Looking for a budget laptop, help

I want a notebook PC within my budget of Rs 42,000. The brand doesn't matter, but I am undecided between an Intel Core i5 and an AMD quad-core processor. I edit videos and play games such as Crysis, Call of Duty, F.E.A.R., etc. I also use AutoCAD for 3D animation. I want USB 3.0, Bluetooth, as well as a decent webcam. So which machine would be good for me? 
-- Prakash Kumar 

For laptops, the latest Ivy Bridge (or third generation) of Intel processors have proven to be solid performers. Between the quad-core AMD chips currently available in the market and the Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, we would stick our neck out for the latter. Not that AMD is bad, but Intel's offerings are more battery-efficient. 

We would also recommend you take a look at the Intel Core i3 processors. They perform ably in most tasks, including in gaming and with resource-intensive applications like 3D animation -- but the i5 does provide a boost in both these areas. 

Your budget of Rs 42,000 will be stretched to its limit given your requirements. What you should be looking for ideally is a notebook with a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor; at least 4GB of RAM; a 1GB graphics card; 500GB hard drive space; a USB 3.0 port, and a 1-megapixel webcam. If this is too much for your budget, consider a third-generation Core i3 processor - that should bring the price down sufficiently enough. 

Currently, in the market, there are two machines that would fit your needs. The HP Pavilion G6-2105 TX is a Core i3 machine with a 2GB ATI Mobility Radeon 7670M HD graphics card. And then there's the slightly costlier Lenovo Z580, which rocks a Core i5 processor and a 1GB NvidiaGT630M graphics processor. Both these notebooks should meet your criteria, but the final decision comes down to how far you can stretch your budget and how good a deal you can bargain for. 

I want to buy a mobile phone, preferably of a known/ reputed brand (Samsung, Nokia, etc) with excellent call quality and good after-sales service. It should support 3G - and since I travel by road, it should come with comprehensive route maps. Please suggest a phone in the Rs 10,000 price range. 
-- Uttam Khaitan 



The first decision you have to make is whether you want a full-touchscreen phone or a touch-and-type. The former will give you a bigger screen for app/maps display, while the latter is better for typing and usually boasts of better battery life than full-touch ones. 

Second, narrow down which operating system you want. Android or Symbian would be your only choices in this range. With Android, you'll get a huge variety of apps and if you are a Google user, the services sync quite well; but Android is notorious for having poor battery life. Symbian phones provide decent battery, but where they shine is the Nokia Maps suite, which is our personal favourite for use within India. However, Symbian simply does not have most of the cool apps and games that reside in the Google Play Store. 

Depending on which of the above options are more suitable for you, there are a few phones under Rs 10,000 that should leave you satisfied. If Android is what you want, then consider the HTC ChaCha for a touch-and-type device and the Samsung Galaxy Pocket or Galaxy Y for a full-touchscreen one. If Symbian is more to your liking, then the Nokia Asha 303 is a capable touch-and-type phone and the Nokia 500 holds its own for a full-touch experience.