Processor Opportunity Cost

I know there are a lot of 2720 vs 2820 threads going around, but I wanted to create one which is a bit more customized to my needs

After being screwed around by Dell US, it seems I cannot get the M17x for the $2300 mark I had planned, rather I will be spending at least $350 more, on the Australian website. That is after haggling the price down $550, I really doubt I can go any further.

I have two options. I can either customize the M17x with a 2720, costing a total of $2654.29 AUD. Or I can customize it with a 2820, costing $2909 AUD. The 250 dollar difference can go toward a bigger SSD, or a new, upgraded from 60hz, 120hz screen. I need a bit of help deciding which route to take. I'm a power junkie, and if there is any difference in game play, or the detail level I will be able to play at between the two CPU's, I would really like to know.

The laptop will be coming with a 6990m, and I will be upgrading to 8gb of 1866mhz RAM, no matter which I choose.

 

There will be not much gaming difference. CPU won't be the bottleneck at all.


SSD is good place to send money since the improvment is great or the screen if you want. Both of these are a good option.

 

Get the 120 HZ screen up front when ordering, upgrade to a SSD yourself later much cheaper then what Dell wants for SSD's.

Swapping drives is much easier then swapping screens.

 

Not when they demand you buy a 580m for $300 more, plus the $200 for the upgraded screen.

I feel that if I buy the 2720, I will somehow feel the difference, will I feel it at all? How would the resell value be affected?

 

2820 is barely faster than 2720. Much less than 2630 versus 2720.

 

I doubt many ppl have actually used both a 2820 and a 2720. I have a 2820, but I bet a 2720 would be such a negligible decrease that I wouldn't notice. The SSD is where you visually see the most improvement.

I got the 2820 because it was on a refurb with everything else I wanted.

 

Am I the only person noticing that your rig will have a 6990m? Unless something changed that I didn't see you can't do AMD+120hz still.

 

I kinda figured since you were even thinking about getting the 120 HZ screen, the 580 was an acceptable cost.

Like stated above, unless something changed I don't believe you can do 120 HZ on the AMD 6990.

 

I would be buying a new screen, and replacing the M17x screen with the new 120hz one. The 6990 will support that wont it?

 

The issue isn't whether or not the actual 6990 supports 120Hz screens, its whether or not Dell allows it in the BIOS.

 

No it won't. Native 3D only works with nvidia right now. But you can send 3d video to an external monitor (Even via WiHD), so you don't really need the 3D screen built in.

In addition, the 3D setup gobbles up a lot more juice when on battery, so for the rare occassion that you actually take it off-cord, you will have a significant advantage.

 

I am more interested in the 120hz than the 3D capability.

 

I think is better if you stick with the CPU upgrade and 6990. It will be very difficult and more expensive later to upgrade your CPU, but not the SSD or RAM. Those remain at your discretion and you can upgrade them in time... As per the 120hz screen it is almost imposible to get it from somewhere. I am trying to upgrade my GPU to 6990 from the last 2 weeks and no Dell rep is willing to help to order one. I have to order it with a new system... Unless I know someone from Dell, I will not have a chance...

So bottom line, either processor and amd gpu or nvidia gpu and 120hz (which will be much higher in price).

 

The 2820qm comes with an extra 2mb of L3 cache. That's the major difference between the two. And it's a pretty significant difference. That extra cache will work wonders in games that are very cpu hungry like GTA 4. Is it worth the $250, I don't think so. But in some games, that extra cache combined with the slightly higher clock rate might mean 5+fps.

 

Cpu is 2nd only to memory in easy upgrades. Btw i have 8mb on my other 2720 and this one is faster. Yes 2720 not a typo.