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SHOOTOUT: Notebooks for Professionals

author-image
PCQ Bureau
New Update

Every notebook brings with it, its own flavor of class and quality. Some have

looks; some class, while some claim to have it all. In this Shootout we

dissected 18 different models, belonging to the 'Business Class' range from 9

different brands. We tested them for various aspects ranging from Component

level testing, Productivity, battery backup, Graphics, Connectivity, to even

Vista compatibility. To test all this, we used proven benchmarks like 3D Mark06,

3D Mark05 for Graphics test, Battery Mark for backup test, PC Mark05 for

component test, etc. We used our standard and proven Brown Gibson statistical

model to arrive at the weightages for all the categories.

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Speaking of category, we've divided the 18 laptops into four of them--budget

laptops under 55K, mid-range laptops between 55-70K, ultraportables, and finally

those that are a class apart for people with a style to match.

Performance tests



In performance test we used benchmarks like Multimedia Content Creation 2003 and

Business Winstone 2002, so as to stress the notebook with regular productivity
applications as well as multimedia content applications. Likewise for graphics
test, we used 3D Mark05 and 3D Mark06 which not only test the gaming potential

of the notebook, but also the image rendering and image threading, through which

one can easily determine the graphics potential of a notebook. We used 3D Mark06

for notebooks that were shipped with dedicated in-built graphics, so you might

not find the 3D Mark06 scores for those notebooks that do not come with in-built

graphs card. This is because of the fact that those notebooks have in-built

graphics and no dedicated graphics card, thus, limiting their graphics

potential. In fact one notebook (Sahara HJ06C) didn't give a score on 3D Mark05

as well, mainly because of its lower video memory that restricted it from

delivering any high-end graphics experience.

We used PC Mark05 to test notebooks for things like the hard disk general

usage, multithreading, Web page rendering, file decryption and 3D-pixel shader.

It's a synthetic benchmark that covers almost all such important components of a

notebook. This benchmark, in itself, runs 11 different tests. For testing the

backup and connectivity, we used Battery Mark02 and QCheck for wireless

connectivity.

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Last but least, we also ran the Vista compatibility check on all the laptops

to check their Vista readiness. This was done irrespective of which OS they

shipped with. We have also taken the problems faced with Vista drivers that have

become common. As a result, the notebooks that have more number of drivers

working fine for them get a better rating compared to those which don't. In

short, even the minute details have been tested for, as far as the Vista

upgradability/compatibility is concerned.

Features



Talk of notebook features and they come from all walks of it. There are built-in
Web cams, finger-print readers, TPM and so on. We broke up the features

according to the notebook category under test. We categorized all these features

into five categories--physical, connectivity, components, software and

protection. The 'physical' category comprises screen size and the weight of the

notebook.; Connectivity has options like Bluetooth version 1/2, infrared, MMC

reader, S-Video, DVI port, FireWire, etc other than the regular LAN/modem, WLAN,

etc. We also looked at the number and type of USB ports and PCMCIA slots. The

third feature category--component--looks at the type of optical drives, whether

the notebook has a DVD combo, a CD-RW or a multi-recorder DVD-RW. We also took

into consideration the hard-drive capacity and any additional component that has

been shipped with the notebook, for eg, wireless optical mouse or an MMC adapter

etc. Software have always been an essential part of the package, hence whether

or not all the essential software were shipped with the notebook, has also been

taken into consideration. These include recovery CDs, driver CDs, OSes, etc are

always a boon to the buyer. Lastly, we took into account, what could be a very

important factor in today's data threat scenario, the protection. We looked at

all types of protection available in a notebook, be it a finger-print reader,

BIOS level HDD protection, touch-pad lock, TPM, or even rescue option available

at the time of boot up.

Pricing



Price remains a very important feature that people base their buying decisions
on. So we took into account both price and warranty in deciding for the winner.

The notebooks we received range from INR 50k to 2 lakhs. In terms of warranty,

almost all came with a 1-year warranty but there are some with the option of

additional extended warranty, which is always a better deal.

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With competition and entry of new brands in the market, the prices of

notebooks are nose-diving with each passing day and vendors are coming up with

new tricks to win the market share. Hence, we hope our extensive review will

help you arrive at the best notebook for your requirements.






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

out of 100 each.

Graphics Productivity Backup Vista compatibility Connectivity
Mid Range
Intex Challenger 012DW 569 68.3 3.2 2 11
Connoi GL31 507 89.9 2.48 2 13
Connoi EL81 504 83.6 3.47 2 12
Lenovo ThinkPad R60 584 69 4.1 2.2 13
Asus F3JC 2341 101.8 3.44 3.1 13
A class apart

Asus S6F Brown 693 89.6 3.15 3 13
Asus Vx1 3398 76.7 2.43 3.5 13
Dell Latitude ATG D620 906 79.7 2.5 3 13
Sony VGN-SZ48GN 3406 79.5 3.5

3.5

13
Budget

Intex Performer 032DW 294 68.9 2.7 2 13
Sahara CK76 296 72.8 5.7 1 13
HCL AX0S1904 291 54.7 1.57 1 13
Sahara HJ06 0 66.9 2.5 1 13
HCL AX0K1901 417 54.7 2.1 0 12
HCL AX009012 534 78.7 3.17 2 13
HCL AX009011 534 76.8 3.13 2 13


Ultraportable
Lenovo ThinkPad X60 597 80.3 5.24 2.9 13
Wipro LittleGenius 7130 670 81.3 3.49 2.3 13

Budget-Less than 55K

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HCL AX009012

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



(-) None

This notebook is the only one with a Core 2 Duo processor, which coupled with

1 GB RAM gave the best performance in this category. It gives an ample battery

backup of slightly more than 3 hours, and gave decent performance in the

remaining tests. Other specs of the notebook include a 160 GB HDD, a DVD-Writer

and add to this the slew of features like Bluetooth, FireWire, card reader, etc

and you have a really good buy in your hands. Overall, a really good notebook,

well worth the price.

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SCORE
OVERALL



259
FEATURE



84
PERFORMANCE



90
PRICE



85

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core 2 Duo T5200 1.6 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, 14” widescreen,

integrated Bluetooth, FireWire, 4-in-1 card reader, 2.5 kg



Price: Rs 43,990 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2


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


HCL AX009011

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(+) Excellent performance



(-) No Bluetooth

This model is very similar to the winner of this shootout, with a few

exceptions. It comes with a Core Duo processor instead of Core 2 Duo, a 120 GB

HDD, and there's no Bluetooth. Otherwise, it gave the exact same performance as

the winner. The reason is simple. The only advantage of having a Core 2 Duo

processor is support for 64-bit, which would reflect only if you load a 64-bit

OS. The laptop lags just a little behind the Intex Performer in features, in

that the latter has a multi-card reader and Bluetooth. Overall, this HCL laptop

is a good buy for its performance and price, although we would like it to have a

higher warranty.



SCORE
OVERALL



25
7
FEATURE



80
PERFORMANCE



90
PRICE



87
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Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2250 1.73 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB HDD, 14” widescreen, 4-in-1

card reader, 2.5 kg



Price: Rs 41,990 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2


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


Intex Performer 032DW

(+) Feature packed



(-) Costly

Despite being the most expensive laptop in this category, the sleek looking

Intex Performer managed to gain the second spot in this category. This was

primarily because of the host of features it offers, like a multicard reader,

Bluetooth, and a DVD-Writer. Plus, it has three USB ports, a FireWire port and a

SPDIF jack arranged along both sides. Launch keys are provided for instant

access to Net and e-mail. The speakers are placed on the LCD panel and support

3D sound. Performance wise, it was average in productivity and component tests,

and lagged behind in graphics and battery backup (only 2 hrs). Overall a good

buy given the features, though we wished that its price also included the OS

cost.



SCORE
OVERALL



2
36
FEATURE



83
PERFORMANCE



75
PRICE



78

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2050 1.6 GHz, 512 MB, 60 GB HDD, 14” TFT screen, Bluetooth,

FireWire, 4-in-1 card reader, 2.5 kg



Price: Rs 48,000 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2


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


HCL AX0K1901

(+) Well priced



(-) Low battery backup

This HCL notebook has a Pentium Dual Core processor of 1.6 GHz and 256 MB

RAM. It does have a basic configuration in terms of features. The PCMCIA slot,

DVD-RW and a USB port are placed along the sides. While the Ethernet, modem and

three other USB ports are placed at the back, this is not a comfortable position

while working. The notebook is well priced, and its performance is average. It

scores more in graphics and component test compared to the Sahara laptops. Its

battery performance could do better, giving only 2 hours. Overall, a good laptop

for the budget conscious who just need a laptop for basic productivity.



SCORE
OVERALL



221
FEATURE



68
PERFORMANCE



61
PRICE



92

Quick Specs



Specs:
Pentium Dual Core T2060 (1.6 GHz), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB HDD, 15.4”

widescreen, PCMCIA slot, Wi-Fi ready, 3 kg



Price: Rs 36,990 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score:
0



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

HCL AX0S1904

(+) Lowest price



(- )Low battery backup, heavy

This is the cheapest notebook in this category, having a Celeron M processor

with 512 MB RAM. It has the same design as the HCL AX0K1901. The ports for

Ethernet, modem and USB (three such for USB) are at the back. It also has

application launch keys. With the lowest price, this notebook leads the price

score. Coming to performance, the scores are pretty low, which is understandable

since the other laptops have better processors. This laptop also gave the lowest

battery backup of just below 2 hours. At 3 kg, it's also pretty bulky. If you're

on a tight budget and need a no frills laptop for basic productivity usage, then

go for this. Otherwise, spend a little more and go for some of the other budget

laptops in this segment.



SCORE
OVERALL



215
FEATURE



60
PERFORMANCE



55
PRICE



100

Quick Specs



Specs:
Celeron M (1.46MHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD, 15.4” widescreen, PCMCIA

slot, Wi-Fi ready, 3 kg



Price: Rs 30,990 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 1


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


Sahara CK76

(+) Very robust; best battery backup



(-) High price compared to features

This was the toughest notebook (literally) in this category. We dropped it

from a height of about 1 meter and spilt about 3 liters of water across its

body. It came out with flying colors in both, running happily. All this makes it

a very safe and convenient notebook for heavy duty usage. This ensures that data

is not lost from accidental drops and rough handling. The sturdy protection from

shocks and drops that this notebook enjoys, gives it good features score.

Comparing its performance with Intex and basic models of HCL, it scores well in

productivity and battery backup. In fact, it gave a whopping battery backup of

over 5 hrs, which is the best in this segment. Overall a good buy given the

battery backup and sturdiness.



SCORE
OVERALL



2
35
FEATURE



78
PERFORMANCE



78
PRICE



79

Quick Specs



Specs:
Pentium M 740 1.73GHz, 512 MB, 80 GB HDD, 14.1” TFT screen, WiFi

ready, PCMCIA slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 2.67 kg



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


Vista Ultimate Score: 1


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


Sahara HJ06

(+) Light in weight



(-) Low battery backup

This Sahara notebook is second only to the HCL AX0S1904 in terms of price.

The notebook has a Pentium M processor and 512 MB RAM. It does not have a

widescreen, but does have a built-in microphone on the LCD panel. The speakers

are on the front side just like the HCL 1901 and 1904. Looking at the

performance, it scores more in productivity compared to the base HCL models. It

gives a battery backup of about 2 hrs and has the lightest weight in this

category. An average notebook overall.



SCORE
OVERALL



202
FEATURE



52
PERFORMANCE



54
PRICE



96

Quick Specs



Specs:
Pentium M (2 GHz), 512 MB, 40 GB HDD, 14.1” TFT screen, WiFi ready,

2.35 kg Price: Rs. 33,899 (1 yr warranty)



Vista Ultimate Score: 1


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

Mid-range-55K to 70K

Asus F3JC

(+) Excellent graphics performance



(-) Heavy and bigger in size

This notebook came out as the winner in this category because of the perfect

balance between its price, performance and features. It has a really good

configuration of a Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz) with 2 GB RAM, 120 GB hard disk, and a

powerful NVidia GeForce Go 7300 GPU onboard. This along with the 15.4”

widescreen LCD panel make it a great choice for heavy duty multimedia 1and

digital content creation work. Coming to its other features, the notebook has a

1.3 MP Web camera that has an in-built microphone. There are interfaces

available for TV Out and this was the only notebook to come with a DVI port.

Plus it also has a Gigabit Ethernet port, Bluetooth connectivity and a 3-in- 1

card reader. Performance wise, it smashed all competition in its category,

giving excellent graphics and productivity scores. It loses some points in

battery back-up to the Lenovo R60, giving 3 hours and 44 mins. Overall, a great

notebook for multimedia work.



SCORE
OVERALL



2
64
FEATURE



90
PERFORMANCE



97
PRICE



77

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 120 GB HDD, NVidia GeForce Go 7300

graphics, 15.4” widescreen, TPM chip, Bluetooth, 3-in- 1 card reader, 3.12 kg





Price: Rs 65,000 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 3.1


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


Lenovo ThinkPad R60

(+)Excellent battery backup; Good price



(-) None

Lenovo R60 grabbed second place in this category because of its great price

and features. It has tons of features like fingerprint sensor for security and

Bluetooth for connectivity. Plus, it also gives you a good quick recovery option

with its colored ThinkVintage button. The notebook is powered by a Core Duo

T7300e (1.66 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk and a 15” TFT screen. On

performance front, it gave the best battery backup of the lot, clocking 4 hours

and 10 minutes. Overall, a great choice for people who are constantly on the

move and need an economical notebook.



SCORE
OVERALL



238
FEATURE



70
PERFORMANCE



73
PRICE



95

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T7300e (1.66 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 15” TFT

screen, fingerprint sensor, IR port, Bluetooth, docking port



Price: Rs 63,490 (3 yrs warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2.2


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


Connoi GL31

(+) Good price for these features



(-) No DVD writer

This Connoi notebook is the cheapest in this category, and comes with an

in-built 1.3 MP Web camera and microphone, so it can be used for online video

conferencing without having to dangle cables. It has a wide touchpad. It lacks a

DVD writer. In performance, it gave decent scores in graphics, component and

productivity tests, but gave the lowest battery backup of the lot at 2 hours and

50 minutes. Interestingly, Connoi GL31 and Connoi EL81 share the same basic

specs (CPU and RAM), but this one has lesser features. Overall, if you have a

budget of under 60k and you just need basic notebook features with decent

performance, this notebook is worth buying.



SCORE
OVERALL



177
FEATURE



43
PERFORMANCE



67
PRICE



67

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 14.1”

widescreen, card reader, 1.3 MP Web cam, Weight — 2.5 kgs



Vista Ultimate Score: 2


Price: Rs 56,650 (1 yr warranty)


Contact: Connoiseur Electronics Bangalore, Tel: 41152202

Connoi EL81

(+) Good battery backup



(-) One year warranty

This is the elder brother of Connoi GL31 and shares the same system specs in

terms of CPU and RAM. It has 20 GB more HDD capacity. The notebook comes with an

in-built web camera and a microphone for efficient online conferencing. It also

has wider touchpad and a side scrollbar. Plus, it has a big 15.4” LCD panel.

Coming to performance, it scored more or less the same as the Conmoi GL31 in

graphics, productivity and component tests. The notebook gave very good battery

backup around 3 hours 44 mins, which is second highest in this lot after the

Lenovo Thinkpad R60. Overall a good notebook for decent performance at an

average price.



SCORE
OVERALL



188
FEATURE



52
PERFORMANCE



71
PRICE



65

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2500 (2 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 15.4”

widescreen, IR port, Web cam, Weight — 2.85 kgs.



Price: Rs 59,150 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2


Contact: Connoiseur Electronics, Bangalore, Tel: 41152202

Intex Challenger 012DW

(+) Compact, good battery backup



(-) Poor graphic performance

The most compact in its category, Intex challenger 012DW is based on Core Duo

T2050 processor with 512 MB RAM and 80 GB HDD. It is the only notebook in this

category that weighs under 2 kg and has a screen size of 12.1 inches. It's a

little heavy for its size. It lost 1out in the battle mainly because it couldn't

run one of the graphics tests, whereas all the other notebooks in its class did.

Even in productivity test, it scored the lowest compared to the rest. The

battery backup time of 3 hrs 20 mins, it offers, is good enough. It's the

cheapest notebook in this category but has just one year of warranty compared to

Asus' 2 yrs and Lenovo's 3 yrs. Overall, a decent buy at its price.



SCORE
OVERALL



193
FEATURE



68
PERFORMANCE



63
PRICE



62

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T 2050, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD, Bluetooth, IR Port, Web cam,

1.9 kg, 12.1” monitor



Price: Rs 55,000 (1 yr warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2


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


Ultraportable

Lenovo ThinkPad X60

(+) Small and Compact, battery backup



(-) No optical Drive, no Touch pad

As there were only two laptops in the ultraportable category, there was not

much we could do in terms of ranking. It comes with a finger-print sensor for

security and ThinkVintage that provides recovery against data loss. Plus it's

light weight too. The only drawback in this notebook is that it doesn't have any

optical drives. However, you can buy a docking station if you intend to use any

optical drive. Coming to performance, it gave decent scores in all performance

tests. It scored better than Wipro's Little Genius only due to its excellent

back-up time of 5 hours 24 mins. For the rest of the tests, the Wipro notebook

got better scores than this one.

The notebook's configuration managed to fetch it a Vista ready score of 2.9,

which means that you can comfortably run Vista on it. The notebook has a host of

good features packed in its small form factor, like Bluetooth, FireWire, SD

slot, and of course the regular slew of recovery options that all ThinkPads are

famous for. We did miss having a touch pad on it, and not having an optical

drive can be a little disturbing. However, it's a great choice for mobile

professionals who don't want to carry too much weight around.



SCORE
OVERALL



273
FEATURE



84
PERFORMANCE



97
PRICE



92

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T7300e (1.83 GHz), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 12.1” TFT

screen, Gigabit Ethernet, fingerprint sensor, Firewire, 1.62kg Price: Rs.

88,000 (3 yrs warranty)



Vista Ultimate Score: 2.9


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

Wipro Little Genius 7130

(+) Recovery tools, economical



(-) No Finger print reader, low Vista score

This is cheapest notebook in this category, which comes with a small screen

size of 13.3 inches and has three USB, a Bluetooth, a FireWire and a 9-in-1 card

reader slot. The notebook is powered by a Core Duo T2300 1.66 GHz processor, 512

RAM and 80 GB HDD. Coming to its performance, the notebook did better in

graphics, productivity and component tests compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad X60,

in the same category. However, its rival Lenovo beat it in battery backup test,

by a wide margin. It claims to provide you 8 level of security right from BIOS

level. Plus it also comes with a staller data recovery kit. That helps you to

recover data in case of data loss . It also had dual layer DVD writer. This the

only laptop which comes with CA eTrust antivirus protection preloaded. For power

management it has four gear power option , which enable you to select various

power managent as per your needs. If you are looking for a compact notebook

which comes for less than 80k then this notebook is worth buying



SCORE
OVERALL



27
2
FEATURE



81
PERFORMANCE



91
PRICE



100

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core Duo T2300 1.66GHz, 2MB Cache, 512 MB DDRII 533MHz, 80 GB HDD,

13.3” TFT screen, 9-in-1 card reader, 1.96 kg



Price: Rs 77,400 (3 yrs warranty)


Vista Ultimate Score: 2.3


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


A class apart

Sony Vaio VGN-SZ-48GN

(+) Graphics card, light weight



(-) Bigger form factor

The much deserving winner in this group, Sony VGN—SZ-48GN, is a slick and

lightweight notebook, perfect choice for a business executive who cares not only

about looks but also performance. Built around a Core 2 Duo processor, it has 1

GB of RAM and 160 GB of HDD. It comes pre-loaded with Vista Business. It scored

the maximum in performance mainly because of its high scores in component test

and Graphics test. In productivity test, it scored 52 and 27 in MCCW and BW

respectively giving it an edge over others. Some additional features like Web

cam, fingerprint reader, TPM add more to its basket. Even though the Dell in

this category came very close to it in terms of features, on the performance

front, it lost out due to the absence of good onboard graphics. This Vaio has a

slightly bigger form factor compared to ASUS S6F but its weight at just 1.69 kg

makes it the perfect companion on those long trips. The battery backup time is 3

hrs 50 mins, which is fractionally lesser than the ASUS S6F. Since it

outperformed others in two of the three categories, it stands out as a winner.

Overall a great choice.



SCORE
OVERALL



235
FEATURE



77
PERFORMANCE



97
PRICE



61

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core 2 Duo T7200 (2 GHz), 1 GB RAM, 160 GB hard disk, NVidia GoForce

7400 graphics, 13.3” widescreen, Web cam, TPM chip, Bluetooth, 1.69 kg



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


Vista Ultimate Score: 3.5


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


Dell Latitude ATG D620

(+) Tough,HDD protection



(-) Heavy, expensive

This tough notebook from Dell is not only tough but also a consistent

performer. It is specifically meant for people who work in testing environments

like military camps and coalmines. It is designed to protect itself against

accidental bumps, moisture and other such extreme conditions. Dell has also

introduced a new concept of 'Complete Cover', under which they propose to

replace or repair any accidental damage or spill on the notebook. Built on a

Core 2 Duo Processor, it gave a consistent performance. It comes with almost all

features as the Sony Vaio but misses out on a few things. It doesn't have a Web

cam, is heavy at 3 kg and has a larger form factor compared to Sony. Since it

doesn't have very good onboard graphics, its performance score is also on the

lower side. For productivity, it scored 2nd best compared to all in this

category. Nevertheless, it is the joint winner in this category mainly because

of its consistent performance and features. Despite being more expensive than

the Sony, it scores more in price because of its 3 years warranty.



SCORE
OVERALL



235
FEATURE



72
PERFORMANCE



71
PRICE



92

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core 2 Duo T7200 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 14.1”

widescreen, card reader, IR port, Bluetooth, 3 kg



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


Vista Ultimate Score: 3


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


ASUS Lamborghini VX1

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



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

Acommon trend among most users is to compare the speed of their machine with

high performance cars. To match user expectations, Acer pioneered the Ferrari

range with their collaboration with Ferrari. This is now followed by Asus

collaborating with Lamborghini. Asus Lamborghini VX1 is a high-end notebook and

specifically meant for business executives who want to associate style with

them. With a Core 2 Duo T7400 processor, the VX1 is set for high speed

performance, much in line with Lamborghini's reputation. For all said and not,

we have placed it in the 'A Class Apart' category, which has four other

competitors for it. It was 2nd highest scorer in our performance test mainly

owing to its GoForce 7400 graphics. It is the costliest notebook in this

category and lacks some features like fingerprint reader, TPM, and Web cam. At

this price, one would expect to find all these features.

It is a little overpriced for its features and the Lamborghini brand name

brings it to this category. So, meant for people who want to own a Lamborghini

for less than 2 lakhs. The laptop clocks a decent Vista ready score of 3.5.



SCORE
OVERALL



223
FEATURE



72
PERFORMANCE



97\0
PRICE



91

Quick Specs



Specs:
Core 2 Duo T7400 (2 GHz), 2 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, nVidia GoForce 7400,

Bluetooth, 15” screen, Asus Zero Dot Bright, 2.57 kg



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


Vista Ultimate Score: 3.5


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


Asus S6F

(+) Compact and light weight.



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

Asus S6F brown is a compact and stylish notebook meant for a business

executive who likes to make a style statement. It has a unique texture

resembling good leather finish, which differentiates it from the rest. The small

form factor and lightweight are two plusses for it, but it lacks a Core 2 Duo

processor that most notebooks in this line-up have and some additional features

like fingerprint reader, TPM, Web cam, etc. It scored nothing extraordinary in

the component and graphics tests.

Though, it did manage to get the top position in productivity test. The

backup of 3 hr 58 min is 2nd best for Sony. At this price, a few additional

features would have made it a potential force to recon with. In Vista

compatibility, it scored 3, which is good, though not enough to top this

category. It lost the battle mainly because of missing features and low

performance scores. Its compactness and light weight with good battery backup

makes its a good buy for business travellers who wants a notebook with style and

class.



SCORE
OVERALL



2
14
FEATURE



56
PERFORMANCE



75
PRICE



83

Quick Specs



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

widescreen, Bluetooth, 1.53 kg



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


Vista Ultimate Score - 3 Contact: Asus Technology Mumbai,


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

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