Need help configuring Vostro 1500 for gaming (CPU related).

I've decided to jump in and buy a gaming laptop, and this Vostro sale seems too good to pass on. I'm on a really tight budget, but it seems to make sense to spend less now, than more later. I'm currently on a cheap Tohi Satellite with a basic T2080 1.73 Ghz CoreDuo and GMA950, and I have no experience with gaming configuration.

Obviously the 8600 gt is a no-brainer, but where I'm caught lacking in knowledge is when I must choose a proper CPU. These are the CPUs in my price range:

Intel Core 2 Duo T5270 (1.4GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Intel Core 2 Duo T5470 (1.6GHz/800MHz FSB/2MB Cache)
Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)

As I've run a search through a multitude of topics on CPU/GPU for gaming, I've encountered the idea that the GPU is your main bottlekneck, but I'm still not sure to what extent that remains true. I guess what I'm lacking is real world comparison of how much of a difference each step up in power really means to a gaming experience. I'm trying to keep it <$900, and I'd rather make sacrifices in OS and screen resolution, than in processor, but I also don't want to overspend on a CPU that I'll never see the limits of. 90% of what I'm looking to be able to play is RTS and Strategy.

So do I go with the 2.0, or can I go lower to save some cash, without hurting my gaming experience.

Any and all guidance will be much appreciated. I also hope this is in the right section and posting format.

 

RTS games are heavily CPU dependent (especially World in Conflict and Supreme Commander), so I recommend you get the T7250. The other 2 probably wouldn't cut if for you.

PS For future reference, there is a Gaming Forum where this question would be more relevant.

 

Thanks for the advice. Supreme Commander, WiC, and Command & Conquer 3 are the first games on my list, so I guess I'll have to take the T7250 after all. Goodbye WXGA+.

And yeah, I was going to post it there in the gaming forum, but the "(Software and Graphics Cards)" kinda led me to believe that is a GPU only forum.

 

No problem. For those 3 games, you definitely want to go with the T7250. It will be a noticeable performance increase over the other two.

Although the CPU is neither gaming software or a graphics card, it's related to gaming and therefore you would get better answers in the gaming forum. But I can see your confusion Anyways, no big deal this time, but if you have further questions related to games/gaming, you'd be better off posting there.

PS A quick look in the gaming forum would show you that CPUs are discussed (if in relation to gaming), but as a brand new user, I guess you can get cut some slack..

 

Well.. I think that I should go for |crash| comments. but as i feel that its pertially true.. RTS games depands on the CPU.. all those game you are specified would run flawlessly even with T5250 processor.. And even then you have a option to upgrade to a higher processor later..(penryn?)..
As of my personal experiance GPU are the bottleneck for almost all the games.. You will find that GPUs are become obstracle to game long before your CPU are given away..
well for your refference I do play games (FPS ismy fev) but do play them in desktop.. I have a laptopwith pentium M processor so I never tried to play in laptop there.. But as I have desktop from 2002(with P4 1.8GHZ,128mb Gforce card,512 Ram).. I noticed that fact and upgrade my graphis card 3 times(upgrade ram 1 time and you know CPU never) before I buy the next one..

 

Yes I agree with sukanta the GPU is almost always the limiting factor with gaming performance. The CPU speed does make a difference upto a certain point, but once that speed has been reached it is the GPU that becomes the slow donkey and no amount of overclocking or changing of the CPU will make a noticeble difference in terms of FPS in games.

 

@ Sukanta and Trancer, read the 1st page of posts in this thread. It compares the T5450 and the T9300. Proof that RTS games really benefit from a more powerful processor.

 

Thanks for the link, as I guess that settles it.

I've decided to stop fretting over it, and I went with the T7250. It just seemed silly to downgrade the CPU for a better OS, when I'm buying it for games and not office work.

I just shut my eyes and hit the submit order button. It's really thrilling to know that my first legitimately spec'd computer is on the way!

 

Well, congrats on your choice! What are your specs now? So I guess you settled for WXGA just to upgrade the processor? Did you get Vista or XP?

 

Yeah, I dropped the XGA+. Here's my final specs; very similar to yours really, minus the BT and webcam:

Vostro 1500
Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2.0GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache
WXGA LCD display with TrueLife
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 DIMM
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic

Now to sit on my hands and pray for an LG screen.

 

You're welcome!

I think you'll be happy with your purchase.. enjoy your new laptop when it arrives

What OS did you get?

 

An average of ~10FPS improvement on those benchmarks.. It is hardly a jump in performance especially with the cost of a T9300 CPU (£200!).

 

I stuck with Vista Basic. The Satellite I'm on now has Premium, and Aero is pretty, but it wasn't worth going over my budget for it. Oh, and my price shipped is $880.80. Premium would have made me go >$900, so it got cut.

It seems like such a steal at that price, when you consider what I got. Suddenly what I'm currently typing on feels so obsolete.

 

I personally would have cut down to 1gb of RAM and a smaller hard drive to get a WXGA+ or WXSGA+ screen. You will really appreciate the extra resolution for gaming and graphics type applications. Then you could have upgraded the RAM to 2gb yourself for like $30. You could have even upgraded the HD yourself as well for much less, but I find a smaller hard drive on a notebook isn't a bad thing if you have an external or a desktop to help with storage.

That's what I did. I got my Vostro with a T7250 (2.0 ghz) and a WXSGA+ screen (which is LG by the way), and then I just got the 1gb or RAM option and the 80gb hard drive.

I'm not upgrading the hard drive (yet), but I upgraded the RAM to 2gb for $30 with a Fry's deal on Crucial RAM. Basically I was able to get a much better resolution screen for gaming with the money Dell would have charged me for 2gb of ram and a bigger hard drive. I would think about that while your order is still changeable.

The RAM is REALLY easy to change out as well. I did it in not even 10 minutes and I saved myself $100 from what Dell would have charged to do it.

 

I have the 1.5 core 2 and it's not bad for gaming.

 

wow I thought u needed at least a 2 ghz cpu for gaming

 

Did you have to call in to make those changes? The site wasn't offering anything less than 2 gigs and the 160gb hdd.

 

Going from 25 fps to 35 fps is a 40% increase in fps. Hardly minimal, I think.

I know what you mean. Enjoy

Nope. Most games are limited by the GPU. A 1.5 GHz C2D is plenty sufficient for most games that are GPU dependent. However, as mentioned before, RTS games rely on the CPU much more than other games, so a more powerful CPU makes a difference.

 

They had a 1gb RAM option and 80gb hard drive option when I ordered mine on 1/30. Did you click through on a special offer to get to the build page? I noticed they will only have certain options that way.

I just built mine from scratch without following a link, and I used a 30% off coupon to get my savings. I would definitely give them a call and see if you can downgrade those options. You will really enjoy the WXSGA+ screen while gaming and doing other graphics related things.

 

Hope you enjoy it when it comes!