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    Processor VS HD RPM

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Rakien, Apr 2, 2006.

  1. Rakien

    Rakien Notebook Geek

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    I have the choice to upgrade my intel core duo 1.66GHz processor to an intel core duo 1.83GHz processor or instead I could upgrade my hard drive to a 7200RPM instead of the 5400RPM one, all for the same amount of money. So, which one of these two choices should I chose?

    Thanks... :eek:
     
    Rakien, Apr 2, 2006
    #1
  2. Smith2688

    Smith2688 Notebook Evangelist

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    It depends what you use your computer for, so please tell and we'll be able to help you a lot better ;).
     
    Smith2688, Apr 2, 2006
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  3. Rakien

    Rakien Notebook Geek

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    I'll mostly be using it for Photoshop, Dreamweaver, films, gaming, word, internet... Could I know what they would both change?
     
    Rakien, Apr 2, 2006
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  4. Shampoo

    Shampoo Notebook Deity

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    I'd say upgrade the cpu as upgrading to the 7200 would be nice, but if you do'nt do any harddrive intensive tasks the extra power in the cpu would be nice.

    5400rpm is enough for me and many others.
     
    Shampoo, Apr 2, 2006
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  5. Smith2688

    Smith2688 Notebook Evangelist

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    I'd say CPU for ya.

    Look up some benchmarks on the 1.66 vs. the 1.83 and see if the improvement is enough for you. If not, go for the hard drive.
     
    Smith2688, Apr 2, 2006
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  6. Reize

    Reize Notebook Virtuoso

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    I'd also say the CPU upgrade.
     
    Reize, Apr 2, 2006
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  7. Rakien

    Rakien Notebook Geek

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    Thanks everyone, I guess I'll go with the CPU but nonetheless could someone please tell me what hard drive intensive tasks are? Thanks again!
     
    Rakien, Apr 2, 2006
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  8. TerryK

    TerryK Notebook Enthusiast

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    HD intensive tasks would include file management and data access.
     
    TerryK, Apr 2, 2006
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  9. tullnd

    tullnd Notebook Evangelist

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    None of your uses really apply. It'd help that intial moment when you computer searches for data...so maybe with gaming, it might drop you into a map 2 seconds sooner, might shave 5-7 seconds off bootup time(maybe...this will really vary unless you run some stripped down version of windows).

    Now, if you did video capture and such, it'd make a big difference. Or if you were constantly pulling small files off your disk, it'd make a difference. Doesn't sound like you are. Your performance benefits of it would be minimal.

    I doubt the processor speed jump will be huge either, but between the two, I'd go processor. Hard drives tend to drop in price and get bigger...so you can always upgrade that later on for a modest price...getting a faster one then, that might be bigger and possibly consume less power.
     
    tullnd, Apr 2, 2006
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  10. dr_st

    dr_st Notebook Deity

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    And file management means in "I constantly move files across the HD", not just "I put all my pictures in one folder, all my music in another." Similarly, data access means "I have huge databases and I search them, or I compile .NET projects of 100-200 files each 10 times a day", not "I access my porn collection".

    ;)

    Another HD intensive task is video/audio encoding (converting between different formats, compressing, combining streams, etc).
     
    dr_st, Apr 3, 2006
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