1.66ghz core duo or 1.83 core duo

Hi, I am buying a laptop, and I am trying to decide which processor to get. I am going to buy a dell e1405 and use it while I am in law school. I am only planning on using my computer for word processing and other office stuff, web surfing, itunes, and the a DVD every now and then. I might play a very old computer game every now and then, but not anything fancy. I am just curious if ya'll think there is any reason for me to upgrade from a 1.66 core duo cpu to a 1.83 processor? Thnx for the advice.

I can either get a 120 gig 5400 rpm hd or I can upgrade it to a 80 gig 7200rpm for $50. Is it worth it? I don't think I could ever fill the 80 gig much less the 120, at least not in the lifespan of the laptop.

 

If your going to go the Merom route, the 1.66 would be the best option. But if not, more power wouldnt hurt. The Core Duo's are already fast as is, but the 1.83 processor is a perfect balance of power and affordability that is a good investment.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with the above poster.
Get the 1.66 if you're planning to upgrade.
And, becides, it's already a lot, isn't it?
Think about it, what are you going to need all that processor power for?

 

I am not currently planning on upgrading to Vista, but I just wanted to make sure that I was making a wise choice in getting the 1.66 over the 1.83 based on my uses for the computer

 

Good that your not upgrading to Vista(not worth it). Since your not going to run any intensive processes and game constantly, the 1.66 is your bet.

 

The 1.66 + 80GB 7200rpm HDD should be a good combination. Although for your uses a 5400rpm HDD should be more than fine. If you can live with 80GB space(as you said) then getting the faster HDD would provide a good boost in overall performance of the system.

 

I agree with miner a 7200rpm drive could do you some good for lower load times. I don't see you'd have a need for a quicker processor

 

I agree with miner, the HD upgrade will give more of a performance boost than the processor upgrade. You wouldnt feel the difference between the processors anyway.

 

get the 1.6ghz if the price gap is big

 

Firstly, you do know the cheapest of cheap DELL 1300 laptops would do all these tasks perfectly?

These sort of threads never cease to amaze me. A Core Duo 1.66ghz is literally about 20 times more powerful then what you need it for, let alone a 1.83 Core Duo!

You would just be wasting your money to be honest.

 

I'd go for the 1.66 T2300 core duo, and an 80GB 7200RPM HD. If you have a little extra money, and you are not already planning to get 1GB of RAM, I'd highly recommend that.

 

A 1.66 is more than enough for your needs. If you get into making videos or storing DVD ISO images on the HD, then 120 GB will be better.

If you store movies and just do papers, 80 GB will be more than enough.

Some computer geeks (I unfortunately do not do this) store recorded lectures on their laptops. That may use a lot of space. You do have to sit at the front of the class, however, which negates any opportunities to get some good sleep. ;p

 

Go for the 1.66, as others have said. For your needs its more than enough, and invest the $50 in a faster hard drive.

 

Heres a dumb question...I am about to buy an e1505 for college. I was going to get the 1.83 duo...but what is this about Merom and the 1.66 can be upgraded? sry for the noob question

 

There is no such thing as a dumb question. The processor (Yonah codname) can be taken out physically out of its socket and in replacement is Merom(Core2Duo) which is a bit faster than Yonah.

 

Im sure that will probly have a pretty price on it though

 

I think people get faster processors for bragging rights.
"Haha, my cores are bigger than yours!" etc.

It's like buying a Hyundai or a Mercedes Benz.
Both are cars. Both move. Both get you where you need to go.

Anyway, if you have a lot of money, might as well, right?

 

When I bought my notebook, I got the 1.83 over the 1.66 since I was running alot of intesive engineering programs(solid works) and MATLAB. I used to run a P4 Woodcrest, and with MATLAB running it would be so processor intensive. Now with the CoreDuo, it runs alot better and smoother. Sometimes you need a bit more power for the upcoming future.