Solved! Lenovo which one to get ?

[roger2011]

Hello All:

I got a gift certificate from Best Buy and I want to spend it in a laptop.

My use is business applications, (Powerpoint as the most graphic intensive, surfing the web and watching live streams or videos on demand and the occasional DVD. I do like decent sound quality (with headphones) and decent video quality.

I've narrowed down my selection to two Lenovo. I am no expert so I was wondering if you guys can guide me in either getting the one with the AMD processor, spend a few bucks and up it up to 4G (as it has the ATI video card) or just go with the one with the Intel I3. Not really concerned about the extra hard drive storage, no videogames .

Here are the links to both for comparo and thanks guys!

AMD

http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+IdeaPad+Laptop+/+AMD+Phenom%26%23153%3B+II+Processor+/+15.6%22+Display+/+3GB+Memory+/+320GB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/2171094.p?id=1218312457552&skuId=2171094

INTEL

http/www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+IdeaPad+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i3+Processor+/+15.6%22+Display+/+4GB+Memory+/+500GB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/1945268.p?id=1218301987431&skuId=1945268


Roger

 

[WR2]

Hello Roger2011;

That other Lenovo - the B560 doesn't look bad either.

On the Z565 with it's 3GB or RAM you'd need to remove a 1GB stick and replace it with a 2GB stick to get 4. With the B560 you just add the 2GB stick.

Lenovo B560 Notebook review (not an identical model - this review unit had an upgraded video card)

I could not find a review of the Z565 with the AMD Phenom II N660. It looks like on the latest version of Z565 that they've switched over the Pentium P6200.

Passmark CPU benchmark scores:
http/www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php

Z565 AMD Phenom II N660 @ 3 GHz = 1825
B560 Intel Pentium P6200 @ 2.13GHz = 1671
V560 Intel Core i3 380M @ 2.53GHz = 2338

 

[roger2011]

Thanks W. A bit too technical for me, but thank you (the CPU benchmark).

In a few words,is it worth going with the AMD vs. the Intel assuming I would get better video quality with ATI or I will not notice the difference in video quality between this or the intel HD card of the V560?

I guess I am a "victim" of advertising and do not know much about AMD, other that they seem to run hotter according to what I read online.

And you are right, I can buy a set of 2g ram to up it to 4g.

I wonder if the ones sold at BB have the Pentium P6200. Being BB I think they probably make models to fit a price structure. My lgift card is for $600 so I don't really want to spend more than that (tax included .

 

[WR2]

There is no advantage in choosing AMD HD 4270 graphics over the Intel HD graphics.
They're virtually identical in graphics performance and there should be no different in video quality for the business and entertainment activities you mentioned.

In the performance ranking list of graphics card the HD 4270 is #222 and Intel HD Graphics is #226
http/www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

The most distinctive difference between the two Lenovos is that the Intel i3-380 CPU is about 27.5% more powerful than the AMD Phenom II N660.

 

[geofelt]

3gb of ram is probably plenty for a laptop.

Some of the cost for the Intel version is more hard drive space.

Your performance experience is largely determined by the hard drive, not the cpu or graphics.
Both units use 5400 rpm drives which will feel slower than one with a 7200 rpm drive. They put in the slower drives to be able to conserve battery power.

If you do not need lots of hard drive space, consider a laptop with a ssd. They will be sooo much quicker. But more expensive.

You sometimes can get a good deal at the lenovo outlet store.

 

[roger2011]

Thanks guys: So bringing it down to my level (meaning being far from an expert), if I want the highest video / screen quality possible between these two laptops, I should go with the V560 (Intel) as both video cards are similar in what they can deliver but I will have more processing power from the Intel i3?

Please let me know if I am correct in this.

Geofelt, thanks for the suggestion on the Lenovo outlet, but I have a Best Buy gift card I have to use for this.

Thanks again guys.

Roger.

 

[WR2]

You can break the answer to that question down into two parts.
1. The video / screen quality should be equal based on the specs of the laptops. One screen or the other might look better to you if the LCD screens they use are different part numbers. We can't see down to that level of detail to know for sure which will look better to you. If you can - take a look at both the laptops next to each other. You might like one better than the other. Just be sure they're setup the same and showing the same video clip. IMO there probably won't be any difference between them.
2. The i3 laptop will have more CPU processing power. But that is not tied in anyway to improved video / screen quality in the type of usage you mention.

Will the Z565 have "enough" processing power for the type of usage you mention? Yes, even without the RAM upgrade to 4GB.
If you will use the laptop in intensive multi-tasking ways - that's when a more powerful CPU and more RAM like the V560 has should interest you.

 

[roger2011]

I guess the V560 is the way to go then, having extra power is better IMHO, I tend to multi-task opening several windows at a time (video, ppt's, excel, mozilla, etc etc.) too bad (something I think it is good for presentations) Lenovo cheaped out in adding an HDMI port like the Z. Oh well you can't have everything unless you spend a few more bucks I guess.