4200 RPM vs 5400 RPM

I'm trying to buy a laptop as cheaply as I can, while still getting the most for the least money. Right now I am looking at the Compaq Presario v5000z.
Specs: XP Home, 1.8 GHz Mobile AMD Sempron, 128MB ATI RADEON(R) XPRESS 200M, 512 MB RAM. There is only one hard drive option that runs at 5400 RPM, the rest are all 4700.
I don't really want to pay the extra for that 80 GB 5400 RPM HD, but I am willing to if I can be convinced it really makes a difference.
I do a little multi-tasking--usually only several web browser windows and two or three word documents. However I hate sitting and waiting for programs to load.
So my question is: For basic work like this, how much of a difference does the 5400 RPM HD make? Is the 4700 annoyingly slow, or can I get by with it?
Thank you very much!!

 

It doesn't look like you have to load any large programs. I would go with the 4,200RPM (no such thing as 4,700RPM) drive if you are that concerned about saving money. Remember that the hard drive is easily upgradeable, so if it turns out that the drive is just too slow, then slap it in an external 2.5" enclosure and get a 5,400RPM one later on. I don't think it will be too slow for your uses.
I used a 40GB, 4,200RPM drive for a long time with my old HP, and I was just fine with it. Now, I did eventually upgrade the drive to an 80GB 5,400RPM drive and certainly did notice the difference in speed, but it wasn't like I couldn't have lived with the 4,200RPM.

How demanding of a user are you? If you keep your system reasonably well maintained, then speed shouldn't be much of a problem.

 

Ooops!! Sorry, I don't know where I came up with 4700 RPM... I know better than that, but let me tell you sometimes I have trouble accessing the hard drive in my head. Maybe I need to upgrade

Thanks Chaz thats encouraging to hear. And no I'm not a very demanding user.

Anybody else?

 

I need to add that although $50 for the 80GB 5,400RPM upgrade is still cheaper than what you would pay aftermarket, it's not by much (you would save $15-25). 80GB 5,400RPM drives are $65-80 aftermarket at Newegg.com.

 

you will be fine with 4200 but it will be a little slower, not unbearable, but slower, that is what i use. my windows load time is fairly fast, so i am not complaining.

you could get along with at 4200 fairly easily(not slow, not fast, happy medium)

 

Are you costomizing the laptop on HP.com? or costco, compusa.. etc?? cause I think you should go with 256mb memory option instead of 512mb and purchase 512mb from newegg for the same price you're paying to upgrade from 256mb to 512mb, but you'll get a total of 768mb instead of just 512mb. My friend has an acer with almost same specs: 1.8GHz Sempron, 512mb, 60GB 4200RPM, integrated gfx card, and it's not that slow if you just gonna be using it for internet, movies and low-mid demanding programs. GL.

 

I used to have a 4200 RPM drive on my old laptop. Used it for gaming and development, everything. I noticed that it was slower to load things than my desktop, but it wasn't unbearable by any means.

 

Yeah zolo I am customizing it. That's a great option I hadn't seriously considered... I might do that. It's not hard to put in RAM sticks, is it?

 

It's not hard at all. Just download the manual, pages 101-104
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00653089.pdf

Look at the left side, and click Memory Modules, read the warrnings/cautions first though. Make sure you don't touch the electrical parts of the modules. This means you have to pick them up by the sides, the ones with the notch.

Pick one, any1 of those should work just fine.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=83725
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145484
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820172106

Or check Fry's store if there's one in your area, they usually have some good deals on memory. GL.

 

Thank you!