i5 2410m vs i5 480m vs i7 2630qm

which processor is better for a new laptop that will last me 5-6 years? Want it for everyday use & watching movies occasionally. Only considered i7 because i want it to last 5-6 years.

i5 SandyBridge 2410 @ 2.3 ghz
i5 480m @ 2.66ghz
i7 SandyBridge 2630qm @ 2ghz

 

i7 2630qm. Don't look at just the core clock and think that determines the speed of the processor, quad core > dual core always. 5-6 years is a LONG time, so you'll definitely need to get the 2630qm, since in a few years quad cores will become standard.

 

As stated above, take clock speeds with a grain of salt. I'd take that 2630QM..

 

if all your going to do is basic everyday stuff then a dual will be plenty. i5 480m is not slow..

 

thanks for the quick reply guys!

tru that. do you reckon i can still get 3hrs of battery on 6cell with i7 2630qm doing everyday tasks?

i know, but 5-6years down the line, probz might be that good.

 

With an integrated GPU you might yes, not on a discreet gpu. And for 5-6years, not with the same battery .

 

ahahaha..i see wat u did there =)...the xps 15 502x has nvidea 525m & i think that has optimus(can someone clarify that for me), so that's be really good cause SB i7 2630qm has integrated gpu =)

 

Sandybridge turbos like a B**** and leaves its stock 2ghz in the dust.

SB has an integrated GPU (they all do so far).

Check the individual model of notebook to double check optimus and not all enable it (there are certain hardware requirements).

Also considering that quad core sandybridge will have better battery life than dual core original i3/i5/i7 series CPUs then yes that battery life should be possible, but it will depend on the notebook you buy and the supplied battery and if you can get a larger one yourself.

 

i want to buy the dell xps 15 l502x in australia. How do i know that it has optimus enabled?

 

It should say on dell's website.

 

But it's pointless buying a 480M now, it's just been made obsolete and the OP specified longevity.

Agreed he probably has no need for a top-of-the-line quad core, but the 2410M is a significantly better processor than the 480M despite the slightly lower clock speed.

 

yea, i dun use any program that will take advantage of all 8 cores, so 2410m will be way better for everyday tasks..

Thanks ssssssssss =)

 

May be... but overall speaking from a 'longevity' point of view (especially the timeframe of 5-6 years), a 2630QM is a MUCH better choice.

You may not be using any program that will take advantage of all 4 cores, however, 6 years is a long time in capitalism driven economy, and from a software point of view, your everyday software will likely become multi-threaded by default.

 

I'd disagree; I don't think there's any reason to pay the substantial premium for a quad core unless you know you're definitely going to need it. There's all sorts of people that spend huge amounts of cash on them because they like having the highest numbers, best specs, bragging rights - and then never really need them.

I would argue that, for someone who isn't doing massively CPU-intensive tasks, the extra money spent on the quad core (as you get further up, they charge a lot of money for progressively smaller increase in performance) would be much better spent on RAM, storage, a machine with a nicer keyboard, more screen resolution... a LOT of stuff that would actually be useful in the real world before you go for the i7.

Remember also that the 2410M outperforms most of the Arrandale i7s, apart from the really high end.

I've just ordered a new laptop with an i5 2520M (I wanted the extra instruction sets over the 2410M). The i7 2620M (no quad cores on this model) is another £100 upgrade - that adds 10% to the price of the computer!

 

If you buy a quad-core just for future proof and not because you really need it anyway you're better off waiting for 35W quad-cores with Iyv Bridge to upgrade (assuming they maintain compatibility, ofc).

 

Hi! I just want how of this two it is better for my Tochiba A665-3DV5? because it has socket G1rPGA988A
Thanks!

 

Er, if it has a socket G1/rPGA988A, it won't be able to fit an i7-2630QM. So an i7-740QM would be the only one out of the two that you listed, unless you've made a mistake somewhere in there.

 

why not go for the cheapest option and replace the laptop in 3 years time. I think this is more sensible and a better value for money.

 

my i7 runs hot so my hand gets burned up when the fan kicks in...

 

Because you don't want to have limited power all the time?

 

Just stay away from the 480m...outdated tech. You would probably be happy with either of the other 2 options.

 

I am using my laptop for gaming, so instead of the IdeaPad Y560p (i7-2630QM / Radeon HD 6570) I chose the IdeaPad Y570 (i5-2410M / GT 555M) and got USB 3 as well, which is going to be much better in five years than USB 2 and an i7, IMO.