Intel Core i7-720QM vs Intel Core i7-840QM

Hello, sorry if these type of questions had been answered numerous times but I had searched the forum and couldn't find a definite answer to my question.

Please DO contribute any thoughts you have, as I need to get this laptop before August 26. Therefore, I will need your valuable opinions whenever I can.

I am currently looking at buying a laptop mainly for gaming, multitasking, and multimedia work. Will the i7-720QM be sufficient enough?

Detail specs below:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core i7-720QM
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 (1GB GDDR5 RAM)
8GB DDR3 RAM 1333Mhz
1TB 7200RPM HDD (2 x 500GB 7200PRM HDD)

How much of a difference are there between the i7-720QM and the i7-840QM?
I know that the 720QM clocks at 1.6Ghz and TB up to 2.8Ghz,
while the 840QM clocks at 1.86Ghz and TB up to 3.2Ghz.
The 720QM also features 6MB L3 cache,
and the 840QM features 8MB L3 cache.

So my questions are:

1. Is there much of a difference in gaming for a 0.4Ghz difference in clock speed and an additional 2MB L3 cache? If so, is it noticeable?

2. Also I heard in some forums that the i7-720QM is capable of having 8MB L3 cache, if so, how do I unlock it?

3. How will the i7-720QM stand up against i7-840QM in multi-core applications and games?

4. Same question as #3, but with single-core applications and games?

5. Just a side question, if a game, such as Need For Speed Undercover, which requires a Pentium 4 or equivalent processor @ 3.0Ghz or faster, will the i7-720QM be able to handle it at max setting?

From what I am aware of, the i7-720QM have each core running at 2.8Ghz when turbo-boosted to max. Since the game mentioned the Pentium 4 processor, which is a single core processor, I suppose the game only utilise one core? Since each core of the i7-720QM runs at 2.8Ghz, it will not meet the required clock speed
of 3.0Ghz and therefore won't run flawlessly? Please do correct me if I am wrong.

6. Can these processors be overclocked? If so, how? (Heard of clockgen, not sure how to use it...)




Your help and contributions will be much appreciated, Thank You!!

 

I just want to point out something about number 5. Even at base clock speed, the 720QM will outperform a 3.0GHz Pentium 4. The Pentium 4 was a joke, even with hyperthreading.

 

Hey City Pig, thanks for replying.

So, according to what you said, how exactly can you tell, when buying a game, if you computer will able to run it flawlessly?

 

Cruising gaming forums is the best way. Although, if you have an i7 and decent video card you should be OK with 95% of games. A game like NFS is not going to be CPU limited, it's going to bottleneck on your video card first. Very few games are cpu limited.

To give you an idea of the difference between these and a P4: A P4 3.2 can't decode x264 HD video. Period. I tried. An i7 will run one core at maybe 30% max to do that same task.

How much is the price difference for you to go to a 840?

 

i7-720QM benchmarks and specs
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i7-720QM-Notebook-Processor.23035.0.html
i7-840QM benchmarks and specs
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i7-840QM-Notebook-Processor.31149.0.html

 

Thanks for replying JohnnyFlash,

You see, I am looking at these two laptops, they are both the same model, same look, but only different specs:

HP Envy 17-1090ca
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6Ghz, TB up to 2.8Ghz, 6MB L3 Cache)
8GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 (1GB GDDR5 RAM)
1TB 7200RPM HDD (2 x 500GB 7200RPM HDD)
17" HP HD+ BrightView Infinity LED (1600 x 900)

HP Envy 17-1018tx
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Intel Core i7-840QM (1.86Ghz, TB up to 3.2Ghz, 8MB L3 Cache)
8GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 (1GB GDDR5 RAM)
1TB 7200RPM HDD (2 x 500GB 7200RPM HDD)
17" HP Full HD Brightview Infinity LED (1920 x 1080)

The 17-1090ca cost around $1649USD + Free Xbox 360 Slim 4GB and the 1018tx cost around $2440USD.

I can get the 17-1090ca right now at my local stores, but for the 1018tx I will have to wait till Nov/Dec and get it in another country, plus no x360.

With the Full HD screen and 0.4Ghz, 2MB L3 cache boost, is it worth waiting? Sandy Bridge will be rolled out by then?

What would be your choice? considering all the prices, performances, waiting time, etc.

Please reply, Thanks in advance!

 

Thanks for replying IKAS V,

Thanks for the website, I had been to it before, the first sentence in it's review of the 720 really bothers me, "The Intel Core i7 720QM is a fast quad-core CPU and slowest Core i7 quad core in 2009", since it's currently August 2010, does that the 720 is quite outdated?!

Moreover, the 840 with the same architecture as the 720, Notebookcheck has praised it to be the "...high end quad core CPU in 2010"

Regarding to both processors, I am actually leaning more to the 720 as it would be harder for me to get this laptop with the 840 where I am currently at. So the main concern is really this: How much more am I getting with the 840? 0.4Ghz and 2MB L3 Cache, is that a noticeable boost/advantage? How much performance am I loosing with the 720?

Thanks in advance!

 

Also with the 720, will it drag down the performance of my 5850 1GB GDDR5?

 

If you do a lot of video encoding/editing or work with VMWare - the difference will be noticeable (I have both 720QM and 840QM). In CPU demanding games you might also see a nice boost. Other than that - no big difference.

 

Aikimox, by CPU demanding games... can you elaborate on that, specific titles?

By the way, which laptop will you opt for, considering all the prices, waiting times, and performances, etc.?

Thanks in advance!

 

Games that are more cpu bound would be RTS's like Starcraft and C&C.
GTA IV is a game that needs 4 core cpu to run properly.
But most of the games today are just starting to take advantage of dual cores, not 4 cores for the most part (it happened in GTA IV case because it's a BAD console port and horribly unoptimized).

If it was me and if you don't NEED a new laptop right now, I'd simply wait for Sandy Bridge to roll out later this year or early next year.
The new architecture will simply outperform the old one clock per clock and cpu's will be higher clocked as well (besides, the waiting time wouldn't kill you).
My stance on the issue is that one should probably wait until new architectures are brought out before upgrading, instead of getting a refresh of what came before.

However, if you have to get the laptop NOW ... then go with the i7 720qm.
The differences between it and 840qm will not really be that large even in programs that are multi-threaded because clock speeds are not that far apart to make a very big difference.

Plus the i7 will be able to easily handle over 95% of games ... and since the gpu you are getting is a high-end one, you really have nothing to worry about.

 

there's a 5-10% difference but the price isn't worth it... but seriously , i7-720qm is a super upgrade already.

 

Thanks so much for giving an opinion Deks,

Well... my current laptop still runs.. fine... I guess... except for the slowness, noise and heat I have to withstand from it everyday.

Yes, I understand what you are trying to convince me there. However, personally, I like the HP Envy 17 laptop itself a lot, and I am not sure what HP is going to come out with the Sandy Bridges next year...

Even if HP is going to roll out something with Sandy Bridge next year in Q1, I am not sure if the new laptop is going to be my liking.

Is the Sandy Bridge that much of a performance boost with its new architecture and 32nm technology?

I have seen some leaks on the new Sandy Bridge mobile processors, the TDP are the same, 45W for the 2720QM (basically the equivalent of 720), so it will produce the same amount of heat?

The new 2720QM is 0.8Ghz faster than 720QM at base clock, at max turbo, the clock is only 0.5Ghz faster in 2720QM, similar to the difference with 840QM.

The cache are the same, 6MB L3 Cache.

From that I draw to a conclusion that there is not much of a performance improvement, except for the new 32nm technology and the new architeture. Also since this the "TICK" of Intel, the processor is not refined yet, right? So there might be issues with Sandy Bridge like it did will Clarksfield? Heat, battery life?

Source
Intel's Sandy Bridge, SSD roadmaps leak out | Electronista

Is the new Sandy Bridge still worth the wait in my case?
Please comment, thanks!

 

Hey sean473, thanks for replying

I see that your ASUS has a 1080p screen, can I ask if there's a big difference with a 17" 1920x1080 screen vs a 17" 1600x900 one?

 

there should be quite a big difference.. u get more pixels and in a way more working area in the same size screen.. i've not got it so i can't say but it should be a big difference in between a 1280X800 screen and 1920X1080screen..

 

Thanks guys, in the end I decided to get the Envy 17-1090ca. Thanks everybody!

 

If 2720QM is pin & motherboard compatible with the 720QM I might seriously think about replacing my 720QM with the 2720QM or 2820QM next year ( I mean just the CPU) . I own a rather hot DV6t Quad - 720 QM ..BTW does any know the pin compatibility of the 2720

 

We don't know about the technical details for these upcoming processors, but it probably won't work since the new 2xxxM series is designed for use with the upcoming Intel 6 series motherboard chipsets and not really for the existing 5 series (PM55, HM55, etc.).

 

i still hope that it is.. would be great if platforms overlap..