Processor advice

Community Forums/General Help/Processor advice

GaryV(Posted 2013) [#1]
I am looking at a laptop that has two different versions. They are identical, except for the processor in them.

One has a Pentium Dual Core 2030M 2.5 GHz
One has a Core i5 3230M 2.6 GHz

The Core i5 model costs $200 more

Opinions?


GfK(Posted 2013) [#2]
My initial thought was to go with the 2030M. So I went here to check. (VERY handy site for comparing CPUs - there is also gpuboss.com).

My conclusion: If there was only a few dollars difference (maybe $50) I'd go with the 3230M. But we're talking $200, and for me and my personal requirements, that CPU isn't $200 better than the other one.

I'd get the 2030M.


Calibrator(Posted 2013) [#3]
It may depend on what you will use the laptop for.

An alternative would be: Get the cheaper & slower CPU but use the $200 to get a nice SSD with 512GB instead of a slow hard disk drive.


GfK(Posted 2013) [#4]
Yeah, an SSD will give you a massive performance increase.


GaryV(Posted 2013) [#5]
Thanks GfK. The price difference is actually closer to $220.

SSDs are nice, but I have had problems with longevity. For the price of a SSD, I would rather throw more memory in it.


xlsior(Posted 2013) [#6]
with the exception of OCZ (which is about to go down the drain), SSD actually has a significantly -higher- reliability than HDD according to a number of recent studies -- especially the Intel and Samsung drives.


GaryV(Posted 2013) [#7]
xlsior: Going by personal experience and not studies. Issues with Intel's controller for SSDs was one of the reasons I went back to regular drives.


ziggy(Posted 2013) [#8]
The i5 has better gpu


GaryV(Posted 2013) [#9]
Unfortunately, there re not specs on the GPUs in either other than 4000.

I am guessing there are variations of Intel's 4000 GPU? Any help on the GPU would be appreciated.


GaryV(Posted 2013) [#10]
especially the Intel and Samsung drives.

With Samsung, what are the main differences in the two lines of SSDs they have?