New laptop $3000+ CPU question

[123ballsack]

Hey everyone! Quick question if I were to configure a laptop with 512gb ssd, dual gtx 580m in SLI what would be the best (for my money-wise) i7 processor I should go with from the following choices:

i7 2760qm 2.4 - 3.5ghz (turbo) 6mb cache

i7 2860qm 2.5 - 3.6ghz (turbo) 8mb cache (350$ +)

i7 2960 2.7 - 3.7ghz (turbo) 8mb cache (+900$ and add another 75 if you want the 4.0ghz extreme edition)

Would there be any difference in fps at all? Is the higher clocked ones worth the price for gaming and Internet surfing only? What should I choose?

 

[123ballsack]

Shameful self-bump for answers from the computing gurus.

 

[Youngmind]

Do you really need to spend so much money on a laptop when you can get a MUCH faster desktop in all areas as well as a cheaper laptop for basic tasks?

If you're set on getting a laptop, I don't think that the few hundred dollars for a few mb of cache and hundred mhz are worth it.

 

[123ballsack]

Yeah I can build a desktop that would kick this laptops ass for half the price. But I'm buying a laptop and sacrificing money and performance for convenience. It just so happens I am almost never home to use a desktop. But thanks for your advice. Why is it not worth it exactly, can someone elaborate?

 

[123ballsack]

Can anyone help me out? I'm leaning towards the 2760 or the 2860. The 2960 is way too expensive.

 

[mike789]

I'm no guru but i think the 2860 will suffice... cheers

 

[PurpleHayes]

The reason it's not exactly worth it is that even the highest-end laptop parts are about equivalent to mid-range desktop parts. For example, the 6990M (ATI's fastest available mobile graphics) is about equal to a desktop Radeon HD 6870.

If you choose between the 2760 and the 2860, the difference between the two is 2MB L3 Cache (not very important) and 100 MHz at base speeds (not Turbo, which is equivalent). I'd choose the 2760 over the 2860 and save some money, there is no real noticeable difference between the two. Again, note that this will only perform like a mid-range desktop; the 3.5 GHz Turbo is not meant to be sustained, and the laptop thermals won't allow a sustained burst of speed anyway. It will mostly perform like a 2.4 GHz quad-core.

Another reason it isn't really worth it is that you can't effectively upgrade anything outside of RAM and hard drive capacity, which means in a few years (you have a nice build, I'd give it 5 years of competitive relevance) your $3000 laptop will be outdated.

All that being said (sorry to sound so negative 🙁 ), I'd go the 2760 if you're not willing to jump to the 2960. Best of luck

 

[cbrunnem]

a low clocked cpu will bottleneck some games with two 580m's. i just hope you dont play skyrim cause that game will be unplayable at high/ultra settings for you if you dont get a lower clocked cpu.

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

I am sorry but this is dream time....you cannot do SLI in a lappy...

All the best Brett

 

[lafontma]

LOL do your research first... Alienware offers it and i'm sure others do

 

[cbrunnem]

Hi

I am sorry but this is dream time....you cannot do SLI in a lappy...

All the best Brett

your about as wrong as a 5 year old doing calculus