Asus n53jf or n53jq?

Hi, I'm considering two different models of the same laptop, and I would like to know what your opinions are about which one I should go with.
The n53jf-a1 has an Intel i5 2.53 GHz dual-core CPU, at 35 watts and a 32nm process.
The n53jq-a1 has an Intel i7 1.73 GHz quad-core CPU, at 45 watts and a 45 nm process.
Both share an Nvidia 425m graphics card, and the only difference between the two is that the jq model is $165 more.

In talking about gaming performance and future-proofing in games, which model should I go for? It seems a lot of the new games are taking advantage of CPU power, so I'm thinking this might be important. I'm trying not to over spend on a medium-class gaming laptop, but I do want to have the needed performance.

 

If you want performance then go for the i7.

 

Currently, the vast majority of games aren't optimized for more than 2 cpu cores, so the i7 is not going to greatly out-perform the i5 in that regard. For the future, who knows if game developers will do that?

It's going to come down to 2 things ...

1. Slightly better battery life and cooler temps from the -jf model with the 35W TDP.
2. How comfortable are you with spending the $165? If this is a machine you're planning on keeping for 3-4 years, then the i7 might be a better fit - but you have to spend the money. On the other hand, should $164 be a stretch for your budget then you should recognize that the i5 will still serve you very well if you take that road .

 

Or take the 164$ and add 35$ and get yourself an SSD

 

I saw a Asus N53 at Jb hifi with an an i5 and the nvidia gt 425 with 2gb dedicated graphics for 1,200$ AUD.

Is it even possible to get the n53 with 2gb dedicated?

 

@essense & clearskies
I'm willing to pay the extra $165 for the i7, because I do want to have some future performance. I considered going up to the G series or the Sagers as I've done before, but I like the looks and feel of the N series Asus's. But coming down to it, I think I'll just wait until Sandy Bridge notebooks come out, which should be only a few more months. Then I'll have some better performance than either the i5 or current i7 can offer. Plus it'll be cooler because it's 32 nm process at 45W.

@orange canary
I'm sure that it's possible for you to find a 2 GB dedicated 425m version. Manufacturers can do whatever they want with the RAM part of the graphics card, up to a limit. But, checking it now, notebookcheck says it can only handle 1024 MB of RAM, that's puzzling. Maybe it is possible or maybe it isn't. I don't how it can be 2 GB if the max is 1. So I don't know man.

 

SB is due to nest month, and the wait should be worth it

 

I see you've already made a decision to wait for Sandy Bridge, which is probably a good idea. Still you might be interested to know that even in CPU benchmarks the quad-core i7 is often outperformed by higher-clocked dual-cores. In gaming, which is frequently optimized for dual core, the difference is even more pronounced, and even the i5 can often keep up with quad i7's especially when paired with (relatively) low-end GPU's like the GT425M. In conclusion, the quad i7's are probably not worth the price difference for most users and for gaming may even be inferior.

 

Thanks for the input Mr MM and Evil Sheep.
Yeah I might stick with the i7 line, because I might do some other thing while gaming like record. I think the Sandy Bridge processors should be sufficient since the lowest should be about 2.2 GHz, which close enough to the i5's 2.5 GHz. I want the quads because I think pretty soon games are going to be optimized for more than 2 cores, as more cores become popular. I'm basically trying to future-proof it and get my money's worth. Maybe the current i7 is not worth it but the Sandy bridge should be worth it.

 

Except ... that CPU generally isn't the limiting factor in game performance. I'd say the quads are better, because you'll always be multitasking - but not always gaming.