Is the performance of a laptop solely based on the componenets installed?

I'm currently debating between a Dell XPS m1530 or a HP dv6700t, which I know they are not at the same level for comparison (inspiron vs. pavilion). My question is, will a m1530 (2.2 ghz, 4 gb ram, 160 gb, NVIDIA 8400) outperform a dv6700t (2.5 ghz, 4 gb ram, 250 gb, NVIDIA 8400)? With the current $500 off $1499 for HP, I can get the above specification for around $900. However, the XPS, even after the $250 off coupon, the above specification will cost $1200. Is the performance of a laptop solely based on the components installed?

*Plz answer the question in bold.

 

My question for you is :
If the components are not the issue? What is?

Disregarding prices; if you're gaming, the XPS is a better choice, if you're not, the dv6700t is fine.

 

Yes, pretty much. The rest you would want to take into considering would be the build quality, customer support and warranty, battery life, component quality (goes with the build quality) etc.

The Dell XPS series are of pretty good quality. The HP Pavillon series are less so, but probably still good enough to last you a few years unless you plan to use it for something special.

 

Most of it, yes. Performance is based on the components; CPU, ram, gfx card, hd space, etc. But some of it is based on how well you maintain your pc; Update it, have proper system protections, and how well you manage it overall.

 

There's heat and reliability. One brand name might not last as long as another (ex: Maxtor drives compared to Hitachi or Seagate).

 

yeah performance is based mostly on componets but also on drivers and what OS you choose to get ie. better performance on xp then vista

 

Do not get the hp, get the dell.
Why?
The dell has fan control. You can download I8KFANGUI, and make your money last a long time. Many notebooks these days get extremely hot, and are prone to failure because of heat.

As far as hardware goes, its a tough question.
First of all, that cpu has more than enough power.
Since laptops were invented, they were bottlenecked by one thing, the harddrive. Even though technology has greatly advanced, the harddrive is still by far the slowest part of the notebook.
A 1.6Ghz core 2 duo with a 320gb 5400rpm drive will run nearly twice as fast as a laptop with a 2.8ghz core 2 duo, with a 160Gb 5400rpm drive.
Many people think that the reason their laptop is slow, is because the processor is not fast enough. Any core 2 duo processor will not bottleneck a system. It is always the harddrive.
Trust me, the faster the harddrive, the faster the system.

I would try and downgrade the processor, and use the money to get a faster harddrive.
I would spend the extra money and get the 250Gb 5400rpm drive or the 160Gb 7200rpm drive. Both are substantially faster than the 160gb harddrive you selected.
Also, do not buy memory from dell. They charge a ton of money for memory.
Get the 1Gb of memory with the laptop. Sell the memory and buy two of these to get 4Gb of memory: (Buying 4Gb of performance Patriot memory from Newegg will cost around $60 after rebate, which is a $90 savings if you had bought 4Gb through Dell)
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb109/bigdogtrucker/Readtransferratesofcommonlaptophard.png

Here is a good image to help you decide what harddrive to get:


If you do not choose to downgrade the processor, I suggest upgrading to the T8300 from the T7500. Its a free upgrade on the XPS1530. The T8300 is more future proof than the T7500.

I hope this helps

K-TRON

 

To answer your question in bold, it really depends on what you are using your pc for, but for most things; no.

 

In case you get scared by heat as mentioned by K-Tron, most notebooks will operate perfectly OK for at least 2-3 years without the need for the user to tamper with its cooling system. It's only when the insides start getting very dusty etc. that the effectiveness of the cooling system on the notebook will suffer. But, if you take good care of your notebook, you should be fine.

If you are a novice at notebook heat management, I would suggest you stay away from editing your fan settings. There is a probability that you might change something incorrectly and as a result greatly shorten the life-span of your investment.

 

In addition to the answers above, the performance of the components within the laptop do depend on how well the computer deals with heat. If you do not adequately cool a 7900 GTX, it will either damage itself or slow to a crawl at best; so heat management design is actually pretty important, although we consumers have little or no role in it.

 

Simple answer, they'll perform pretty similarly, the HP has a slightly quicker cpu so it will be a gnat's quicker but not noticeably so. With the difference in price I cant see a good reason to get the XPS over the dell. They'll both last well if you look after them.

 

XPS is a Dell.

 

Also, I8KFANGUI, is idiot proof.
You cannot mess it up. The interface is very simple, so anyone can monitor and adjust the threshold temperature with which the fans come on.

Dont be drawn away from the dell because Budding says its dangerous to modify fan speed. The software is internationally known and it is some of the best fan control software made.
The Hp does not have fan control, so you will not be able to monitor the temperatures of the notebook.

K-TRON

 

So larger the hard drive the more likely it is for the laptop to perform better? Let's say I get a 160 gb 5400rpm hard drive, will attaching an external hard drive be able to remedy this?

 

The only answer to your original question is yes.

No, external are not as fast as internal because of the interface USB/firewire (ESATA no comment).

I understand what K-Tron is trying to say about HDD but I disagree. The CPU can and will be the bottleneck if doing certain things. If he is saying most people real world then yes any C2D needs a fast HDD to have a balanced system. I think the HP would be a fine choice and should be fine for many years.

 

You should also not make the ability to change fan speed the sole basis of your purchase. It is a very insignificant factor, unless you work in a very dirty or very hot environment.

Of course, with the Dell you get better build quality and high customisability. However, that HP for $900 sounds like an absolute bargain (if a notebook with those specs went for £450 here, I'd buy one). If you are really worried about heat, you could always just purchase a notebook cooler. In the end of the day, it is up to you.