Intel processor help

I have worked my way down to a HP HDX16T premium series laptop and just need to decide on the processor. The three choices are below and I just am curious if ther eis much of a differnce between the three processors considering my other laptop specs below also. I am primarily not going to be using graphics intense games on this laptop though I will do some moderate gaming and HD movie watching but no video editing or CAD development type activities. I am also worried about overheating and noise from the the processor though I am gueesing this should not be much differnce sinc ethey all are P series .
My laptop specs:
• Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7550 (2.26GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
• 6GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
• 16.0" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
• Blu-Ray ROM

And the three processors I am trying to choose from are:
-Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7450 (2.13GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)

-Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7550 (2.26GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) +$50

-Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
+$150
I am leaning towards either the 7550 or 8700 but if there is not much differnce other than price with low ROI I will go with the 7450.

thanks,

 

The base processor is enough for your needs. The CPU won't hold back your graphics card in gaming, and HD movies don't require much CPU, especially if you plan to watch them from a bluray disk.

 

For the price u pay , u could get a MSI laptop like GT729 with quad core and super high end GPU like the ATI 4850 which blows 9600M GT. HP is overpriced so don't buy it.

 

Stick with the P7450, since your not doing editing or encoding, it wont make a difference at all really.

Also, to save money go back to 4GB of RAM, it is unnecessary for your needs.

Also, if we could know, how much are you shelling out for the HP? I do have a feeling we could help you get a better laptop.

 

I am paying $1080 for this one with the P7450

 

Like narsnail said, drop down the memory to 4GB to save yourself a pretty penny, assuming you have that option.

 

If I drop the RAM down to 4GB it will save me $200 but I will often be multitasking with five differnt windows open or more doing stuff and prefer not to have to wait forever for the apps to start up even if just firefox or explorer. I am specifically steering clear of any laptop with a 1GB or quad processor setup since the heat assoicated with those configs is more than I want to deal with long term.

 

Trust me, you really don't need that much ram. The only reason would be for some specialized software that eats memory like there is no tomorrow, but you said that you won't be running anything like that. That is $200 that is going to be a total waste. On the computer I'm on right now I have 4GB of ram but only have Vista Ultimate 32-bit, and I never run out of memory running anything on my desktop, and sometimes I have millions of windows open and watch a movie at the same time. And even if you do end up wanted more memory later, you can purchase a single 4GB stick for a lot less than $200 and install it yourself.

 

As long as its not opening up different apps related to image editing and 3D CG and such, and just listening to MP3s, websurfing and note editing and stuffs, 4GB is plenty.

 

I also vote for dropping to 4gb RAM. It's still a huge amount of memory.

I would get the faster processor with the difference, or better still, put it towards an SSD.

 

Ok you guys have talked me into it. I will stick with the 4 GB and maybe increase the processor to a P8700 (2.53ghz)or even the T9600 (2.8ghz)though probably not necessary.

Unfortunately at least for the HP I was looking at there was no SSD being offered for the HDX16 Premium. ...Also, I would certainly be willing to listen to some other laptop recommendations if anyone has any I have already posted the questionaire over on the gerneral discussion area but here it is for anyone who has suggestions. I was lookin g into the ASUS 7805U but got scared off by alot of negative comments about the 1GB graphics card overheating.

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General Questions

1) What is your budget?
under $1200
2) What size notebook would you prefer?

Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
USA
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

a. Likeell,ASUS,Toshiba,Gateway
b. Dislike:HP,Acer,Sager, Alienware

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistrubited?
Redistributed yes. Refurbished no.

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Moderate gaming but not Crysis 2 level stuff with intense graphics required
email, internet browsing, streaming radio or watching an occasional movie.
7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Most on desk and a business trip every quarter or so.
8) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?
Types of games: Rise of Nations, Majesty 2, Dragon Age: Origins,Company of Heroes ,Sins of Solar Empire, Mostly RTS style games.
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online is fine

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Vista 64

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
B is fine.
a. WXGA – 1280x800 or occasionally 1280x768; For people who like big text and icons that are easy to read. Less stuff fits on the screen, which translates into more scrolling.
b. WXGA+ – 1440x900; A modest bump over WXGA. Text and icons are a bit smaller. A little more stuff fits on the screen.
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.
d. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Very small text and icons, that can be hard to read. Lots of stuff fits on the screen, which means less scrolling. Good for applications that require a high level of detail like CAD or Photo Editing.

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Glossy or matte does not matter.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not so much.
15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
4-5 years at least

Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
250GB more importantly 7200 rpm is required.SSD
17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
CDRW/DVD-ROM
19)Other: Must have 4 GB RAM and prefer NVidia graphics. Only other concern is heat problems.

 

Well i can only think of 15-16 inch laptops which would come with that budget.. one would be MIS GT729 which comes with P8400 and ATI 4850. I know ATI has driver problems but with windows 7 you will get official ATI drivers. ALso there is a host of MSI GT models which are good with dolby certified speakers etc. If ur looking for NVDIA MSI GT628 is good. These laptops are light and have excellent specs so they are a good choice. You don't really need a screen 1-2 inches bigger(no diff literally ) and more weight.

 

What do you mean by drivers problems? I've never had a problem with them. I know people have complained about their Linux drivers.

 

There are no official laptop drivers from ATI for windows vista so u have to mod desktop drivers to get the latest ones....

 

Do you have any proof of this...

 

There are no problems with the actual drivers. If you want the drivers you need to install the desktop drivers or download them from the notebook manufacturer. Not being able to download the mobility drivers from ATI is not a driver problem.