Help choosing between two laptops

[kaitanuva]

My priorities (listed in order of importance):

1. Weight
2. Price
3. Performance (CPU only)
4. Battery life

Nothing else matters.

#1. Dell Inspiron 13z 13.3in.
1. 3.8 lbs
2. $660
3. i5 3317u 1.7 ghz Ivy Bridge Duo Core (4 threads) Processor
4. 7 hours

#2. Acer Aspire TimelineX 14in.
1. 4.8 lbs
2. $400
3. i3 2370m 2.4 ghz Sandy Bridge Duo Core (4 threads) Processor
4. 9 hours

 

[blazorthon]

The second one looks much better in terms of CPU performance, battery life, and price, but it has inferior graphics and is much heavier. Also, the second one is a quad-threaded CPU, not a dual-threaded CPU. It is a dual-core with Hyper-Threading just like the first one is, but the first one is built on a different process lithography with a slightly tweaked architecture (not tweaked enough to make up for that huge of a CPU clock frequency difference).

The real question here is how important the weight and graphics are to you. If they are very important, then the first laptop is better, but an AMD laptop might be better for about the same or a lower price. If they aren't very important to you, then the second laptop is the better choice if you want to keep the budget as low as reasonably possible. Again, an AMD APU-based laptop might be a better option, but that price difference and the faster CPU than the first laptop choice make that a more difficult choice without looking at the competition.

What do you intend to do with this laptop?

 

[kaitanuva]

Carry it around alot 5 days a week for college. So yes, weight is extremely important. I have a 5.8lb laptop currently and it sucks to carry around. If I'm going to spend $400 for a 1lb decrease, would you say it would make sense to shell out another $260 for another 1lb decrease?

I'm just doing some moderately intensive CPU stuff for my engineering major here and there.

I don't intend to game on this laptop so graphics are out of the question.

*thanks for the CPU correction

 

[blazorthon]

Do you think that a nearly 5 pound laptop would be too heavy? If not, then the second laptop is probably the better buy for you.

 

[overclockingrocks]

If you're doing moderately cpu intensive stuff and carrying it around the extra speed of #2 would outweigh the extra weight as a consideration. With that said the i5 is based on a newer architecture so it'll be more efficient with each clock cycle as opposed to the SB i3. However the SB i3 is 700Mhz faster so that weighs in. I'd say either one but the second is the best bang for your buck for what you're doing

 

[blazorthon]

If you're doing moderately cpu intensive stuff and carrying it around the extra speed of #2 would outweigh the extra weight as a consideration. With that said the i5 is based on a newer architecture so it'll be more efficient with each clock cycle as opposed to the SB i3. However the SB i3 is 700Mhz faster so that weighs in. I'd say either one but the second is the best bang for your buck for what you're doing

The IB architecture really isn't much better than Sandy Bridge.According to Tom's tests, IB averaged out to be less than 4% faster than SB at the same clock frequency. An ~40% clock frequency advantage is more than enogh to negate that many times over.

 

[airanp]

Asus U36SG-DS51 (13.3")
1. 3.78 lbs
2. $705 (configurable)
3. i5 2450m
4. 10 hours (wifi off, power saving mode with asus super hybrid engine)

http/www.xoticpc.com/asus-u36sgds51-p-3565.html

 

[blazorthon]

Asus U36SG-DS51 (13.3")
1. 3.78 lbs
2. $705 (configurable)
3. i5 2450m
4. 10 hours (wifi off, power saving mode with asus super hybrid engine)

http/www.xoticpc.com/asus-u36sgds51-p-3565.html

That is definitely a better laptop then the second choice given by OP in every way except for price, which still is decent. Now, OP would have to decide if a somewhat faster CPU and a lower weight with a slightly higher battery time is worth almost double the cost.

 

[kaitanuva]

I hate decisions

 

[blazorthon]

lol. I'd get the $400 computer in this case, but I've been accused of being cheap before and maybe you wouldn't want the extra weight. If I'm going to spend over $700 on a laptop for strict CPU performance, then it'll be an i7 laptop. There are some around that price and there are many discounts. For example, HP often gives $100 off coupons out to people who subscribe to them in email.

 

[airanp]

The beauty of the Asus thin and light (not technically an ultrabook) is that many of them use standard voltage CPUs instead of using an undervoltage (often represented with a U at the end of the processor spec) to try and inch out more battery life at the cost of computing power. And they retain good battery life with those standard CPUs

 

[kaitanuva]

I think I might go with this

http/www.adorama.com/ASU36SGDS51.html

It's an ever so slightly older model Asus than the one you showed me, but it's 3.7 lbs instead of 3.78 lbs and is $683.

Thanks everyone

 

[airanp]

I think I might go with this

http/www.adorama.com/ASU36SGDS51.html

It's an ever so slightly older model Asus than the one you showed me, but it's 3.7 lbs instead of 3.78 lbs and is $683.

Thanks everyone

It's a good choice. The 610m is really just a rebranded 520m and for a cheaper price with what you want to do I would go for that model as well. Glad we could help.