i3 ULV versus i5 ULV?

...in a Vaio Duo 11. I won't be using it for gaming at all--that's what the Vaio F2 is for (among other things). I'll be doing the following with it:

(1) Operating with multiple browser and multiple word processor windows while playing Zune Pass music;
(2) Recreational, amateur sketching with the digitizer stylus (once again, likely with Zune playing);
(3) Streaming video.

The price difference between the i3 ULV and the i5 ULV version is $1099 and $1199, a significant increase when I'm already over budget. Is there any compelling reason why I should jump for the i5, or is the i3 perfectly adequate?

Thanks!

 

The i3 is significantly more than you need.

 

The #1 compelling reason for me is this:

How long do you intend to keep this for?

If you're already planning on selling in less than 18 months - sure, save a little and suffer with the i3.

If you're think more long term ownership though... trying to save $100 now and then 'needing' to upgrade your performance in a very short time frame is very short sighted.

Better to put off the purchase by a few weeks and get what you actually need for now and the future, rather than spend too much now and spend again too much, much too soon.

Good luck.

 

I always try to get top of line as you never know exactly how long you'll be keeping it, also it'll have a higher resell value when you do sell it.

 

I'm not worried about future-proofing; games get more resource-intensive each year but MS Word, westlaw.com and sketching programs don't really. Also not worried about resale value--I tend to keep devices for years and years (my 2008 MBP is now my wife's primary laptop; my 2004 PowerBook G4 is still used by my kids for watching DVDs, etc). I was mainly worried about whether the i3 ULV wouldn't be sufficient for what I wanted to do right now. Doesn't sound like it'll have any problems.