If you are looking for easy maintenance, then Z500 is out
From the 3 models you listed, my preference (purely personal opinion) will be the Envy4

Envy4-1238TX, i5-3337U + AMD HD8750M@RM2099[Beats][1.75kg], 2GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W8

Good GPU, nice speakers, easy to upgrade and clean. Extend warranty to 3 years as well, if you has spare budget.

Heyya Sifus,

1. Just need clarification on some issues. Is it true that Lenovo has discontinued Ideapad Z480 and Z400 is the replacement.

2. Can't seem to find any reviews on the Fujitsu LH532 Core I5 3230, 4G, 750G, Nvidia GT620M, W8. ( Is this model up to date or considered old).

3. Are Acer's reliability and and undesirable after sales support still persist or is a thing of the past.

Planning to get a new lappy in the range of 1.5K - 2K. (Cheaper the better but with good reliability, future proof and after sales.... heheheh... really going for bang for buck). Purpose of new lappy.

a. Normal web surfing, movies and some light DTP with photoshop or photoscape.

b. Some torrenting, movies, light to medium gaming (FB games to HAWX2, COD2,3,4 (and maybe 5 if lappy still alive heheh)

And by the way, preferably I5 and at least 14".

Hi, may I ask where you found this laptop at such a ridiculous price? Sony own retail store or which shop or online seller? I wish to know, thanks.
For the 12 hours usage, it probably is need an optional external battery or anything else. It last only 6 hours out of the box, which is quite good.
If Vaio S series selling at this price, it's definitely a bargain. Wonderful design (With backlit key), good portability (Slim), Goos spec (i5, GT640M LE), excellent build quality (Most part is Aluminium) and good battery.

Hi all, hope you can help me decide on a laptop brand+model.

I can get a display unit of Samsung Series 5 laptop (not sure the exact model number), that comes with a Core i5 processor, 6GB RAM, integrated ODD and a 1TB HDD for RM2,499.

I'm being kinda kiasu here, but I'm wondering if I should get a laptop with an Intel Core i7-3630QM and 8GB RAM instead of the Samsung. My requirements aren't steep - mainly Office apps, light photo editing and casual gaming. But I don't care much for portability either, since I'm stuck in the office all day, every day.

Should I just suck it up and get the Samsung display set or go for a more powerful laptop at the same price?

This post has been edited by luvmonkey: Apr 22 2013, 01:09 PM

Buddy, how to tell if the Samsung Series 5 is worth it or not if you could not tell us the model number?

NP530U4C, i5-3317U + Nvidia GT620M + 24GB mSATA + 1TB HDD@RM2999[1.81kg], 6GB, ODD, W8

If it was this one, then RM500 discount for a display can negotiate a bit more lah

For mainly office apps (Words, Excel), i5 is already overkill. i5 also could handle your light photo editing.
Casual gaming? Can say whether the GPU is good enough or not unless you tell us game titles you play.
Please make sure you have good external cooling solution if you plan to game on laptop / ultrabook.

The 5 series do has a matte screen, which is not commonly found in consumer class laptop

If you don't need portability, for RM2.5k, you may consider:

Asus
A45VS-VX026H, i5-3210M + Nvidia GT645M@RM2199[2.4kg], 2GB, 500GB, W8
Dell
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8
Lenovo
Z480, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT640M@RM1999, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W8, colors: grey/red/blue

Prices are RSP, negotiable.
Use the remaining of your budget to increase RAM (Asus, 4G stick ~ RM80), get SSD to swap with HDD (128G SSD ~ RM300+), extend warranty (Dell, 3 years ~ RM250).

Yeah, sorry about the model number thing....tried to make up for it by providing the specs I could recall.

Are there any 128GB SSDs still available @ RM300? I heard that only 256GB ones are left

And you're probably right...I doubt I need an i7, just getting carried away. Definitely intend on replacing the HDD with an SSD.

Thanks for your input!

1. Yes. Getting harder to find Z480 in the market, but not impossible.

2. LH532 - the i5 is ivy bridge. Not really out-dated. But for the asking price (~ RM2.4, iinm) you can get GT640M or better GPU from other brands.

3. Acer - reliability, all I can say is all brands have lemon units Warranty support service - Acer currently outsourced to HighPoint, quite a few branches around, service response time also quite reasonable (not the best, but reasonable).

For your new laptop:
i5 M should handle photoshop / photoscape well.
Intel HD 4000 already can handle all the movies / video.
For the game titles you listed, GT635M / GT640M should handle reasonably well in HD (1366x768) resolution.

Dell
Inspiron 14R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + Nvidia GT640M(28nm Kepler)@RM2049[2.38kg], 4GB, 500GB(7200rpm), W7HP/W8
Lenovo
Z480, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT640M@RM1999, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W8, colors: grey/red/blue
G480, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1699, 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), FreeDOS
G480, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT635M@RM1899, 4GB, 1TB (5400rpm), W8, 2 yrs warranty

Prices are RSP, negotiable.

Ehhhh ... if you could find any brand new 256G SSD going for RM300+, please let me know immediately

There are plenty of 128/120G SSD in the market. Intel 335 & Crucial M4 is pretty ok.
256G SSD is going at RM600+/- right now.

Sorry, I didn't mean a 256GB SSD @ RM300.

I had inquired with one vendor who told me that he was sold out of 120GB SSDs and had only 256GBs left @ RM650++

Help me guys...
1. Preferred Brand - all except Asus( due to bad experience in their service after sale) and Acer
2. Budget - RM 3k
3. Usage - Gaming Dota2, and Torchlight2,
4. Preferred laptop -Lenovo, Dell, HP MSI
5. Screen size - 15

Thanks for the feedback. The initial laptop that i was gunning for was the Z480 but still keeping my options open. Went to Digital Mall PJ last Sat. Couldn't find any Z480 with the spec that I was going for. The only one that I found was with an I5 3210M, 4GB, 500GB, Intel 4000. Might have to survey elsewhere. Or go for the ones advert in Lelong.com.my.

One more thing. Are all Nvidia GT600 series comes with Optimus or Optimus enable and does ATI/AMD has similar technology ?

By the way, thanks again for the helpfull info.

wow that glad to hear that
btw any similar laptop around 2.3k except z580 ?
prefer 15.6 inch

*don't want Asus a55 and s55 series, face it until no feeling already

This post has been edited by XeactorZ: Apr 22 2013, 05:47 PM

recommend get Lenovo Ideapad Y580, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GTX660M + 1920x1080 @RM2999[JBL], 4GB, 500GB(5400rpm), W7HB/W8, backlit keyboard, 2 yrs warranty (Stock limited)

Sorry, where do you live?
You can find good deal in SSD in LYN garage sales forum Just make sure you get from reputable re-seller.

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Apr 22 2013, 07:18 PM

No many good spec 15" laptop like Z580 in RM2.3k price range
And you rule out Asus as well

Maybe this then:
Dell
Inspiron 15R (Special Edition), i5-3210M + AMD HD7730M@RM2199, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm); backlit keyboard optional, W8
But if you are bored with A55, this is considered even more ugly

Have a look at this as well:
Acer
V3-571G-736b8G1T, i7-3630QM + Nvidia GT730M(DDR3) + (1920x1080 IPS) @RM2899[2.6kg], 8GB, 1TB, W8
The IPS screen is nice

actually nothings wrong with the A55, is due to I selling the asus laptop during pc fair, face them 3 days
yet, a lot people nearby me using it

btw that acer laptop is overprice, 2.9k LOL

errr ... Z480 with only HD 4000? I don't think Lenovo Malaysia ever release this spec in the market. Are you absolutely sure? Is it local set? Or the re-seller just blur blur?
What you describe sound like G480 spec

Why don't you check out LYN garage sales forum?

Most (but NOT ALL) laptop models that come with Nvidia GPU come with Optimus.
In mid range, normally it come with Optimus.
In gaming range, sometime Optimus is disabled due to various reasons (eg. Lenovo Y500, etc)
In mobile workstation, if laptop come with 10-bit (extremely) good screen panel, Optimus is not supported.

AMD GPU has Enduro, but the consensus is that AMD Enduro driver is not as matured as Nvidia Optimus yet.

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Apr 22 2013, 07:38 PM

IPS IPS, see it to appreciate it

Please Recommend Me:
1. Preferred Brand: Dell ,Lenovo & Asus
2. Budget: RM2k
3. Usage: Uni use and slightly for gaming
4. Preferred laptop: Red in colour, light
5: Screen Size: 14 or 15 inch

Lenovo
Z480, i5-3230M + Nvidia GT640M@RM1999, 4GB, 1TB(5400rpm) W8, colors: grey/red/blue

Price is RSP, negotiable.