Alienware m14x with i5 runs cooler?

Hi guys!

I have often read that the 2630qm and 2720qm throttle when people play battlefield bad company 2 for a long time, not because of overheating but because of throttling (sandy bridge problem).

Now I am really unsure if i want to get the quad, given the 555m gt the quad isnt really necessary for gaming, which will be my main use. In germany you have to pay alot more to get the i7 2630qm than for the i5 2410m which is the base spec.

Given that the i5 2410 is only dual core and only has a TDP of 35 Watt compared to the i7 2630qm, which has a TDP of 45 watt and 4 real cores, shouldnt the i5 2410 run cooler, even when turbo boosting? I would be pleased to hear some answers from people who own the i5 2410m, obviously if I would own a 2630qm I wouldnt like to hear that the downgrade cpu doesnt throttle or run as hot..

Here you can compare them btw:
Intel Core i5 2410M Notebook Processor - Notebookcheck.net Tech
Intel Core i7 2630QM Notebook Processor - Notebookcheck.net Tech

The 2410m also has less cache transistors etc.. I think it could run a few degrees colder..

Also, are there any m14x comparisons between i5 and i7?

And one last question: 1.5gb or 3.0gb graphics? And benchmarks which compare them?

Im actually on a german forum where there is a cpu engineer which claims that one should take the 3gb card, due to it using slower sdram and the notebook having small bandwidth (which i cant really follow)

Thanks in advance guys

 

It suppose to run cooler as it is less powerful than the i7's.

Read here for the Different between i5 and i7 CPU, For the memory of the GPU, most people here would suggest you to get the 1.5GB version because it is not worth the upgrade for the 3GB as none of game I see release require up to 3GB though.

 

CPU: At idle, the i5 and i7 should be similar. At full load, the i7 will of course generate a bit more heat.

GPU: Stick with the 1.5GB. There is no difference in performance, and no game will be able to take advantage of the extra VRAM.

However, make sure you get the 1600x900 display / LCD. This is the most important upgrade, don't get any other upgrades until you get this one, and don't buy the M14x without this upgrade. 1366x768 is a mediocre resolution for a 14" screen, especially in a laptop that costs this much.

 

okay guys this is very good, if the i5 runs cooler at idle and at full load im very happy

i think i will stick with it! also i will definitely take the hd+ display..

btw read this review from anandtech: AnandTech - Alienware M14x: the Sound and the Fury

Even they write one should rather take the i5 if the primary task is gaming:

btw what do you think about intel centrino vs dell 6205?

Thank you guys alot, some benchmarks would be great too

btw the article is about desktop cpus?

 

Although the i5 will run a little cooler when maxed out it will most likey sound the same as an i7 maxed out only that they i7 will run a little hotter.

But 98C on the i7 at full load all cores is toasty.

 

My i5 never approaches those kind of temps. Every day use is about 56-62C depending on what I'm doing. Gaming hits the mid 70s but that's about it from what I've seen.

i5, 900p, 1.5gb 555m

 

great gijoemygoodness! Im about to order it

I have talked to an insider from dell btw, it seems they cant get a better card than the 555m to run stable in the m14x chassis.. they all tend to become to hot.. so the m14x will remain with the 555m for some time definitely

 

Well, 28nm is around the corner, so...

 

thats true yes.. but my "contact" said dell may release a stronger card beforehand.. even though theres a huge chance of defects since it runs unstable.. he says dell still wants to make money with their technicians haha

btw one of the reasons im going with alienware over sager (which has alot better mxm gfx cards) is the portability and the amazing resale value atleast in germany

 

o.0

Lol, well, maybe they'll use an AMD version? I dunno. It would be another way to make things messy...