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    Card and ram vs CPU

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by zhirzzh, Jan 13, 2008.

  1. zhirzzh

    zhirzzh Notebook Enthusiast

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    I recently purchased a fairly cheap gaming laptop. It has 2 gigs RAM, a 256 meg 8600 GS, and a T7500.

    Another very similar computer just went on sale. If I want to I can trade mine in for the other. It has 3 gigs ram and a 512 meg card, but it only has a T7250. Is this one much better, or am I just moving the bottleneck to the processor?
     
  2. Sub-D

    Sub-D Notebook Evangelist

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    Is the card on the other laptop a 8600GT or 8600GS? Gaming tends not to be overly CPU intensive and extra memory - both in RAM and GPU is always nice.
     
  3. Blitz181

    Blitz181 Notebook Consultant

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    Is the 512mb card a 8600GS too? Remember, virtual memory doesnt mean much in terms of performance

    I wouldn't trade your laptop in if i were you, especially since your T7500 most likely has a 4mb L2 Cache and the T7250 has a 2mb L2 Cache.

    do you have a link to these laptops?
     
  4. onlycopunk

    onlycopunk Notebook Consultant

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    Just buy a 2GB stick of ram and then you will have 3GB's. Not to mention it's fairly cheap. The 8600GS isn't powerful to use 512MB of ram anyways.
     
  5. vashts121

    vashts121 Notebook Evangelist

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    I'd return it. He said it's 512, so more likely than not it's an 8600mGT, DDR2 or 3. That, alone is worth it because he won't be able to upgrade his card. And it's two cpus, so it'll be fast enough.
     
  6. zhirzzh

    zhirzzh Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm afraid not. The second one isn't out yet, the sale applies to the weekend it comes out. All the add says is that it's a 512 meg 8600M. My current one is a 256 meg 8600M GS.

    Edit: that was a response to the link requests.
     
  7. vashts121

    vashts121 Notebook Evangelist

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    Ad for what store? What's the model number and brand?
     
  8. zhirzzh

    zhirzzh Notebook Enthusiast

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    It's actually a Costco ad I got in the mail. It's an HP; can't see model number, but it seems to be a DV9000 series.
     
  9. Kdawgca

    Kdawgca rotaredoM repudrepuS RBN

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    I believe you ware talking about the HP dv9700 series w/512mb 8600m GS. HP updated its models over the holidays( see here for NBR article).

    IMO, Its not worth the return for the increase Video ram since there is virtually no diff between a 256mb or 512mb version of a 8600m and a 256mb 8600m GT will beat a 512mb 8600m GS in gaming(however the refresh model does have the option for a blueray optical drive-i dont know if costco offers that model).
     
  10. vashts121

    vashts121 Notebook Evangelist

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    Oh well if it's a GS, yea keep it, I was assuming that it was a GT because of the 512mb.... >.<