Budget 0-20k Cheapest best laptop for college? Thinkpad t480 or?

Rezep

Rezep

Adept
Hi everyone,

Recently started college and for a subject in my course (computerized accounting), I will be needing a laptop that can basicallly do the basic tasks such as excel, word, powerpoint etc. I will also be using access, learning sql and anything else business/commerce related as well. I'll also be using this laptop for 3-4 years as well.
Afaik, most of these tasks can be run easily on 90% of laptops so I'm not looking to spend alot. No gaming either as I already having a gaming pc with me for that.
Aside from what I've written above, I might use it for a bit of video editing if I have any free time in my schedule while at college but most of the heavy editing will still be done at home and it isn't an utmost priority.
Battery Life is also of importance as some days I might only use it for 1 specific class while other days I'll have to chug it around from one class to another, presentations, using it for research etc. I've never owned a laptop in my entire life so I don't really know how much weight will matter for me but if it helps, yes I'll be on the go around campus alot.

The laptops I've looked into are
Thinkpad T480. I've heard alot about the great used value of thinkpads and it seems this one has been very popular. For the most part for my needs, an i5 8th gen would be enough, the i7 variants I see on olx seem overpriced. While 16 gigs of ram would be nice, I feel that 8gb will be sufficient for me but if the difference between an 8 gig and 16 gig cost isn't that much, then 16 gigs anyday. I'll also replace whatever HDD (or maybe not buy it with an HDD itself) and use a 512 gig ssd. Aside from that I won't be using it for any sort of casual use, maybe I might hook it up to my monitor for a dual monitor system but that's just a random thought. And is a touchscreen actually helpful or is it just a bit of a gimmick for laptops?

The other laptops I've seen are those ryzen 5xxx laptops which were going for around 25-30k during the flipkart sale (which I unfortunately missed). I have no idea how that and a thinkpad compare.

Thank you all for your help!
  • Build Quality: Should last me a good 4 years and shouldn't be too heavy as I'll be carrying it in a backpack alot.
  • Storage: An SSD is a must-have
  • Processor: Needs wise only for very basic tasks.
  • Display: FULL HD IPS, no TN panels
  • RAM: 8gb should be sufficient for my use but 16 if it isn't too expensive would be good
  • Budget: 20 - 35k (Higher end of the budget is only if it's a ridiculously great deal)
  • Open to refurbs/used?: Yes
  • Size: I have no idea, I never ever had a laptop.
  • Weight: Shouldn't be too heavy.
  • Purpose: Chrome, excel, word, powerpoint, access, maybe some coding also? sql, python.
  • Usage: FOR COLLEGE
  • Battery life: Long (6-8 hours)
 
awestorr said:
The 25-30k 5xxxu ones only come with tn panels.
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So is a thinkpad the best at this price? I also saw this for 32k

1684507967532-png.168766


from @Heisen
 
T480 is my work laptop for the last 4 years. It has survived several drops and runs minimum 4hrs with moderate tasks.

However, I would let it pass. It is old in this day and age. Even with 16 gigs of Ram, apps like Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel run slowly and struggle with large files.

I would suggest looking for something with newer hardware among the Thinkpad series itself as they are quite well built and run reliably for 4-5 years.
 
My suggestion, look at renewed ThinkPads on OLX. You should be able to get a good one for 25. Or a similar latitude or elitebook. Make sure you buy it locally because they come with only seller warranty
 
kalph09 said:
T480 is my work laptop for the last 4 years. It has survived several drops and runs minimum 4hrs with moderate tasks.

However, I would let it pass. It is old in this day and age. Even with 16 gigs of Ram, apps like Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel run slowly and struggle with large files.

I would suggest looking for something with newer hardware among the Thinkpad series itself as they are quite well built and run reliably for 4-5 years.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply @kalph09 ! I could ask some of my dad's friends who work in corporate tech firms if they could somehow get me a laptop (thinkpads, anything) that they're going to discontinue using but is in perfect condition. But it's more of a shot in the dark as I honestly can't place all my hopes on that.

Do you have any recommedations with regards to the new models in the thinkpad series you can suggest? Also what cpu did your t480 have? My budget while according to my dad isn't as strict as I've placed it at (20-35k), I have kept it at that budget myself maily because I know that right now our family's finances aren't good and I feel like I can find one that would fit my need. Would really appreciate it if it's easily found second hand or refurbished on olx.
PunkX 75 said:
What about this one from Acer brand new from Amazon for 29.9k - https://www.amazon.in/Acer-Quad-Core-Processor-Graphics-EX215-23/dp/B0BXPSLRPX/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_2?pd_rd_w=TTdCb&content-id=amzn1.sym.cd312cd6-6969-4220-8ac7-6dc7c0447352:amzn1.symc.ca948091-a64d-450e-86d7-c161ca33337b&pf_rd_p=cd312cd6-6969-4220-8ac7-6dc7c0447352&pf_rd_r=JP27QYBW31A26WVVC2V3&pd_rd_wg=n9t4b&pd_rd_r=626f81d7-e54e-49e2-8d5f-2f49970e7b54&pd_rd_i=B0BXPSLRPX&th=1

Similar specs, but with a 256GB NVME instead of 512. Even cheaper with card offers.
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Thank you for your reply @PunkX 75. Hmm, that does look good, I wouldn't mind paying that much if it's brand new with good warranty. However will it hold up for the next 4 years with my needs? Along with battery health, build quality etc? I've heard about thinkpad durability and the ease of switching or changing batteries and parts.
greenhorn said:
My suggestion, look at renewed ThinkPads on OLX. You should be able to get a good one for 25. Or a similar latitude or elitebook. Make sure you buy it locally because they come with only seller warranty
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Thanks for your reply greenhorn. Yep that's what I'm mainly looking at atm (Bought an old workstation desktop for my sibling back during lockdown for her online classes for 8k from a seller like this). Only thing that confuses me alot are the model names. Atm just typing "best used thinkpad reddit" and all I seem to see are t480 or t480s so I am clueless.

awestorr said:
Yeah,my bad.
You can get ips panels but only from lenovo website.
However last time i checked v15 amd variants werent available there.
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How does the Ryzen 5 5xxx chips perform with regards to editing compared to say a really old i7 3770. If it runs much better then I might be willing to increase my budget a bit as I do quite a bit of video editing on my pc as a part time job and more in the future.
Edit :- Apologies, it very much does. Although I don't know how the igpu will affect the editing performance again.
 
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Rezep said:
How does the Ryzen 5 5xxx chips perform with regards to editing compared to say a really old i7 3770. If it runs much better then I might be willing to increase my budget a bit as I do quite a bit of video editing on my pc as a part time job and more in the futfuture
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5500u performs almost similar to a 3300x(4c/8t) which was my old cpu.
So i think it should be much more than required for basic needs.However i m not sure about the integrated gpu and what it can do.
As for editing i cant say since havent done any myself.
Have ordered the same v15 g2 alc (5500u with 8gb ram) on flipkart

Some of the disadvantages
1) shitty tn panel
2) Doesnt support type c charging.
3) may come with 4gb soldered + 4gb on slot.
Newer variants may be coming with 8gb soldered.
Will have to confirm this.
4)type c can only be used for data transfer and not display.
5) only 2 usb type a ports.
6)38 Whr battery.
7) has a 2.5inch storage slot but will have to buy the ribbon cable seperately.
 
Rezep said:
Thanks for your reply greenhorn. Yep that's what I'm mainly looking at atm (Bought an old workstation desktop for my sibling back during lockdown for her online classes for 8k from a seller like this). Only thing that confuses me alot are the model names. Atm just typing "best used thinkpad reddit" and all I seem to see are t480 or t480s so I am clueless.
Click to expand...
From my experience -
HP Elitebook - top of the line - metal chassis, very serviceable, usually well specced 840 is the mainstream 14incher though 830's are also becoming popular nowadays
HP probook - Some plastic, but sturdy. Also decent. *45 models are ryzen (though rare)

Dell Latitude 9XXX - Top of the line ultrabooks, yet to get one
Dell latitude 7XXX - Mainstream ultrabooks - what you typically find
3XXX and 5XXX are cheaper. I am typing this on my office 3410 which is a decent machine, but hey, if i can get a metal bodied machine, why compromise

Have not looked at thinkpads too much because a lot of their mobos have bios whitelists which limits the stuff you can install. I have Swapped pretty much anything and everything on my 840G1, and these laptops are so easy to open, service etc compared to mainstream models, and dont want to have to work around restrictions
Plus i hate the FN and CTRL key swap on lenovo kbds- though you can fix it in bios, i find it annoying.

One giant caveat though. all these are 99% 14" or smaller machines. My Fin friends tell me that they live and die by laptops with numpads, so not sure if this may work out for you since you are going into that field
 
awestorr said:
5500u performs almost similar to a 3300x which was my old cpu.
So i think it should be much more than required for basic needs.However i m not sure about the integrated gpu and what it can do.
Have ordered the same v15 g2 alc (5500u with 8gb ram) on flipkart

Some of the disadvantages
1) shitty tn panel
2) Doesnt support type c charging.
3) may come with 4gb soldered + 4gb on slot.
Never variants may be coming with8gb soldered.
Will have to confirm this.
4)type c can only be used for data transfer and not display.
5) only 2 usb type a ports.
6)38 Whr battery.
7) has a 2.5inch storage slot but will have to buy the ribbon cable seperately.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply.

1) An IPS panel I however feel is necessary for me. The viewing angles and overall color between a TN panel and IPS panel would matter a bit if I'm using my laptop everywhere.
2) Although I'm young, everything I use is like 10 years old. I don't really mind not having type C charging as I don't use it at all.
3) Hmm, don't really know what to say for this, restricted ram upgrade is not something I would like.
4) I didn't even know you could do that
5) Not a dealbreaker
6) What's the normal whr battery for most laptops?
7) I'll probably buy an external hdd if I do need some extra space.
 
Rezep said:
Thank you for your reply.

1) An IPS panel I however feel is necessary for me. The viewing angles and overall color between a TN panel and IPS panel would matter a bit if I'm using my laptop everywhere.
2) Although I'm young, everything I use is like 10 years old. I don't really mind not having type C charging as I don't use it at all.
3) Hmm, don't really know what to say for this, restricted ram upgrade is not something I would like.
4) I didn't even know you could do that
5) Not a dealbreaker
6) What's the normal whr battery for most laptops?
7) I'll probably buy an external hdd if I do need some extra space.
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1)The biggest dealbreaker is the tn panel, only thing you can do is try to order from lenovo.
But u will have to go with ryzen 3 7xxxu,this config comes with 8gb ddr5 ram (non expendable) and ips panel for around 32k.

3)The ram may be coming 8gb soldered these days, as stated by some reviewers.


Ultimately you will have to live with a tn panel if your budget is within 30k and u want a 5500u.
Otherwise you can go with ryzen 3 7000 processors, but the multicore perf is worse than 5500u, u get ips panel buy only 8gb non expendable ram. I think this also supports type c charging.
 
Those office ThinkPads T480 would mostly come (mine did) with 8GB ram and 250GB SSD. You have to set aside 3-5k for upgrades.

CPU is i5 7200U. Later variant came with 8th gen i5 8250U.Newer the better.

Interesting bits of T480. Charges via USB C port. Has another USB C which supports external display on top of HDMI out. The battery pack is bit thicc and finger print reader is slow.
 
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All of the refurb units I bought have had ips panels. When you buy make sure the one you're getting has ips and full HD.

There is a lot of flexibility in swapping panels. My 840 g1 came with a 1366*768 TN panel in in the US. Swapped it out with a full HD IPS panel I got for cheap online from a ThinkPad because it had a stuck pixel and the owner sold it off cheap. I had to replace it a couple of times because kids broke it. Unfortunately in India getting full HD IPS panels is tough. Local sellers have only the cheap stuff
 
kalph09 said:
Those office ThinkPads T480 would mostly come (mine did) with 8GB ram and 250GB SSD. You have to set aside 3-5k for upgrades.

CPU is i5 7200U. Later variant came with 8th gen i5 8250U.Newer the better.

Interesting bits of T480. Charges via USB C port. Has another USB C which supports external display on top of HDMI out. The battery pack is bit thicc and finger print reader is slow.
Click to expand...
Ah I think the core count from 8th gen doubled if I'm not wrong.
greenhorn said:
All of the refurb units I bought have had ips panels. When you buy make sure the one you're getting has ips and full HD.

There is a lot of flexibility in swapping panels. My 840 g1 came with a 1366*768 TN panel in in the US. Swapped it out with a full HD IPS panel I got for cheap online from a ThinkPad because it had a stuck pixel and the owner sold it off cheap. I had to replace it a couple of times because kids broke it. Unfortunately in India getting full HD IPS panels is tough. Local sellers have only the cheap stuff
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Is the availability of thinkpad parts (atleast the ones which will make the device functional incase anything breaks) easy?

And I'll continue to search and finalise what I'll buy. Please do keep sending more replies. All the help is appreciated greatly.
 
Hi guys, just here with an update. I'll buy a laptop in the first week of august. I'm mostly looking into a thinkpad t480/t480s or x1 carbon (8th gen cpu minimum) along with maybe some extra upgrades. But on the other hand, I'm just wondering whether if I add another 10k to the budget, say a max of 40k for a brand new laptop, would it be better than buying a refurbished thinkpad? In terms of specs and longevity and of course better warranty (2-3 years minimum, I think asus does that well). Hoping to get your opinions on this!
 
Sticking with Lenovos. At 40k you are very close to IdeaPad series laptops.

Ideapad 3 slim with Ryzen 5 5500U is 42k after HDFC discount.

It misses out on fingerprint unlock and an ergonomic keyboard.

Speaking of keyboards. Levovo swapped Ctrl and Fn keys on their ThinkPads. It can be addressed on BIOS.
 
Alright I've finalised one laptop for now and still searching for a competitor brand new laptop to compare with.

Will be going with a thinkpad t480s, i5 8xxx with 16 gigs of ram, 512 gig ssd. Taking this as I've read that it's lighter, has a better build quality (some sort of magnesium/carbon chassis). While either 8 gig or 16 gig will be soldered on, there is still one slot open. While there is no battery bridge or any of that sort, I highly doubt I'll need it since I'll be able to use a usb c powerbank if I really need a charge.

I suppose for the other laptop, I'll compare it with one that has a ryzen 5 5500u cpu.
 
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