530 has some overheating problems, put too much load on it and it switches off but you get discrete graphics for it.. vaio with the ever horrible intel integrated graphics, unless you are not going to do anything more complex than youtube it is ok.

Dell rocks ( eventhough it is hot)..

if you get the engraving on the vaio they do not accept any returns or replacements of such products..
Tarun said on January 18, 2009 at 10:22 PM:

I am currently in philadelphia and I own a Dell XPS and my friend has a Sony Vaio.Our experience – SONY customer care sucks big time, it is the worst possible customer service and expensive too.. Dell customer service is top notch instant replies and agent at your doorstep to fix things, no questions asked..xps 1530 has some overheating problems, put too much load on it and it switches off but you get discrete graphics for it.. vaio with the ever horrible intel integrated graphics, unless you are not going to do anything more complex than youtube it is ok.Dell rocks ( eventhough it is hot)..if you get the engraving on the vaio they do not accept any returns or replacements of such products..
Tarun said on January 19, 2009 at 3:28 AM:

The Intel 4965AGN Wireless card just add Wireless-N support.

The wifi-N is of any use only if –
1. You have a wireless-N capable wifi router
2. You wanna use the 5Ghz spectrum which has much less interference than the regular 2.4Ghz
3. There are many laptops connected to your wireless network and you want fast file sharing between them.

If you are not particular about any of the above, there will be no advantages of taking the 4965 card over the 3series.

and answering your initial question The internet won’t get any faster as even Wireless-G can handle the bandwidths
Tarun said on January 18, 2009 at 10:28 PM:

The Intel 4965AGN Wireless card just add Wireless-N support.The wifi-N is of any use only if – 1. You have a wireless-N capable wifi router2. You wanna use the 5Ghz spectrum which has much less interference than the regular 2.4Ghz3. There are many laptops connected to your wireless network and you want fast file sharing between them.If you are not particular about any of the above, there will be no advantages of taking the 4965 card over the 3series. and answering your initial question The internet won’t get any faster as even Wireless-G can handle the bandwidths
Gautam Siddarth P said on February 27, 2009 at 2:47 PM:

I’ve had a dell xps 1530 for almost 4 months now….

Its working like a charm. It does have the down side of heating up but that is under intense gaming while playing far cry 2 or crysis warhead or the likes….

For the 64k i put in it gave the best config. i just upgraded the ram and the screen.

I have worked with a vaio on many occasions, for all the flashy things its not very sturdy. The config is lower and you are paying for the name not the hardware.

There is a recent version of XPX range, studio XPX which is really good consider that as 1530 is off production.

And XPX 1530 is not their flagship model it was the 1330 for its size and portability. They haven’t taken that off the shelve yet but go for a XPX studio 16
Gautam Siddarth P said on February 27, 2009 at 9:47 AM:

I’ve had a dell xps 1530 for almost 4 months now….Its working like a charm. It does have the down side of heating up but that is under intense gaming while playing far cry 2 or crysis warhead or the likes….For the 64k i put in it gave the best config. i just upgraded the ram and the screen.I have worked with a vaio on many occasions, for all the flashy things its not very sturdy. The config is lower and you are paying for the name not the hardware.There is a recent version of XPX range, studio XPX which is really good consider that as 1530 is off production.And XPX 1530 is not their flagship model it was the 1330 for its size and portability. They haven’t taken that off the shelve yet but go for a XPX studio 16
vishnu said on March 2, 2009 at 8:27 PM:

I looked for 2 model Dell XPS and Sony Vaio CS VGN 17g…..I would sony scores a lot over Dell

1) I m from trivandrum Capital of Kerala….Here there is no direct DELL service centers even though they says they offer a door servicing…I dont know how it happens over here..also every lap will be almost fine for frst 5 years after that trbles start now too will Dell have that service….I doubts on that…..While Sony have a direct service center here….Its just abt riding 5 kms from home

2)Looks Sony Looks so promising ans so stylish….I m a man who always believes Laptop must have some style unless it will like a box…Dell is no where near Sony in this

3)PErformance its almost the same….not much more differences….Even then Sony has more relaiability over Dell
vishnu said on March 2, 2009 at 3:27 PM:

I looked for 2 model Dell XPS and Sony Vaio CS VGN 17g…..I would sony scores a lot over Dell1) I m from trivandrum Capital of Kerala….Here there is no direct DELL service centers even though they says they offer a door servicing…I dont know how it happens over here..also every lap will be almost fine for frst 5 years after that trbles start now too will Dell have that service….I doubts on that…..While Sony have a direct service center here….Its just abt riding 5 kms from home2)Looks Sony Looks so promising ans so stylish….I m a man who always believes Laptop must have some style unless it will like a box…Dell is no where near Sony in this3)PErformance its almost the same….not much more differences….Even then Sony has more relaiability over Dell
NAWAR said on March 25, 2010 at 11:47 PM:

hi all , i have sony vaio VGN-CR35G/W
im facing some problems :
1) cd/dvd drive is not working . when i play a dvd it may work but never work with any cds.
2) problems with blue screen and restarting , while im working the screen suddenly turns into blue with a messege that that im facing problems then the computer restart .
so please if anyone can help me to avoid any damage for my laptop.
regards
NAWAR said on March 25, 2010 at 6:47 PM:

hi all , i have sony vaio VGN-CR35G/W
im facing some problems :
1) cd/dvd drive is not working . when i play a dvd it may work but never work with any cds.
2) problems with blue screen and restarting , while im working the screen suddenly turns into blue with a messege that that im facing problems then the computer restart .
so please if anyone can help me to avoid any damage for my laptop.
regards