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    Upgrade Decisions...

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Snarles, Feb 14, 2008.

  1. Snarles

    Snarles Newbie

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    Each of these upgrades cost about the same. The laptop will run Vista Home Premium and a 128mb 8400M GS for graphics. Which ones would yield the largest and smallest performance boost? I realize the degree of benefit from each is task-dependent. So a better question: which one would you do first, second and last?

    1. Processor: 1.66ghz/667mhz/2mb to 2.0ghz/800mhz/2mb (keep in mind the RAM will only be 667mhz)

    2. RAM: 2gb/667mhz to 3gb/667mhz

    3. Hard Drive: 160gb/5400rpm to 160gb/7200rpm

    Thanks for your technical knowledge and expertise!
     
    Snarles, Feb 14, 2008
    #1
  2. adinu

    adinu I pwn teh n00bs.

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    Definitely take the item that will be hardest and most expensive to upgrade later. Thus, I would take the fastest cpu.

    2gb of ram is quite enough, and it's really easy and cheap to upgrade if for some reason it's not enough. The hard drive is also easily replaced if you feel the need for speed.
     
    adinu, Feb 14, 2008
    #2
  3. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

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    I would upgrade the drive first, then the memory, then the processor. That is, of course, assuming you get a 160GB, 7200RPM drive that is indeed faster than your 160GB, 5400RPM drive (which is not always the case).

    Simply put, the hard drive is usually the biggest bottleneck on most computers. Then the memory, and, unless you're running some real beefy GPUs, the processor is unlikely to be a bottleneck and an upgraded processor (specially with only a 300MHz boost) will probably not give a noticeable performance increase.
     
    Commander Wolf, Feb 14, 2008
    #3
  4. powerpack

    powerpack Notebook Prophet

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    I agree with adinu. 2GB RAM to 3GB=$40. So CPU first yes. If by upgrade you mean through MFG then HDD next. Then RAM, if on your own HDD and RAM whichever you want.
     
    powerpack, Feb 14, 2008
    #4
  5. Snarles

    Snarles Newbie

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    As I understand, the T5450 (1.66ghz/667mhz/2mb) is fast enough that for gaming, the 8400M GS would be the bottleneck. So from this point of view, upgrading the processor would be pointless?

    Upgrading the processor now in pre-production is much easier/cheaper than doing it down the road, but the benefit would be for non-gaming applications?
     
    Snarles, Feb 15, 2008
    #5
  6. powerpack

    powerpack Notebook Prophet

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    Yes overall that is correct. The 8400 is low-mid level current card CPU is low-mid current processor, the T7300 or T7250 are low-high end CPU's so the configuration you are talking about is balanced but as said easier to upgrade CPU now.
     
    powerpack, Feb 15, 2008
    #6