Solved! P8700, t9600, i7 720qm, all the same price....

[socialstealth]

As if my decision and limited knowledge didn't make my decision on buying a laptop hard enough....these 4 models have similar specs and prices, but different processors...
I've looked up the 'bench marks', but for gods sake, they mean nothing to me. I've read several articles comparing these and I have to say that for every 3 pages I read saying a i7 core is overkill, theres another 3 pages saying the i7's are a dud and lack real world performance.

3rd row from the bottom here:
http/www.xoticpc.com/custom-gaming-laptops-notebooks-asus-laptops-ct-95_51_163.html

these laptops are pretty much identical in price and specs.

one has a p8700, one has a t9600 (the 14''), and one has an i7 720qm

I don't play many games, and the games I do play are older games like warcraft3.
I don't do any photoshop editing or C+++ coding or any of that jazz.
I just browse the internet, watch youtube videos, troll forums, etc

Which processor should I get for the best performance with firefox?

Any other recommendations?

As you can tell from the screen shot, I'm used to a pretty big resolution (I have a 23'' lcd).
Any suggestions on a laptop w/ similar specs that has a larger resolution?
I don't mind carrying a 17'' screen (i'd prefer 16''), but anything over 6-7 lbs is a bit overkill for me...

This is my first laptop and as far as brand preference goes, I could care less so long as its of good quality.

 

[deadlockedworld]

I think you should go with the i7 mobile because it has better power management than the older processors.

Brand does matter though--and Asus is an excellent brand. These are good choices.

p.s you should really move up to Windows 7 on your desktop-- its worth it now.

 

[geofelt]

You might want to check out Lenovo for laptops. They took over IBM's line and have very good quality at comparable prices.
http/shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:CompareByNeed?current-category-id=653343E0DE54435882FABC3CE1BC569A&menu-id=products&current-catalog-id=12F0696583E04D86B9B79B0FEC01C087


Your needs do not seem to require great processing power; make your decision on other factors. I suggest that you go to a store where you can feel and touch the various
laptops and see which appeals to you most. Test the keyboards in particular.

As a reference to general cpu capabilities, here is a link comparing a number of common cpu's:
http/www.cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html

 

[deadlockedworld]

Geofelt does have a good point about processing power. It's not worth buying power you dont need in a laptop. You would be better off getting a cheaper one and replacing it a year sooner.

Watch this site for good deals:
http/www.techbargains.com/catsearch.cfm/0_3_0
The new dell i5 lineup is out, and is cheaper than above. This would give you a new energy efficient processor, but not an overpowered one.

(if you go with your original options the video card in the i7 above is a lot better than the others as well. That is a very good laptop for under 1100.)

 

[socialstealth]

I'm concidering the dell i5 lineup, as well as the HP envy 15 w/ i5

is an SSD worth having? how much power does a normal 7200 rpm hd consume?

would you guys trust dell? I've heard terrible things about them...

 

[deadlockedworld]

If you are considering the envy lineup check this out:
http/www.logicbuy.com/deals/hp-envy-15-core-i7-laptop/14729.aspx

Dell is an alright brand--solidly middle of the road in quality and price.

Toms posted an article a month or two ago about laptop reliability:
http/www.tomshardware.com/news/most-least-reliable-notebooks-laptops,9102.html?xtmc=laptop_reliability&xtcr=1

 

[socialstealth]

my only problem with asus is the screen resolution

 

[trenna187]

Just want to quickly reply to Socialstealth and Deadlockedwor about Dell. I have found that with my Dell XPS m1730 that there were many issues, that being said, i had 'Premier' cover with it apparently, being a top end unit and that entitled me to having a techy to my door within 24-48 hours of report. I also had 24/7 phone support.

To this i will add i had a hp pavillion (model number is forgotten lol) for 3 years before the onboard graphics card died on me, then replaced it with a HP DV7. Other than the card dying, which i put to hard work over 3 years, they were and the dv7 still is a great machine. We use them with autcad generally 2d work and have 2 pcs also. Thats why i have so many computers and why they are constantly working!

Dell have also 'finally' come to the conclusion after some 10 or more home visits over 2 years that i have a faulty or irrapairable unit, so they are going to replace it with a new current equivalent model. I think that at least they have seen that there was an issue and dealt with it in a suitable manner.

In regards to reputation, Dell are a mass quantity supplier and probably have one of the highest populations of computers out in the real world like IBM/Lenovo and HP which could create the image of many dud or faulty units. For everyone 1 faulty unit how many great and stable units could there be out there!