Processor Speed Difference?

Hey guys, im interested in buying a new alienware m9750 and am trying to cut cost alittle bit here and there. I am a photographer and uses alot of editing software like cs2...i also game every once in a while. One way i can save money is by buying a 2.0ghz core 2 duo processor t7200 instead of a 2.33ghz core 2 duo processor t7600...there is about a $550 difference. I would like to know, is there a big performance difference between the two processors? I need this sytem to last me a few years without slowing down. Is it worth the $550?

 

The 0.33 Ghz difference is not worth $550, not by a long shot!

The Core 2 Duo T7600 may have the higher clock speed, but in real world applications, you'll hardly notice a difference between the T7200 and the T7600. Here's why - The Core 2 Duo T7200 is the first C2D in the Meroms to incorporate the 4 MB L2 cache. The T7200 and T7600 both have a 4 MB L2 cache. The increase in cache from 2 MB on the T5600 to the 4 MB on the T7200 creates a larger performance difference than just an increase in clock speed alone. This is why the T5500 performs very similarly to the T5600, and the T7400 performs very similarly to the T7600.

Overall, the T7200 is the best bang-for-buck processor. What that means is for the money, you will get the best deal for the T7200 for a price to performance ratio. I would even ignore upgrading to a T7400. You'll find that 2.00 Ghz dual core will suit your needs admirably.

 

save your money, go for the 2.0GHz

 

Not worth the 550$ upgrade! I would not even advice you to buy Alienware. Complete the FAQ so we can help you out.

 

I concur. I'd get away from the Alienware... you can get a much faster computer for less money from other places than Alienware. Check out places like www.powernotebooks.com or www.xoticpc.com, both of which have representatives that frequent these forums, and they build some darn fast laptops, often using machines that also serve as Alienware's base (Sager, Clevo, etc.)

 

A particular notebook to check out is the Sager 5760 from powernotebooks.com ... it comes with the 7950GTX and a 3 year warranty. The service will make Alienware look like a joke, I guarantee you.

 

FREN's suggestion is a very good one. Alienware overprice their systems by quite a bit, and their customer service seems to have slipped in past 6 months. A Sager NP5760 is a better built system, and has a specification that is also very good. That particular system is one ofthe best gaming notebooks on the market.