Processors for noob

I dont know hardly anything about processors, only that a T7500 looks faster than a T5450. Everyone says that you will see a difference in multitasking and running huge programs, but by how much and what is exactly is multitasking. For me multitasking means running 3 MS Words and 6 Internet Explorers. I like to play the newest games but will a faster help the game any or is that taken care of by buying a nVidia 8600M-GT. I guess all I am asking is to actually see numbers on how much faster a T7500 than T7300, T7100, T5450, and T5250. I hear the term Santa Rosa a lot but how does that help me. I want to know if it is worth it to spend 200 more for a T7500 than just a T5250.
thanks

 

What notebook do you have?

 

well I can write 5 paragraphs summarizing things....but here is a good article you should read from a lady who has a computer talk radio show....it was written a couple of years ago, but still applies today

http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusin...re/4_things_you_must_know_about_pc_chips.mspx

and here are the intel processor lineups

http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/compare.htm

 

Personally, I find a dual core processor in general seems to make multi-tasking more snappy for me (my definition of multitasking is the same as yours; internet explorer windows, winamp, a movie playing, etc.)

As far as gaming goes, yes, the video card is the biggest contributor to how fast they go. Ideally your processor and video card should run at a near equal speed to get the most out of your hardware. If your processor is faster than your video card, your processor has to wait for your video card to catch up. The other way around is the same; if your vid card is faster than your proc, then it has to wait for it to catch up.

 

For what you listed you can save the $200, T5250 will do fine, on open word and IE windows so because you only have two hands and one keyboard you can only really do actual input one at a time, RAM is going to be more important for those open applications than the difference between the CPU's. Remember the 8600m GT is a upper mid level card so it is matched well to T5250 if T5250 ever hit the wall gaming the 8600 likely already would of. 7950 GTX SLI yea Faster CPU might be needed.

 

so if i get an inspiron 1420 that has a T7100 cpu and 8400m gfx card, the gfx card would have problems matching up to the cpu?

and sorry for hijacking the thread!

 

No, not problems matching up/not any kind of conflict. Gaming is really mostly about the GPU T7100 and even single cores can handle 8400m and far above. the T7100 will be nice when gaming and doing many other things. You never have to downgrade a CPU because of the GPU but frequently a faster CPU has no effect on game play

 

I don't have one yet. looking at Inspiron 1520 and Vostro 1500. Thanks for the info. Computer hardware companies really make it seem like you need those extra GHz. Are there any sites that show comparison of numbers between processors? Would there be any difference between a T5250 and T7500 in opening up several internet explorers at a time. Are we talking about seconds, miliseconds, nanoseconds? What would be a program that would be extensive enough to actually really recognize a difference between T5250 and T7500? Or for that matter when would you ever be able to see a difference?
sorry for all the questions

 

SATbassin
With the two CPU's you ask about I would say none or nanoseconds at best. IE is not exactly the program anyone has in mind when thinking of stressing CPU even 6 windows and like I said what you described has more to do with RAM, meaning if it is in the RAM it will be fast if it has to hit the HDD it is going to take longer. And when you first open the app and it has to get loaded into RAM that is what takes time and any current CPU is faster than HDD. Word and IE are not high demand CPU for either one you mentioned.

And no you can't really find the kinds of info you are looking for to compare, benchmarks test more obscure things, sorry.

 

great, thanks for the answers