Hi! I am going to go to India soon. I was wondering if I could take a Laptop from here...If I take a Laptop from the US to India will it work there? I think the electricity and voltage system is different in India than it is in the US. Should I purchase one in the US before I go or should I purchase a laptop from India? Which one do you think is better? Also, how much do computers or Laptops in India cost? My main necessity is Internet and email services...How much do they charge in the Northern States of India? Could anybody give me an idea of the costs? I just want to get an idea of the range of money. Thanks.
Desktops...non branded, assembled cost a small amount about 800$ equivalent...with the works. Hardware is cheap in India ...i reccomend you buy there so you can get it fixed by the retailer if things grow wrong...also you need a back up power supply there...In a nutshell get you system there.
Laptops run on dual voltage nowadays..that's pretty standard, but you'd want to make sure. Most laptops/connectors can handle worldwide voltage, all you need to do is buy a plug adapter. However, most computers have major manufacturing centers in the US. I do not know what India supplies, and it may be more expensive.
Youngling, if internet is your main necessity, then it is better to get a desktop, which, as halothane said, you can easily get here, and cheaper I guess. If you want a laptop, that would cost around $2000. I could confirm that if you like. Most of the colleges nowadays have free internet/e-mail facilities for students, so you could avail of that, but it is always better to go for a pc of your own. More freedom. Then there are cybercafes that charge Rs 10-15/hr (20-30cents). On your own pc, a dialup connection with a phone and modem will cost around Rs 20/hr. The voltage here is supposed to be 220V 50Hz, though fluctuations are very frequent. And, you'll need a UPS to provide power during power-cuts.
Thanks Beard. That was very valuable info. I just wanted to get an idea. Okay, I will get a desktop. But I will be living in a dorm...I wonder if they will allow me to keep one there. I don't know. I am not going to Delhi. I am going to one of the States around Delhi. I will be in med school there. Do all med schools in North India have internet and email connection? Can we search the web and access sites on the school computers? I think I will get a computer of my own....I am going to starve myself and save the pocket money that my dad is going to send me there to buy a computer!! But man! I cannot live without the Internet. Are cybercafes in all the north Indian states? Rs.20/hr is a pretty reasonable rate.
Hey dude, Go to Sam's Club or Costco or a discount warehouse of the like. You can find tight deals on computer hardware there. As in, you can get a mean laptop (1+ GHz, 256 RAM, DVD/Cd-RW, Sony VIAO) for around 1000 bucks. If you travel often, you'll find a laptop quite useful, and even if you don't, just the ability to take it anywhere: friend's house, library, etc, makes it well worth the extra $'s. Yes, God bless the internet. Without it, none of us would be here to talk about it...
I think dorm should be no problem, only you will have to share it with all the girls around: that's the rule, you can't refuse or you will be seen as anti-social and soon you'll hear horrible rumours going around about you. Okay, I am exaggerating, but you can't get around sharing your things. Btw, it will be good for you to confirm with someone who goes to that college if you are allowed to keep a computer. Indian hostel wardens are notorious for the weirdest rules. I hail from a small town near Delhi and internet is actually cheaper there. But I can't assure you whether all colleges have net connection. Again it would be better to confirm it with someone of the college.
