Moved from CPU: Help me decide on this laptop (6500u vs 7500u)

booloounny

Prominent
Mar 31, 2017
4
0
510
Hello everyone.

I will try to make this a quick summary. I don't upgrade laptops often, but it's time. I use my laptop mainly for audio editing and normal web/media use. Nothing too intensive. No games on this one.

Deal popped up for a "like new" Lenovo 510s on Amazon Warehouse for $450:
i7-7500u
256 SSD
8GB DDR4
14" 1080 IPS
Radeon M360

Laptop is a pretty nice package for the price, but I am not trusting the person who had this before and sent it back. Build quality is iffy, sticky/noisy space bar, creaky and speakers are shot... I feel like something was spilled in the thing. lol.

Office Depot had a one day sale for the same laptop for $499 new. Traded an old notebook during the $100 trade deal and got it for $399.

Anyway, I overlooked the specs. Everything is exactly the same (memory and SSD are actually benchmarking a bit higher than the other unit). But the cpu is a 6th gen i7, the 6500u.

I am having a hard time sending the 7500u just yet, but the speaker and keyboard issues make me uneasy.

So should I just be done with it and mail it away or keep searching for a laptop deal with a 7th gen?

I appreciate any feedback!
 

xSimply1337x

Honorable
Jan 16, 2014
175
0
10,710
The difference in performance is marginal. The major difference between the two is that the 6500 is a skylake and the 7500 is a kabylake. They are both pretty much identical. Go with the one that has the more trusted build quality and none of the issues you are talking about which I believe you are saying is the 6500u. That is a pretty good deal for that processor. If you'd like though I can recommend some laptops for you alternatively, all I need is your budget.
 

booloounny

Prominent
Mar 31, 2017
4
0
510
Thank you! I am aware of the processor differences but thank you. I went back and forth for a full day with these laptops. Benchmarks, reviews, you name it. I just upgraded to a new desktop that does the trick, but yeah, the laptop is I am using more now.

Recommendations are welcomed. I want good performance, but nothing that's overkill due to what i use it for.

Good processor
SSD
A little above average build quality
Decent quality screen (resolution not that important)
Nothing too big (15.6" is pushing it)
If no dedicated GPU, maybe a 7th gen intel for HD 620? Not sure.
 

booloounny

Prominent
Mar 31, 2017
4
0
510
Another question though... How important would you say a 6th or 7th gen i5 or i7 HQ CPU would be for me? I don't see myself gaming on the laptop but I do a fair amount of video editing on Reaper and Audacity.