Upgrading (boxed) M6400 to M6500

So, I've just recieved the M6400 covet edition. Dell has given me the choice to return it boxed and get a full refund. I can then order the new M6500, however, I will need to pay at least 750 Euro extra for the faster processor and graphic card.

QX9300 to Core I7 920xm
FX 3700M to FX 3800M


The rest of the specs are the same. Is the worth extra money to upgrade for a computer that will be 8 x faster than the current M6400?

p.s. I have to admit though than my hands are itching badly to unbox the m6400.

 

The CPU upgrade is surely rather noticeable, but I'm not so sure about the GPU one. It seems that the FX3800M is basically an overclocked FX3700M.
What do you intend to use the GPU for? I'm not sure what ATI drivers are like for the business applications, but the ATI card should be pretty close to FX3700M level of performance in games. This might halve the price of the upgrade.

I hope we get some ATI 58XX mobile cards next year and that they can be used in M6400, too.

 

Mostly 3d CAD/BIM work, 2d work, rendering, Adobe suite, but most important running several programs simultaneously while surfing and internetting. So every form of raw power is welcome.

 

No way its 8x faster. I'd be surprised if its even 40% faster.

 

Well, consider that in benchmarking, the i7 920 has only a slight edge against the QX9300, perhaps a 200euro upgrade at best. The 3700M and 3800M are really the same thing, except the 3800 has some tweaks that make it run slightly faster, again, an at most 100euro upgrade.
I'd pay 300 euros at most for the upgrade, and certainly not 750. unless you need every ounce of power you can get and money is no object, it's just not worth it. the performance increase would be tiny anyway.

 

OK, the FX3800M is probably faster by some margin, but FX3700M and ATI FireGL should perform basically the same so you might try the upgrade option with the ATI card. Did you ask them for a quote on that?

 

I'll contact them on monday and see what deal I can get, if I get the ATI card instead the FX 3800M. That would mean that the only real performance upgrade would be the a faster CPU. If the margins are slim, then i might as well stick with the M6400, (which still in the box). I don't mind not having the third hard drive option.

 

Doubt the ATI solution will be faster than the FX 3700M but it will be a lot more power efficient due to 40nm manufacturing process.

 

The additional 450 euros can be explained by the "geek-cred" factor. Owning the M6500 will gain you instant geek-cred, while the M6400, being last gen, will probably be ignored entirely.

 

Well, i just got a great deal from dell. They are going to give me 750 euros back if I keep the M6400 instead of paying 750 euros extra for the M6500. The down side obviously is that I'll have an extremely slow computer compared to the M6500, but at least I saved a few bucks.