How much difference does the cpu make on a mid level gpu for gaming?

I am looking to purchase a Dell XPS 1530 notebook that has an 8600gt (DDR3) gpu as the maximum graphics card option. I plan to use this mostly for gaming (simulator games) and also for general web/business use. My cpu options are a T8100 (base), T8300 (plus $50) and a T9300 (plus $175).

Would it make any difference to get the higher end cpu to improve the gaming performance? I do understand that most games are gpu intensive, but am wondering if a higher end cpu would help.

Since I plan on keeping this notebook for 3-4 years, I also wonder if the higher cpu would help improve the notebooks longevity in being able to play newer games coming out in the years ahead?

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards.

 

T8300 is the best price / performance balance of that group.

 

I agree, T8300 is the best bang for your buck. and with the 8600GT, you'd probably notice a jump of about 2-3 fps for each one of those upgrades... so the answer is not much of a difference. It wouldn't help much in playing newer games coming out either, unless MAYBE they were extremely CPU intensive (think Chessmaster).

 

Maybe you should look into whether you really should buy the Dell 1530.

Some would say 8600GT is already outdated. Besides that, it's also at risk of the infamous Nvidia failures.

A laptop with 9600GT with DDR3 RAM would be abetter choice.

 

Wait for the XPS studio line of laptops I say.

Or go check out the Asus g50Vt laptops which are considerably more powerful (and bigger). Other massive 15.4" gaming laptops include the m15x and the Sager 8660 but they're in a different price league.

 

A cpu upgrade does minimal for gaming. The bottleneck is always at the GPU

 

None of the CPUs offered with that notebook will hold you back in gaming. I agree that the T8300 is the best deal - $50 for an extra 300MHz isn't bad at all.

I don't know what your price range is, but there are faster notebooks available for not much more money. Take, for example, the MSI 1651:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4628
Or the ASUS G50Vt-X1:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...+g50v&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218012519873
The ASUS has a faster graphics card but a crappy screen resolution.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Chaz, thanks for your notebook suggestions. I am aware that there are other notebooks that offer much better specs (especially in regards to the gpu). Unfortunately, I am stuck with buying Dells mainly because of all the international travel that I do. Their international "next business day" warranty is the best there is. I do not know why Dell is so behind in upgrading the XPS line. I need to purchase a notebook by the end of next month, and think my time is running out to hope for a newer/better gpu on the XPS 1530.

 

It's expected that the new Dell XPS 1340 and 1640 are ready for order in january.

Although there are no garantees, there are many signs that it's true this time.