Solved! I7-720QM + 230M v P7550 + 4650 - HP

[mrmark27]

Hello All,

Been doing some research and I think im going to go with a new 15.6" HP Notebook. After messing around with their online config, ive come up with 2 systems who have comparable specs with the only differences being the cpu and gpu. Which combo between the i7-720QM + 230M and the P7550 + 4650 would be better? I plan on doing some minor gaming with this machine but when I do, it would be with current games(MW2, Batman Arkham, etc) as well as watching movies and surfing the internet. I dont need the gaming to be super high settings everything, I have my desktop for that but want to be able to do gaming on medium settings. The other biggy for me would be watching movies and using the HDMI output to watch them on our 52" and 40" HDTV with that "true HD" pop in the picture.

Based on these, would I be better off with the quad core but slightly lessor gpu, or dual core but better gpu?

Thanks for your help!

 

[VistaVendetta]

Hmmm yes I am also very confused. I am only afraid that in a few years technology on desktops and laptops will make the switch to i5 and i7, therefore making the P8700, P7550 etc. outdated. I am also looking at that very same asus but there is anohter laptop I am also looking at and that would be this one:

http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+FX+Edition+Laptop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Centrino%26%23174%3B+2+Processor+Technology/9605365.p?id=1218130485627&skuId=9605365

the only thing is this has a 5400rpm vs ASUS 7200rpm dont know if that will make much of a diff, but hard drives can be upgraded no prob....this also has a p8700.

Im not sure if that gateway has LED, or backlit keyboard..what do you guys think?

Agian it depends on your needs...I agree with VistaVendetta if you have a gaming desktop there is not much need to have a gaming laptop, unless ur too lazy to take the desktop to lan partys etc. IMO, if you wanna use it for school work etc. get the i7, but the P7550 + 4650 is stronger in gaming performance, but may not be worth it in the long run. Its the one think i hate about technology it just upgrades too fast lol.

Asus is superior quality compared to Gateway. I know from experience gateway is very cheap about their computers. My friend had a gateway and it broke down a few months after he bought it, I would personally get the Asus with the P8700 even though it's a little pricier.

 

[mrmark27]

Thanks for all of your help, really gave me a lot to think about. To bad laptops cant be as easy to upgrade in the future as desktops where I could just replace the cpu/gpu in a year or so once technology catches up with it.

 

[harisf]

Asus is superior quality compared to Gateway. I know from experience gateway is very cheap about their computers. My friend had a gateway and it broke down a few months after he bought it, I would personally get the Asus with the P8700 even though it's a little pricier.

Oh is that so?

If that is true, then please help me decide in my other thread:

http/www.tomshardware.com/forum/55026-35-laptop-graphics-comparison

View my last post
thanks for your help man

 

[tical2103]

I was in the same boat as you. I decided to go with the i7 and 230m. I went with it because they had a coupon you could use and it dropped the sysytem down to 999. Heres the configuration I decided to go with. I wish I still had the coupon code but I dont know where I got it from and I cannot find it. After I recieve this I will post and let you know how the i7 with 230m performs.

HP Pavilion dv8t Quad Edition customizable Notebook PC
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)
• 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) from 3GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 320GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M
• 18.4" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
• Lightscribe Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
• Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Espresso Black)
• Intel Wireless-N Mini-card
• HP Color Matching Keyboard
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

[mrmark27]

Tical, thanks. Was that the $500 off code? I know that they had that code and now its just a $200 off on top of the 150-200 they already discount it. I had been looking at using the 500 off code but dragged my feet to long and missed the shot at it. Let me know how it looks on some high end games. I'd be going with the dv6t line most likely.

 

[harisf]

Yea i might go with the dv7t at costco as well, Tical tell us how it runs some modern and new games.

 

[tical2103]

Tical, thanks. Was that the $500 off code? I know that they had that code and now its just a $200 off on top of the 150-200 they already discount it. I had been looking at using the 500 off code but dragged my feet to long and missed the shot at it. Let me know how it looks on some high end games. I'd be going with the dv6t line most likely.

Its supposed to ship today. Im not sure if the games I play are highend, but I will be playing DragonAge Origins and Borderland on it. I do a lot of multi tasking, thats why I bought it. I will let you know how it longs on thewe games, but if you have aa high end game in mind let me know

 

[mrmark27]

Its supposed to ship today. Im not sure if the games I play are highend, but I will be playing DragonAge Origins and Borderland on it. I do a lot of multi tasking, thats why I bought it. I will let you know how it longs on thewe games, but if you have aa high end game in mind let me know

Tical,

How have you liked the notebook? Any reviews on it so far?

THanks!

 

[ravalasp]

Hey aaaahh!! I am in the same track with two options,

1. Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1333MHz FSB) with 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M

2. Intel Core2 Duo Processor P7450 (2.13 GHz 3MB L2 Cache 1066MHz FSB) with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 (M96) with up to 2815MB total available graphics memory with 1024MB dedicated.

what do you suggest me. I like to play most games demanding games, do multimedia stuffs and use VM ware on my machine for running windows server 2008. how about Moonlight white and expresso black ... which is good?

would 2815MB total available graphics memory with 1024MB dedicated would make more stuffs than 1 GB 230M ? Does L2 Cache helps in games ? would P7450 will be outdated soon as i7 series on the way.

Heard that 4650 not likely to be build in the same configuration as in desktop.

Pls advice me!!!! on this two option.

 

[ravalasp]

Its supposed to ship today. Im not sure if the games I play are highend, but I will be playing DragonAge Origins and Borderland on it. I do a lot of multi tasking, thats why I bought it. I will let you know how it longs on thewe games, but if you have aa high end game in mind let me know

any updates on the I7 Laptop?

pls provide an update ,about the performance... i would like to order one.. if its good in Games and multitasking...

Rgds

Rehan

 

[dwellman]

Did someone say Lenovo?

 

[SlyNine]

any updates on the I7 Laptop?

pls provide an update ,about the performance... i would like to order one.. if its good in Games and multitasking...

Rgds

Rehan

The Core I7 uses turbo boost, This is not overclocking as some people have suggested but what it does do is up the operating speed when only using 1,2 or 3 cores. In fact even with 4 cores it might be 2 bins above the 1.6 the 720QM states( probably around 1.8-2.0ghz) and when only needing to utilize one core it will operate at around 2.8, when needing 2 cores it will operate at around 2.2-2.4. So it just throttles up and down to keep the thermal limits of the CPU in check.

It uses clock gating to shut down the other cores when they are not needed, which saves you power.

Clock for clock the Core I7 can be as much as 40% faster then a C2D. This is not considering hyperthreading

The Q720 and higher are quad core CPU's, with turbo boost they can outperform dual cores at dual and single threaded apps.

hyperthreading allows for each core to act as 2 cores ( you will see 8 CPU's in task manager) however performance is not doubled it is only increased about 30-40% in some cases even less. Hyperthreading does use more power, and having everything maxed out with virtual cores maxed out ( task manger showing 8 cores at 100% usage) will probably cause the chip to run at its rated 1.6 ( if its a 720QM).

Overclocking is clocking something above its factory rated speeds, Turboboost just clocks the cores at factory rated speeds but to also keep them within thermal limits, All these cores are factory tested to run at their max turboboost speeds but since using more cores brings up the heat they need to throttle down a bit to stay within power/heat limits.

I'm an AMD fanboy and this is not a strawman fallacy. Unfortunately AMD doesn't have anything to compete with the Core I7s. The core I7s are the bomb.

 

[ravalasp]

many thanks for the update !!

The Core I7 uses turbo boost, This is not overclocking as some people have suggested but what it does do is up the operating speed when only using 1,2 or 3 cores. In fact even with 4 cores it might be 2 bins above the 1.6 the 720QM states( probably around 1.8-2.0ghz) and when only needing to utilize one core it will operate at around 2.8, when needing 2 cores it will operate at around 2.2-2.4. So it just throttles up and down to keep the thermal limits of the CPU in check.

It uses clock gating to shut down the other cores when they are not needed, which saves you power.

Clock for clock the Core I7 can be as much as 40% faster then a C2D. This is not considering hyperthreading

The Q720 and higher are quad core CPU's, with turbo boost they can outperform dual cores at dual and single threaded apps.

hyperthreading allows for each core to act as 2 cores ( you will see 8 CPU's in task manager) however performance is not doubled it is only increased about 30-40% in some cases even less. Hyperthreading does use more power, and having everything maxed out with virtual cores maxed out ( task manger showing 8 cores at 100% usage) will probably cause the chip to run at its rated 1.6 ( if its a 720QM).

Overclocking is clocking something above its factory rated speeds, Turboboost just clocks the cores at factory rated speeds but to also keep them within thermal limits, All these cores are factory tested to run at their max turboboost speeds but since using more cores brings up the heat they need to throttle down a bit to stay within power/heat limits.

I'm an AMD fanboy and this is not a strawman fallacy. Unfortunately AMD doesn't have anything to compete with the Core I7s. The core I7s are the bomb.