XPS 15 or Vaio VPCCB15HG or HP DV6-6017TX

[ankurgel]

I need to decide one laptop amongst these three of them:

1. XPS 15
2. Vaio VPCCB15HG (VPCCB15FG : C Series : VAIO™ Laptop & Computer : Sony India)
3. HP DV6-6017TX

After going through lot of issues over muxless GPU configuration of ATI 6770M in 6***TX series. I expected manual GPU switch. I'm not much into gaming, but I expect to surf movies online(via browser) to run with dedicated GPU instead of integrated one when I'll pay them so handsomely. I'm very very reluctant to go with it. Also, getting neither FHD nor the backlit keyboard is shame. Didn't adore the keyboard either. I found myself much faster on old Inspiron 15 laptop's non-chicklet keyboard(yfrog Photo : *yfrog.com/h7a91bp Shared by AnkurGel) than 6121TX of my friend.
I found out on 6121TX that I couldn't see which GPU mode I'm presently in. I guess, this option is present in 525M with Optimus.

I then found out about Sony's VPCCB15HG. It will give me with amazing FHD (full screen to code on + enjoy movies) Yay! . But again got turned down by it's speakers and built. It all looks like some cheap plastic with strangling keys struggling to get out. Also, tango colors were tango. What are your views about it?

Final choice is XPS 15. I read members here recommending upgrading to 540M (2gig) configuration. But I don't think I would be able to consider that financially. FHD itself cost around ~6k and other updates like backlit keypad and 9-cell battery is necessary too. So, can't really extend my budget to include 540M rig. Please help me out with this guys? Why do you recommend 540M over 525M. Does former has much-required manual switch to GPU and latter does not? Willn't 525M work as 540M does? If had to go with Dell, I will only be able to customize 52,300 config.

PS: Sorry, didn't filled up the recommended form while asking suggestion for laptop as it is multi-choice-hocus-pocus itself.

 

[comp@ddict]

If you want gaming, get the HP

If you can somehow extend budget, get XPS 15

Vaio, err, I'm not sure.

 

[xtremevicky]

What is your budget ?

What is the primary need ?

You need to fill that out for us to give you a viable suggestion !

 

[ankurgel]

Occasional gaming only. Laptop will mostly be required to surf endlessly, code (Eclipse, vim etc) and movies sometimes. Also, laptop would be ON continuously from like 11-12hours.
Repeating again, hardcore gaming is not the priority. I can live up with 525M 1gig if he doesn't have any weird problems as ATI 6****M does.

And one more thing, I heard earlier that Optimus doesn't support linux at all. Did they release any driver for linux to solve that issue?

 

[Ishu Gupta]

Get the Dell.

I wouldn't get the 9 cell battery though. They are bigger than the 6 cell ones and tend to "stick out".

And just so you know, The switching problem is only present in the 61xx series (eg your friend's 6121TX). The 60xx series is free from those issues (6017TX).

 

[ankurgel]

err.r.. I'm now getting confused about this part. Why 6017TX doesn't have switching hassles? It also uses 6770M. Does muxless design issue depends on configuration by laptop manufacturer not with ATI(in this case)?

 

[pranav0091]

just a note. its next to impossible to find a 6017tx in india. I was thinking of purchasing (my needs look pretty similar to yours) it and then had to give up. I did contact the hp people a lot of times, but nothing helped, stock issues they say...

now i've almost settled at dv4 3016tx for 44k
You might want to look at that one...

 

[comp@ddict]

Go for Dell XPS 15 then.

 

[Ishu Gupta]

err.r.. I'm now getting confused about this part. Why 6017TX doesn't have switching hassles? It also uses 6770M. Does muxless design issue depends on configuration by laptop manufacturer not with ATI(in this case)?

6121TX has a muxless design. ie the monitor is connected to the Intel HD3000 and the ATI card has send the output through the Intel. This means the Intel card is forever on.

6017TX has a muxed design in which the display is connected to a mux. Each card can connect directly to display through this mux. In this case, Intel card is switched off when ATI is used.

Muxless design is lot more quicker and transparent. It only has a problem with OpenGL. So windows gamer will not be effected by this. (Unless you like Minecraft)

If gaming is secondary, Dell XPS15 is a better option with much better speakers and screen. Also a backlit KB.

 

[ankurgel]

6121TX has a muxless design. ie the monitor is connected to the Intel HD3000 and the ATI card has send the output through the Intel. This means the Intel card is forever on.

6017TX has a muxed design in which the display is connected to a mux. Each card can connect directly to display through this mux. In this case, Intel card is switched off when ATI is used.

Muxless design is lot more quicker and transparent. It only has a problem with OpenGL. So windows gamer will not be effected by this. (Unless you like Minecraft)

If gaming is secondary, Dell XPS15 is a better option with much better speakers and screen. Also a backlit KB.

That solves it then. Thanks Ishu. I should go with XPS then.
@pranav0091: 6017TX is available here at Delhi(Nehru place), I believe. 6016TX was out of stock though.. one can still get 6016TX at Ghaziabad here.

 

[amit3987]

Get the Dell.

I wouldn't get the 9 cell battery though. They are bigger than the 6 cell ones and tend to "stick out".

I would infact recommend getting a 9-cell battery.

It will give the user more time away from the charging outlet while doing normal day tasks.
Plus, I have found that the sticking out of the battery infact provides much better ventilation and the bottom surface is much less hot.

 

[ankurgel]

Yes, it also offers much needed space for JBL subwoofer to work on. Anyway, I couldn't convince my dad for laptop yet. So, hopefully will buy something later.