Laptops

Laptop Market in Nepal – Authorised Vs Grey

Buying a laptop in Nepal is a bit more tricky than other gadgets. It's because you will find many price variations from shop to shop. There are basically two ways laptops are being imported into Nepal. First is the authorized seller, who is officially appointed to be the distributor of the brand. The second kind is the grey sellers who import laptops from some big distributors overseas. The benefit of buying from grey sellers is that they are often cheaper than authorized sellers. However, grey sellers don't have 100% quality control over the products, and the buyers might end up getting refurbished or a used one. Likewise, grey sellers don't provide a warranty or any form of after-sales service.

How to find out if the laptop is authorized or grey in Nepal?

To find out if your laptop is from the authorized distributor, we suggest you look at the hologram sticker of the distributor attached near the trackpad. For instance, you will find Nagmani Hologram on Asus laptops or a Neoteric Hologram on Dell laptops, ensuring the laptop you purchase is genuine and authorized.  

How to make a laptop-buying decision in Nepal?

Budget

Before you go on the market looking for a laptop, you much set aside the amount you are willing to spend. The type of laptop you get depends largely on your budget. You can get a functional windows laptop below Rs. 50,000, but the things you can do on it are limited. Likewise, you can get a good overall notebook that can handle basic tasks and photo editing with Photoshop. Around the same range, you can get gaming laptops with GTX graphics for light gaming and video editing. The laptops get more powerful as you increase the price.

Need: Power and Portability

On paper, gaming laptops are more equipped than an ultrabook of the same price range. However, not everyone needs a gaming laptop. For example, many first-year students buy a gaming laptop just for their performance without considering other factors like portability. Not only are gaming bulkier, but they also don't have a good battery life compelling you to carry heavy power bricks everywhere. In addition, the fan noise and RGB lighting may not be appropriate in class and office settings. As a result, it can be wise to sacrifice power for portability and subtlety sometimes.

Warranty and After-Sales Service

Most of the laptop shops in Nepal offer one year of local warranty on laptops. On the other hand, authorized distributors usually provide two years of international warranty on the laptops sold. They also have better access to repair parts and tools. Thus, it's safer to buy laptops from authorized sellers despite the higher price if you plan to use the laptop for years.

Types of laptops you can buy in Nepal

• Traditional Laptops: These are the most basic laptops you can buy in Nepal and also the most popular ones. Traditional laptops are best for first-time users. 
• Gaming Laptops: Gaming laptops are popular among Nepali students who want to game in their spare time. These laptops have a more powerful CPU, a discrete GPU, a high refresh rate screen and a bulkier size.
• Content Creator Laptops: You need a powerful machine for content creation, just like for gaming. However, there are a few differences. For instance, content creation laptops usually focus on screen resolution rather than refresh rate and typically have Studio drivers.
• Business Laptops: These laptops are intended for users in business and enterprise and thus come with extra layers of security and durability.
• Ultrabook: Ultrabook laptops usually focus more on portability than power, but that doesn't mean they are less powerful. You can get the best of both worlds thanks to Intel's P-series and AMD HS-series processors.
• 2-in-1 Convertible: These laptops feature a touchscreen and a 360° hinge allowing users to use them as tablets. Some high-end models even ship with an Active Stylus.

Popular Laptop Brands in Nepal

• Apple: Currently, the M1 and M2-powered MacBook Air are among the most popular laptops for casual users. Likewise, it is also the go-to brand for creators who often go for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
• Lenovo: Over the years, the IdeaPad series has become a hit with students and first-time users. The brand is equally popular among gamers because of the Legion laptops.
• Asus: Of all the laptop brands officially available in Nepal, Asus is the most active. It has the broadest product portfolio, which gets updated timely.
• Acer: The Aspire laptops from Acer are among the most bangs for bucks laptops in the market today. Even for gamers just starting, the Nitro series offers value that is hard to ignore.
• Dell: Dell is probably known for its premium XPS lineup. However, the company also sells Inspiron and Vostro series of laptops popular among Nepali users.
• MSI: MSI probably offers the most options for gamers in Nepal. However, the company is also trying to expand into traditional and business market segments, which has been successful so far.
• HP: HP is mainly known for its premium x360 2-in-1 laptops spread across the Envy and Spectre lineup. However, the company is winning the hearts of gamers with the affordable Victus laptops.
• Ripple: Ripple is the only Nepal-based OEM laptop brand on this list. It is known for offering value-for-money gaming laptops. The options are limited, and you must go through a waitlist to get your hands on a Ripple laptop.

Things to Consider while buying a Laptop in Nepal

Processor

The processor is often the single most essential specs in a laptop for people buying laptops in Nepal, and this is because it determines how the laptop is going to perform. There are two major players here: Intel and AMD. In the past, Intel was the go-to brand, with AMD being  options for budget users. However, AMD has made a comeback with its Zen microarchitecture. The new Ryzen processors are more power efficient and pack better-integrated graphics. On the other hand, Intel still reigns as the top choice for gamers because of its processor hitting the higher boost clock speeds.  That said, this dynamic between Intel and AMD changes every year with new launches. So, it's important to be able to choose the best processor that suits your needs. Thermal Design Power: TDP stands for Thermal Design Power which is the maximum power consumed by the processor expressed in Watts. With other things constant, a higher TDP usually means better performance. But it also results in more heat being produced which requires a more competent cooling system. Thus, higher TDP CPUs are generally reserved for gaming and content creation laptops. Both Intel and AMD categorize their processors into different lineups based on the TDP. The common ones include: 

• U-series: These processors are targeted at traditional laptops and ultrabooks and thus have lower TDP than the rest. 
• H-series: Intel and AMD use the "H" suffix for their gaming CPUs. They have a higher TDP than the U-series but can't compete against the HX lineup.
• HX-series: The HX-series is the flagship family of CPUs for Intel and AMD. Intel's HX processors are based on their desktop counterparts whereas AMD's HX-series simply bring overclocking to H-series processors.

In addition, both companies offer an intermediate lineup between the U and H series for high-performance ultrabooks. Intel calls it the P-series whereas AMD has named it the HS lineup.

Graphics

All laptops have integrated graphics which can handle basic day-to-day tasks with ease. However, tasks like gaming and video editing require more power which is offered by dedicated graphics. NVIDIA is the biggest GPU brand right now but it is not the only one. There are laptops with AMD Radeon and Intel ARC GPUs but they are few and far between. Even in Nepal most of the gaming laptops you buy feature a NVIDIA GPU. NVIDIA GPUs are categorized as pre-Ray Tracing and with Ray Tracing. The latter sport the GTX moniker is based on older technology. Still, they are popular among entry-level gamers in Nepal because they keep the price of laptops low.  On the other hand, RTX graphics have hardware-based ray tracing that gets better with each generation. The latest RTX 40-series GPUs feature NVIDIA's second third-gen ray tracing, DLSS 3 and other features.  Like CPUs, GPUs are limited by the power they are fed with. The same GPU can have a wide range of TGP (Total Graphics Power) across different models. Thus, you should know the TGP of the GPU when you buy a laptop for gaming and content creation in Nepal.

RAM

Talking about RAM, most laptops nowadays feature dual-channel RAM for faster processing. However, you can find laptops with single-channel RAM when looking for budget options in Nepal. Some laptops even require a memory upgrade to utilize the two channels. Other than that, all RAMs in laptops fall under one of the two: LPDDR and DDR. LPDDR is targeted at slim and light laptops whereas DDR RAM is used in more powerful machines. In addition, there are different generations of LPDDR and DDR RAM that operate at different bandwidths and frequencies. Some RAMs are soldered into the motherboard making it impossible to change them. On the other hand, you can change and upgrade the RAM on the others.

Storage

As for storage, all major brands have shifted to SSD as the primary storage on their laptops. For instance, even budget Asus laptops sold in Nepal have SSD storage with the option to add HDD with a caddy. Entry-level laptops in Nepal still feature both M.2 and 2.5" SATA slots for SSD and HDD, respectively. Moving up the price range, the HDD slot is also replaced by an SSD.  SSD is generally faster and thus more expensive. Thus, users with tight budgets generally buy a low-capacity SSD for the OS and other frequently used applications whereas they store other media on a HDD. 

Display

On a laptop, a display is a component that you will interact with the most. As a result, you need to be careful when opting for one as brands offer the same laptop with different display options. Most laptops today feature an IPS LCD panel whereas OLED laptops are getting more accessible. There are MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch which have mini-LED panels. Laptop displays are available in a wide range of sizes but the most popular ones are between 12" and 15". This decision mostly comes down to how much portability you want as bigger displays usually mean bulkier systems. Other than that, pay attention to the screen resolution and orientation. While FHD screens are sufficient for most users, content creators look for even sharper screens. They also prefer screens with a wider gamut and accurate colors.  Gamers on the other hand look for things like refresh rate and response time. In high-end games, you should also look for HDR capability.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What should I consider when buying a laptop?
   Focus on the processor, GPU, RAM, storage, display quality, battery life, and warranty.
2. Which laptop brands are the most popular in Nepal?
   Brands like Lenovo, Acer, Asus, HP, and Dell are highly popular in Nepal.
3. Can I get an international warranty for laptops bought in Nepal?
   Yes, many brands offer international warranties, but it depends on the brand and the dealer. Confirm with the dealer for details.
4. Can I upgrade the RAM and storage of my laptop later?
   Yes, most laptops allow RAM and storage upgrades, but check the model’s specifications first.
5. Where can I get genuine laptop accessories in Nepal?
   Authorized dealers and certified electronics stores like Dizikart and Daraz are the best places to buy genuine accessories.