buying advice for workstation/gaming laptop under inr 140K

[shubhamgarg55583]

Hello guys,

I have been searching for a laptop for few weeks now and I am still confused as to where i should go.
I need a workstation cum gaming laptop.
I am a college student, studying physics so I'll be using mathematica, matlab, simulation and analysis and programming along with mild 3D modelling in solidworks.
I also want the laptop to be a decent gaming rig.
I need it to last atleast 4-5 years...

1) What is your budget? (INR or USD)
INR 140K

2) What size & weight consideration (if any) would you prefer?
Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
Desktop Replacement; 17" screen

3) What are the primary tasks you will be performing with this notebook?
Analysis, Simulation, programming, basic 3D modelling, basically for physics research and mild gaming(crysis, cod, nfs, etc)


5) Any typical configuration in your mind you're eying for ?
i7 4700MQ+, 16gb, 1tb hdd, 128 ssd

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like: not really, anyone who can provide good build quality and reliability
b. Dislike: apple


6) Anything else you would like to say?
should i import?! (warranty issues)
It should be portable..college student, I'll be carrying it alot...
good battery backup(above average or at least average)
Do i need a quadro card?


I am loking at MSI gs60 2pe ghost pro and dell m4800(i7 4800mq, 16gb ram, k1100M, 9cell battery, 1tb hdd(no ssd))

Msi is sleek and sexy with light and thin body, but i am doubtful that it'll last 4 years plus there are warranty issues in india. MSI also has heating issues.

Dell is bulky, heavy but is upgradable, after sales support is pretty good with 3yr warranty. it is robust and reliable which is a good thing considering i am a little clumsy fellow. I'll not be able to game on this machine which is kinda sad as i am more of a introverted guy and spend my free time with light gaming(currently)...

Please, if you have any more suggestion kindle give that too.

 

[SaiyanGoku]

If you are open to importing the laptop, xotic pc has configs that'll curb stomp any laptop in India at the same price. Warranty is dependant on the OEM of course.

Now people say i recommend XOTIC PC | Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A) - 15.6" Gaming Notebook to everybody. but why shouldn't I? Clevo/Sager has better configs and will be a better VFM purchase. we always get overpriced electronics here anyways.

the base config of this laptop should cost around 1 lakh including the shipping and customs.

 

[seamon]

OK Let's clear a few things.
1)Yes you should import.
2)You should import this: XOTIC PC | Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A) - 15.6" Gaming Notebook.
3)Do NOT. I repeat. DO NOT BUY NVIDIA GTX GPU FOR CAD/PROFESSIONAL WORK. Nvidia handicapped GTX GPUs(so zero compute power) since the Kepler series and the only thing these GPUs are good for is gaming. Always go for Nvdia Quadro.
4)Nvdia Quadro K1100M in Dell m4800 is very very very very very weak. You'll just waste money if you buy that laptop. At least a K3100M is recommended. You can configure the above laptop to contain Nvidia Quadro K1100M.
5)If you want MSI laptop then XOTIC PC | MSI GT60 2OKWS-278US - 15.6" Workstation Laptop is a MSI workstation.
6)Do not listen to other people who say Lenovo Y50 VFM(Very fine machine/Value for money).
7)Try to get a core i7 4910QM CPU in Clevo.
8)Clevo is user-upgradable.
9)No, you won't get warranty.

 

[shubhamgarg55583]

[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] [MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION] I came across this laptop while searching this forum. The base specifications include 8gb ram, 750gb hdd which does not include alot of things that i am getting in dell and I am worried about importing hassles, shipping and warranty issues.

 

[shubhamgarg55583]

OK Let's clear a few things.
1)Yes you should import.
2)You should import this: XOTIC PC | Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A) - 15.6" Gaming Notebook.
3)Do NOT. I repeat. DO NOT BUY NVIDIA GTX GPU FOR CAD/PROFESSIONAL WORK. Nvidia handicapped GTX GPUs(so zero compute power) since the Kepler series and the only thing these GPUs are good for is gaming. Always go for Nvdia Quadro.
4)Nvdia Quadro K1100M in Dell m4800 is very very very very very weak. You'll just waste money if you buy that laptop. At least a K3100M is recommended. You can configure the above laptop to contain Nvidia Quadro K1100M.
5)If you want MSI laptop then XOTIC PC | MSI GT60 2OKWS-278US - 15.6" Workstation Laptop is a MSI workstation.
6)Do not listen to other people who say Lenovo Y50 VFM(Very fine machine/Value for money).
7)Try to get a core i7 4910QM CPU in Clevo.
8)Clevo is user-upgradable.
9)No, you won't get warranty.

[MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION]

3) so one shouldn't consider gtx870 even for beginners?
4)I know K1100 is a bad deal but under my budget, that is all I am getting. I was thinking that I'll upgrade it later in my college life because as of now, I am more of a beginner so i won't need much computing power.
5)If I am importing, then assuming 30K for shipping & customs, my budget drops to inr110K(~1800$). This rules out msi gt60
6) I hear ya.
9) If warranty is not available, then who here would be able to fix the laptop if it presents with any problem? or will i be able to diagnose and fix it myself?

 

[seamon]

[MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION]

3) so one shouldn't consider gtx870 even for beginners?
4)I know K1100 is a bad deal but under my budget, that is all I am getting. I was thinking that I'll upgrade it later in my college life because as of now, I am more of a beginner so i won't need much computing power.
5)If I am importing, then assuming 30K for shipping & customs, my budget drops to inr110K(~1800$). This rules out msi gt60
6) I hear ya.
9) If warranty is not available, then who here would be able to fix the laptop if it presents with any problem? or will i be able to diagnose and fix it myself?

3)For gaming it is very good. If you doing only beginner level then I think it should suffice.
4)K1100M gives the performance equivalent of a 45k laptop.
5)Clevo fits in I think.
6)K.
9)Yes. They are hell easy to diagnose and repair. You just have to use a screwdriver. They are designed for easy user maintenance.

 

[SaiyanGoku]

[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] [MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION] I came across this laptop while searching this forum. The base specifications include 8gb ram, 750gb hdd which does not include alot of things that i am getting in dell and I am worried about importing hassles, shipping and warranty issues.

dell india offers underpowered hardware for the price. why do you think dell one has an edge over the clevo one?

also see initial suggestion
*www.digit.in/forum/laptops-netbook...p-under-inr-140k-post2164969.html#post2164969

the base config of this laptop should cost around 1 lakh including the shipping and customs.

add a 256 Gb msata SSD and another 8 GB ram stick when you get the laptop. the 750 GB hdd can be upgraded to 1tb free of cost on the customisation page itself and the list of upgrades doesn't ends there.

 

[shubhamgarg55583]

ok, so i thought about importing and assuming i find some way to avoid the customs...

Only the differences between the two configurations are mentioned below
Processor in both of 'em is i7-4910MQ

I have two broad choices

1. Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A)

- NVIDIA® Quadro™ K1100M (2.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU – GPU002) - [ETA: Oct.15]
- 24GB DDR3 1600MHz [3x8GB] Kingston HYPER X (CL9) Dual Channel Memory (Windows 7 Home Premium not supported) (SKU - RAMX98)
- 1TB 5400RPM (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) Seagate Hybrid 64MB Cache [SATA III - 6GB/s] (SKU - HDD092)
- 6X Blu-Ray Burner + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (Sager) (SKU - ODD083)
)

+ 2x120GB samsung evo ssd(apparently they are cheaper here)

Cost: 128906.64($2094)+9898=Rs.138804.64


2. Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A)

- NVIDIA® Quadro™ K3100M (4.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU – GPU021) - [ETA: Oct.15]
- 16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Dual Channel Memory (SKU - RAM04S)
- 1TB 7200RPM [SATA II - 3GB/s] (SKU - HDD097) [No SSDs]
- 6X Blu-Ray Reader + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (Sager) (SKU - ODD084)

Cost:Rs.140295.24($2279)

is it advisable it to sacrifice RAM, Optical Drive, HDD for a K3100 gpu for a beginner?
I am a beginner but I am learning, the only think stopping me right now is the hardware of my 5 year old machine. This laptop will be my lifeline in future so i hope that i dont have to buy an expensive GPU after atleast 2-2.5 years if i go with K1100M.

 

[seamon]

ok, so i thought about importing and assuming i find some way to avoid the customs...

Only the differences between the two configurations are mentioned below
Processor in both of 'em is i7-4910MQ

I have two broad choices

1. Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A)

- NVIDIA® Quadro™ K1100M (2.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU – GPU002) - [ETA: Oct.15]
- 24GB DDR3 1600MHz [3x8GB] Kingston HYPER X (CL9) Dual Channel Memory (Windows 7 Home Premium not supported) (SKU - RAMX98)
- 1TB 5400RPM (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) Seagate Hybrid 64MB Cache [SATA III - 6GB/s] (SKU - HDD092)
- 6X Blu-Ray Burner + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (Sager) (SKU - ODD083)
)

+ 2x120GB samsung evo ssd(apparently they are cheaper here)

Cost: 128906.64($2094)+9898=Rs.138804.64


2. Sager NP8268-S (Clevo P150SM-A)

- NVIDIA® Quadro™ K3100M (4.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU – GPU021) - [ETA: Oct.15]
- 16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Dual Channel Memory (SKU - RAM04S)
- 1TB 7200RPM [SATA II - 3GB/s] (SKU - HDD097) [No SSDs]
- 6X Blu-Ray Reader + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (Sager) (SKU - ODD084)

Cost:Rs.140295.24($2279)

is it advisable it to sacrifice RAM, Optical Drive, HDD for a K3100 gpu for a beginner?
I am a beginner but I am learning, the only think stopping me right now is the hardware of my 5 year old machine. This laptop will be my lifeline in future so i hope that i dont have to buy an expensive GPU after atleast 2-2.5 years if i go with K1100M.

I am assuming that you'll need the laptop to pursue professional work after your college.
1)Stick with K3100M. K1100M is very weak. You'll have to replace the GPU within a year if you go with K1100M.
2)Keep RAM to a min. Higher RAM will only add to customs. Ram is cheaper here.
3)A simple DVD drive is cheaper than no drive.
4)Also, core i7 4810QM will also suffice for your work. You can opt for it to avoid budget constraints.
5)No import duties if you can get someone to bring it for you.

 

[abhigeek]

[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] lol...
I know those people

 

[Siddhartht]

Dell Precision M4800 is selling for 143K with Quadro K2100M+Fingerprint+Smartcard(contact+contactless)+500GB 7200RPM drive+Intel Wireless AC+Full HD IPS+3 Year next day business warranty with ADP (why I mentioned those security related stuff, because you can minus them and save quite a few buck if you like).

Quadro K2100M is a good card, well apt for light gaming and provides good performance for your simulation related work(only if nvidia didn't cap the memory bus to 128 bit...). HP is overpriced in India with their ZBook series(143K for K610M and a Dual core i7. Seriously ?)

Quadro K3100M, well you can get it with Dell Precision M6800, but then again it is against portability and budget requirements. And for the sake of workstation, you are buying it because you need warranty and support. Consumers buy this units for the added warranty benefits and support, not alone for specification and build. (Importing a Clevo unit might give you assurance for future upgrades, but getting parts for a laptop upgrade is not easy.)

The only thing I dislike about M4800 is it's touchpad...which is smaller than touchpads available on circa 2008 laptops.

 

[shubhamgarg55583]

[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] I get your point, the only thing i am kinda worried about is warranty but still I am quite pleased with your suggestion.
[MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION]
Yeah, I'll ask someone to bring it for me.
2)I checked(at flipkart), RAM was expensive here as compared to XoticPC
3)
4) I'll be needing a powerful processor and fast ram for my research work so I don't want to compromise on them.

Could anyone please explain the difference between these two rams and why the second one is more expensive?

1.16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Dual Channel Memory $90
&
2. 16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Kingston HYPER X (CL9) Dual Channel Memory (SKU - RAMX99) $160

And which one is better among these two
1. 1TB 7200RPM [SATA II - 3GB/s]
&
2. 1TB 5400RPM (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) Seagate Hybrid 64MB Cache [SATA III - 6GB/s]

I am waiting for Xoticpc's reply about installing K2100M in Sager!

[MENTION=146294]Siddhart[/MENTION] I dont need a fingerprint scanner+smartcard but 500gb hdd is pretty small for my use and yes, I do love warranty and support but I don't know whether I should choose lower specifications of dell for this.

I am getting the following specs in M4800 for 140K

Smartcard Reader Base for HD/FHD Panel and Windows 8
Intel Core i7-4700MQ Processor (Quad Core, 6M Cache, 2.4 GHz, w/HD Graphics 4600)
39.6cm (15.6") UltraSharp FHD(1920x1080) Wide View Anti-Glare LED-backlit Premium Panel
Smart Card Reader (Contact Only, No Contactless Smart Card Reader) and No Fingerprint
Reader Palmrest
Bezel cam/mic HD+/FHD
16GB 1600MHz DDR3L (2x8GB)
256GB Solid State Drive Full Mini Card
2nd 2.5 inch 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive
8X DVD+/-RW Drive Tray Load
Power Cord (INDIA)
9-cell (97Wh) Lithium Ion battery with ExpressCharge
Intel Core i7 Processor Label
NVIDIA Quadro K1100M w/2GB GDDR5
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 802.11n 3x3 Half Mini Card
Intel Wireless 6300 Driver
Qwerty Backlit Keyboard

 

[SaiyanGoku]

They have mSATA ssd slots and i think you'll need to replace the optical drive if you want to add a normal SSD along with the HDD.

 

[Siddhartht]

[MENTION=145143]SaiyanGoku[/MENTION] I get your point, the only thing i am kinda worried about is warranty but still I am quite pleased with your suggestion.
[MENTION=248727]seamon[/MENTION]
Yeah, I'll ask someone to bring it for me.
2)I checked(at flipkart), RAM was expensive here as compared to XoticPC
3)
4) I'll be needing a powerful processor and fast ram for my research work so I don't want to compromise on them.

Could anyone explain the difference between these two rams and why the second one is more expensive?

1.16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Dual Channel Memory $90
&
2. 16GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x8GB] Kingston HYPER X (CL9) Dual Channel Memory (SKU - RAMX99) $160

And which one is better among these two
1. 1TB 7200RPM [SATA II - 3GB/s]
&
2. 1TB 5400RPM (w/ 8GB SSD Memory) Seagate Hybrid 64MB Cache [SATA III - 6GB/s]

Would this SSD's snap into the sager's ssd slot?

Hyper X has better timings and lower latency, and I don't know about the other 90$ RAM. Also 1TB 7200RPM RAM is a better bet instead of a slower cached HDD. About SSD, it's a 2.5 inch drive, which fit into normal 2.5" slots, not into msata/m2 slots.

I have been using Amber, and it is way more taxing than any of CAD programs people use, and RAM latency have hardly made any difference.


Update : I would recommend you to remove the SSD option and go with default 500GB/1TB option for start ,swap 16gb RAM for 4/8GB, and upgrade GPU to K2100M. You can always add SSD and RAM afterwards, at much lower rates than dell provide them(without voiding warranty).

 

[shubhamgarg55583]

So it turns out SSD's aren't cheap here!
[MENTION=284377]Siddhartht[/MENTION] I was thinking of removing the SSD and upgrading the processor to 4800MQ and yeah, I can go with 8gb RAM with K2100M graphics!
But If I am buying from Sager, then i shouldn't consider Hyper X ram, right?

 

[seamon]

So it turns out SSD's aren't cheap here!
[MENTION=284377]Siddhartht[/MENTION] I was thinking of removing the SSD and upgrading the processor to 4800MQ and yeah, I can go with 8gb RAM with K2100M graphics!
But If I am buying from Sager, then i shouldn't consider Hyper X ram, right?

OK let's clear things again.
1)You are skimping on the GPU. You should never skimp on the most essential part of the laptop. Stick to Quadro K3100M. Trust me, other things are expendables, GPU is not.
2)core i7 4810QM is more than enough. core i7 4810QM+K3100M is recommended.
3)Clevo has a fingerprint scanner.
4)You can end up on more duties on RAM if you order it with extra RAM. Kingston HyperX is known for low latency. Also you cannot pair normal RAM with HyperX RAM.
5)Clevo has 1 2.5" DRIVE and 2 mSATA SSD slots. Only buy SSDs from Buy SSD in India | Online Laptop SSD Drives | SSD Drive Price in India. Samsung EVO mSATA SSDs are recommended as add ons.
6)1 TB 7200RPM drive is better.

Also replacing things in Clevo laptops(including CPU) is real easy except the GPU which requires a BIOS flash.

M4800 is overpriced.
[MENTION=284377]Siddhartht[/MENTION]
What happened to the mighty advocate of HP laptops?

 

[$hadow]

OK let's clear things again.
1)You are skimping on the GPU. You should never skimp on the most essential part of the laptop. Stick to Quadro K3100M. Trust me, other things are expendables, GPU is not.
2)core i7 4810QM is more than enough. core i7 4810QM+K3100M is recommended.
3)Clevo has a fingerprint scanner.
4)You can end up on more duties on RAM if you order it with extra RAM. Kingston HyperX is known for low latency. Also you cannot pair normal RAM with HyperX RAM.
5)Clevo has 1 2.5" DRIVE and 2 mSATA SSD slots. Only buy SSDs from Buy SSD in India | Online Laptop SSD Drives | SSD Drive Price in India. Samsung EVO mSATA SSDs are recommended as add ons.
6)1 TB 7200RPM drive is better.

Also replacing things in Clevo laptops(including CPU) is real easy except the GPU which requires a BIOS flash.

M4800 is overpriced.
[MENTION=284377]Siddhartht[/MENTION]
What happened to the mighty advocate of HP laptops?

Well explained

 

[Siddhartht]

OK let's clear things again.
1)You are skimping on the GPU. You should never skimp on the most essential part of the laptop. Stick to Quadro K3100M. Trust me, other things are expendables, GPU is not.
2)core i7 4810QM is more than enough. core i7 4810QM+K3100M is recommended.
3)Clevo has a fingerprint scanner.
4)You can end up on more duties on RAM if you order it with extra RAM. Kingston HyperX is known for low latency. Also you cannot pair normal RAM with HyperX RAM.
5)Clevo has 1 2.5" DRIVE and 2 mSATA SSD slots. Only buy SSDs from Buy SSD in India | Online Laptop SSD Drives | SSD Drive Price in India. Samsung EVO mSATA SSDs are recommended as add ons.
6)1 TB 7200RPM drive is better.

Also replacing things in Clevo laptops(including CPU) is real easy except the GPU which requires a BIOS flash.

M4800 is overpriced.
[MENTION=284377]Siddhartht[/MENTION]
What happened to the mighty advocate of HP laptops?

I would have advocated for ZBook, if it was under his budget(and mine too xD), I have personally used that and it's the build is better than Precision(I am talking about ZBook 17). And in terms of upgradability, it is certainly on par with Clevo, with standard MXM slot complaint with any HP released wGPU WITHOUT Bios upgrade(HP charges a slight premium compared to other after market resellers, but hey, you get it in India and with a warranty).


He needs a laptop for light gaming, K2100M is sufficient for that. Even i7 4700MQ is fine for CAD and Matlab/Mathematica. It all rounds up with the fact that who has experience with such software, and their views. My friends (I am a third year Informatics student) who are in EC and IT department recommend Quadro K1100M(just for applications which require CUDA acceleration). I personally recommend K2100M for future prospects.
Physics related simulation is not an easy task, honestly you can't do it with even Quadro K5100M. Mobile GPUs are just not suitable for them. A typical protein folding batch runs for 4 to 8 hours(on a Tesla), and that evolves lots and lots of physics(from charges to geometry). While K3100M is a good gpu, it doesn't justify the increased price tag, since the benefit he will get on his targeted software is marginal.

If you really want a compromise between Gaming and work, I would recommend AMD firepro. They are good enough for gaming and work too, and don't share driver problems found in their Radeon counterpart.
Also, I don't think Clevo provides enough on software side. Precision and ZBooks have enterprise level security and management software pre installed, which you might find useful later in your studies. (I personally require a smartcard reader to sync some lab equipments and servers with my laptop, although that is a rare case where you handle equipments with price in millions)

One should think out of box while buying such laptops. You are spending quite some large amount of money, whereby you cannot afford to go wrong. (I have never ever in my life seen a Clevo laptop being used as a workstation(here or outside))

 

[seamon]

I would have advocated for ZBook, if it was under his budget(and mine too xD), I have personally used that and it's the build is better than Precision(I am talking about ZBook 17). And in terms of upgradability, it is certainly on par with Clevo, with standard MXM slot complaint with any HP released wGPU WITHOUT Bios upgrade(HP charges a slight premium compared to other after market resellers, but hey, you get it in India and with a warranty).


He needs a laptop for light gaming, K2100M is sufficient for that. Even i7 4700MQ is fine for CAD and Matlab/Mathematica. It all rounds up with the fact that who has experience with such software, and their views. My friends (I am a third year Informatics student) who are in EC and IT department recommend Quadro K1100M(just for applications which require CUDA acceleration). I personally recommend K2100M for future prospects.
Physics related simulation is not an easy task, honestly you can't do it with even Quadro K5100M. Mobile GPUs are just not suitable for them. A typical protein folding batch runs for 4 to 8 hours(on a Tesla), and that evolves lots and lots of physics(from charges to geometry). While K3100M is a good gpu, it doesn't justify the increased price tag, since the benefit he will get on his targeted software is marginal.

If you really want a compromise between Gaming and work, I would recommend AMD firepro. They are good enough for gaming and work too, and don't share driver problems found in their Radeon counterpart.
Also, I don't think Clevo provides enough on software side. Precision and ZBooks have enterprise level security and management software pre installed, which you might find useful later in your studies. (I personally require a smartcard reader to sync some lab equipments and servers with my laptop, although that is a rare case where you handle equipments with price in millions)

One should think out of box while buying such laptops. You are spending quite some amount of money, whereby you cannot afford to go wrong. (I have never ever in my life seen a Clevo laptop being used as a workstation(here or outside))


On a side note, typing on a 4.3 inch screen is ....well equivalent to seventh circle of hell, I know that now :/.

1)You have to flash the vBIOS of the GPU itself to make it compatible with the BIOS of the laptop(including HP).
2)Skimping on the GPU is the worst choice one can make when buying a laptop. It's not about being sufficient now, it's about being future proof.
3)IDK about Firepro. Radeon driver problems are pretty bad. Better avoid AMD cards.
4)We are talking Xotic PC here. The world's best Clevo reseller. They are willing to track down your laptop globally for just 50$. Even if your laptop is stolen by some International Mastermind, Xotic will track it down for you.
5)Clevo laptops are the most powerful laptops in existence. P150SM is only an entry level laptop. The highest end supports a desktop CPU(think core i7 4770K) and 2 Nvidia Quadro K5100Ms in SLI( Think Nvidia Titan).

 

[Siddhartht]

1)You have to flash the vBIOS of the GPU itself to make it compatible with the BIOS of the laptop(including HP).
2)Skimping on the GPU is the worst choice one can make when buying a laptop. It's not about being sufficient now, it's about being future proof.
3)IDK about Firepro. Radeon driver problems are pretty bad. Better avoid AMD cards.
4)We are talking Xotic PC here. The world's best Clevo reseller. They are willing to track down your laptop globally for just 50$. Even if your laptop is stolen by some International Mastermind, Xotic will track it down for you.
5)Clevo laptops are the most powerful laptops in existence. P150SM is only an entry level laptop. The highest end supports a desktop CPU(think core i7 4770K) and 2 Nvidia Quadro K5100Ms in SLI( Think Nvidia Titan).

1) Think Tesla, not Titan. And Mobile Quadro(s) are never sold in SLI configuration (if someone is selling them, then they are defeating the purpose of Quadro), and it is rare to find Quadro in SLI in desktop scenario(and SLI is not the proper term, Maximus is).

2) Tracking a laptop is not an easy task, and of what use is a laptop when the precious data is gone. (And when something is stolen, it is usually broken down before).

3) Entry level AMD Firepro W4170M beats Quadro 3100M in openGL benchmarks. The area where it counts. And it is good for light gaming too. (Keyword, entry level, M5100 is better which is entry level option for Precision M4800)

4) We are talking about India here, where warranty problems play havoc and lack of laptop can render a semester useless.

5) The present Kepler series is by definition obsolete now. If he really want to use CUDA 5.0 or 6.5, he should wait for Maxwell. K3100M and K2100M are not that different in terms of raw performance(difference of 200 cores at low clock rates).

6) Buying a card directly from HP/Dell would not need any flashing, since the card comes pre configured for system.