i5 vs i7

I'm looking into laptops for college and I need one that will last me for 4-5 years. I'm wondering if an i5 or an i7 Intel Processor would better allow the computer to not become inadequate in the future. I want to be able to use this laptop for years so would it be better to get the faster i7? Is there a big difference?

Thanks for any help you can give me

 

If you want it to last 4-5 years, it sounds like you should get an i7.

But what exactly are you planning to do in college? To be honest, majority of college students don't even use the full power of the i5.

 

I will be using Photoshop, video editing, maybe some engineering programs and the internet a lot. I'm pretty sure I don't NEED the power (although it would be nice) but I need it to last a long time. Thanks for your help so far!

 

There's so little difference between a dual-core i5 and a dual-core i7 that if one stops providing enough processing power for your needs, the other will as well. In general, I would suggest going with Core i3 or i5 CPUs unless you need the extra power now: your machine won't be more "future proof" or last longer just because you upgrade to an i7.

Besides, for general college use (MS Office, web browsing, music, videos, programming, light modeling, etc), an i3 or i5 CPU will be more than enough processing power. As an example, for encoding video: between an i5 and i7 dual core CPU, you're looking at a difference of a couple seconds to a minute or so depending on the task.

Bottom line: save your money now and use it to get a new computer sooner down the line if you really need it.

 

So the technology in a few years wont require a faster processor like i7? I just don't want to be limited by the speed. Thanks!

 

As more types of multimedia and richer content is available on the web, more demanding applications will undoubtedly pop up over the years (although CPU power has generally outpaced this need in recent years). As I mentioned earlier, though, the difference between the i5 and i7 is so small that if an i5 processor becomes limiting years down the road, the i7 will be as well.

 

Great! Thanks for the help!

 

Big difference? Yeah - like night and day difference for the tasks you will be doing.

With a 6752 Passmark (PM score) for the lowest current i7 Quad Core and a 3852 PM score for the highest performing i5 Dual Core (a 75% increase in performance) it is like getting an normal platform 'upgrade' (10-25% each time) three times over the next 4 years or so. That's at least three new purchases in four or five years to get the performance you can get now for much less money spent overall.

For the best balance of any platform/cpu you choose, don't skimp on the RAM.

Even the i5 could use 8GB+ of RAM easily and 16GB would be beneficial too with your intended workload. If you choose the i7 26xxQM series or higher, 16GB should be your goal in the short term (within the year) with 8GB simply tiding you over until that time.

If/when you add an SSD to this mix (and even better, if the notebook you buy has dual drive bays for an SSD and a HDD together) you will be able to use this platform for the full 5 yrs easily. Even as faster systems become available, an i7 Quad Core with 16GB of RAM and an SSD + HDD will still make a potent system for many, many years.

If you think you can buy a 'cheaper' system every 12 months or so, get the i5 now and you will have better performance at the end of five years than by buying the best you can now. However, if you can plan for a single purchase over the next few years, an i7 Quad Core will be the much wiser buy today - remember you can upgrade the RAM capacity and add an SSD in the next few months - you don't need to do this all at once.

See:
Intel® Core? i5-2540M Processor (3M Cache, 2.60 GHz))

See:
PassMark - Intel Core i5-2540M @ 2.60GHz - Price performance comparison


See:
Compare Intel® Products


See:
Intel® Core? i7-2670QM Processor (6M Cache, 2.20 GHz))

See:
PassMark - Intel Core i7-2670QM @ 2.20GHz - Price performance comparison


Good luck.

 

Recommending an i7 Quad Core and 16GB of RAM to a college student using the computer for some Photoshop, video editing, and a few engineering programs is like recommending a Ferrari to someone who wants a sporty car to drive to work every day. It'll obviously go from 0 to 60 much faster than a BMW 3-series, but for a sporty commuter, it's complete overkill.

In my analysis, I was saying there is little discernible difference between the dual core i5 and i7 CPUs. Sure, there's more difference between the dual and quad cores, but the latter is still unnecessary.

And besides, even with the Sandy Bridge i7 quad cores, power consumption is still much higher than with dual cores, and necessitating a quad core CPU limits you to large 15"+ laptops with relatively poor battery life... something the OP may or may not want.

 

When video editing five years down the road is the question - the answer is a Ferrari, er, I mean an i7 Quad.

Not complete overkill in my books - simply the right tool for the job.

 

don't think a laptop lasted me over 3 years, usually the wear and tear gets to it before needing a faster something (except for my new one on my sig where I need to run multiple vmwares on).

either that or the upgrade itch starts to kick in

but to answer your question, if you have money to spare get the i7, if you think you'll be getting a new machine 1-2 years down the road anyway then get the i5.

 

if he doesn't mind the 15 or larger laptop then why not get i7 now ????

 

A lot of ultraportables only have a i7 dual option since they have soldered cpus on the systembaord. If getting something like a 14" Lenovo T420 or 15.6" Dell E6520/Lenovo T520/W520, then a quad is either a factory option (E6520) or can be installed as a aftermarket upgrade. Those business grade systems recommended for good value.

 

Thanks for all the info guys! To clear this up the laptop I'm looking to buy is an Asus U46E- Bal6

the Specs that you might want to know are

Intel 2nd Gen Core i7 i7-2620M / 2.7 GHz
RAM 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
Hard Drive 750 GB

I think this laptop will do me fine but I'm worried about the graphics card (Integrated Intel UMA).

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this but do you think this set up will last me in the long term?

It seems that there are two confronting viewpoints here

 

Although the view might seen contradicting they arent, they are discussing between quad cores and dual cores, indeed the i7 in that config that you posted wont make the difference, however the one that tilleroftheearth posted would.

 

See:
Compare Intel® Products

See:
PassMark - Intel Core i7-2620M @ 2.70GHz - Price performance comparison

See:
PassMark - Intel Core i7-2670QM @ 2.20GHz - Price performance comparison


I am not worried about the igpu (unless you're gaming on it...) - I am more worried that the i7 is not a quad core version (it does have the 'Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d' that the 2670QM doesn't have though).

If you're going to be doing a lot of work with VM's, then the 2620M might be worth considering - although the 2670QM would be almost twice as fast in video editing tasks.

Either way, 16GB RAM is still the recommended 'goal' with your usage scenario - with either processor you choose. Especially if you will be multi-tasking between still image editing, video editing and other associated software simutaneously.

Btw, seems like a really nice machine - 14" and fairly powerful. I would be guessing that you will need to replace this though within 2-3 yrs (as-is) if not earlier. Not only to increase the productivity with a faster processor, but also to increase your productivity with a higher resolution screen than 1366x768 too.

If you need the video editing and the VM prowess of both, you need to be looking at the i7 2720QM (and above) line of processors.

I would also strongly recommend a higher resolution screen than the specific model you're considering.

I know, my advice is 'spend more money' - but at least you should now know what it is you're spending it for.

To put 'numbers' to the RAM and screen sizes: they will both give you at least 60% increase in productivity - well worth it for a platform you will have for so long.

Good luck.

 

Real-world performance will not matter, almost at all.

An i5 with an SSD would be better than an i7.

 

Not for the tasks the OP needs it for.

SSD='snap'
CPU+RAM=real performance (ie. 'productivity').

 

Do any of you know where I would find such a beast? It seems Quad processors only come in over 1000$ packages and they also seem to be larger than what I want (I want 14" TOPS). Could I add an SSD later on all laptops or only certain types?
And to Anyone still there what CPU, RAM, and Processor would you recommend that would fit my stated needs (college) and last me the longest (years and battery life).

I'm glad I posted this because I have learned a lot! Thanks!

 

MidnightSun said it best, don't expect 4-5 years out of a laptop if you want to be doing more intensive tasks than the average user. If you are doing this for school, I don't see why you would need more than an i5, but there are some good deals with i7s and a decent GPU for light gaming.

Here:
Newegg.com - Acer Aspire AS5755G-9471 Notebook Intel Core i7 2670QM(2.20GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 1066 640GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M

Add 2x4 GB RAM modules and you will be set.

EDIT:
I carry around my G73SW and my MBP around with me in college and it really doesn't bother me. I think you can handle a 15.6", but it's really whether or not it's worth it to spend a lot more to get similar specs in just a slightly smaller package.

 

I'm not quite sure where you're reading that the OP needs the extreme processing power of a power-hungry quad-core processor to be productive. Quoted from above:

To me, that reads "even a Core i3 would be beyond my needs, but to keep my heart at ease, a Core i5 would be more than enough processing power for my laptop's survivable future."

RosieJ, my recommendation to you is: don't focus on the CPU. Pick a laptop that has the other features you'll need in college (durability, battery life, light weight, a great keyboard and screen, etc), and then consider the most appropriate configuration of that computer.

If you must have a quad core processor, however, understand that there will be battery life and heat sacrifices, especially in a 14" laptop. Then, take a look at the Dell Latitude E6420, which comes with Core i7 quad core options. The Lenovo Thinkpad T420 also supports quad cores, but you will need to add it aftermarket, so that may or may not be relevant depending on how comfortable you are doing so.

 

Lol... we're reading the same words but obviously extracting different meanings.

For myself, I give the best answer possible and hope that the OP either understands what I am offering, or, understands enough to ask more questions.

When someone doesn't know a subject and is asking for some direction as RosieJ is doing, I tend to ignore statements like 'I'm pretty sure I don't need the power' but then also state that they need it to 'last a long time'.

As I said previously, if one can purchase 3+ systems over the next 4-5 years then I would agree that buying a dual core i5/i7 is the best plan right now. If however this single purchase is to last ~5yrs, then buying the most powerful system you can is the only way it will still be viable in a few years time.

Video editing is not what you want an i3 to do it with - not even to your worst enemy, or even if you're just a student.

 

OP doesn't state how far he would do with video editing, assuming if it's just for some school work or some moderate usage once in a while, then an i5 would be more than enough, and only certain features in photoshop will stress CPU a bit, in this case you will also get better battery life out of your laptop.

However if you are a video editing addict and edit batches of large videos on regular basis, then you should probably consider getting a quad core i7, and you should still be ware of the battery life you lose by going with quad. Even then getting an entry level quad core like 2630qm or 2670qm makes more economical sense because the heavy premium you pay for a processor like i7-2920xm or i7-2960xm isn't worth the performance gain over 2630qm/2670qm, unless you do video editing for a living, which the OP clearly doesn't.

 

It was proven in several reviews, with a GTX 560M, that there's literally no difference in games between the i5s and i7s. I run an i5 and I'm only going to an i7 for future-proofing reasons... first gen... bleh...

 

@imglidinhere you say that you want to future proof? How far are you looking ahead (years) and are you going with the Dual or the Quad i7?


To everyone else, Would an i5 last me 4-5 years? Also would it be better to wait and buy a laptop closer to the start of college so that I can really get the most power for my buck?

Also this my show my ignorance on the subject but couldn't I just replace the processor in the future if it gets to slow/inadequate? Would that save me money or should I just invest now?

I know these my be hypothetical questions because we cant see into the future so if you cant answer them I understand!

 

Rosie, you want to do Photoshop, video editing, maybe some engineering programs??

you want the quad i7 and at least 8 gigs of ram. if you're not gaming, you don't need a beefy video card.

As soon as you walk out of the store, or as soon as you click the "order" button, your laptop is already out of date lol...i can't even remember what my CPU was 5 yrs ago. I *think it was an Intel core 2 quad q6600 @ 3.2ghz. It's still serviceable today, but I gave it away to family

The best strategy that you can employ is to spread the cash out a little. So instead of spending $1500-2000 on an expensive laptop now, hoping that it will last, spend $750-1000 now and then in 2-3 yrs, spend another $750-1000

This way, you can have your quad i7 now and not have to worry about trying to make it last. you will have the most current now and the most current 2-3 yrs from now so it will last you 5 yrs.

 

Just get an SSD and call it a day.

 

An SSD doesn't give you a productivity boost when what is required is raw computing horsepower (cpu+ram).

 

Whether a laptop lasts you 4-5 years is not dependent on the CPU that you buy. If a laptop does NOT last you that long, then it will be because some major component failed on that laptop; or components wear out (like the battery); or you just want something newer and faster. And you use any of those opportunities to buy a new laptop.

The choice of a Core i5 vs Core i7 CPU is irrelevant to whether a laptop lasts 5 years. It doesn't matter today, and it won't matter 5 years from now.

To be fair , I think that many of the posters in this thread are answering two different questions.

Here is what the OP posted:

I will be using Photoshop, video editing, maybe some engineering programs and the internet a lot. ​

1. Will you benefit from a Core i7 instead of a Core i5?
Yes, of course. A Core i7 is a more powerful CPU than a Core i5, and you happen to be doing some things where you will benefit from that.

2. Is the difference between a Core i7 and Core i5 significant enough to be worth the price of upgrade?

No. Upgrading from a Core i5 --> Core i7 is beyond the point of diminishing returns. You pay a lot of money for what will be a very small real-world benefit.

If money is no object, then yes, get the Core i7 upgrade. But if you are looking for the best value for your money, then the smart choice is to get a Core i5. Take the money you save and spend it on a Solid State Disk (SSD) instead, which will give you a significant performance boost for the price you pay when it comes to all-around laptop usage.





Keep in mind that this laptop will also be used as an actual laptop for a college student for (hopefully) several years. It is not going to just sit on a desk all day being used as a Photoshop / video editing professional workstation. If the only thing that this machine would ever be doing was processing Photoshop / video editing, then yes, I would agree - throw as much CPU horsepower as you can at it.

However, as a general-purpose laptop that will be used to do many things (and some of those happen to include Photoshop / video editing), I say that it is far more important to have an SSD be the first upgrade.

 

I think I read it the same way Tiller did, need the productivity for 4-5 years. CPU and Ram are what you want if your going to use this for the next 4-5 years for what the OP stated.

To the OP, replacing the CPU later depends on what you buy. Many systems are not very user friendly when it comes to replacing, and buying a newer CPU can be very expensive. If you could be clearer on your exact wants... do you want it to be powerful in 4-5 years, or do you want to save money?

Let us know a little bit more of what your needs will be, and we can give a clearer answer.

And an ssd is a very cool thing to use, in addition to the other hardware. But Tiller has already given good advice if you want a powerful unit for 4-5 years.

 

1) What is your budget?
$600-$900 But I would like to stay around $800

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Ohio State University. My major will be Politics, and Biology double major with a photography minor (hopefully). I would like the option to play Games and I also want a fast computer that will not lag or slow down after a few months. I am a more involved user than the normal buyer and I would like the option to use larger programs such as video editing and engineering programs because I have thought about changing my major. I am considering the option of buying two laptops in my college career but if I do buy another laptop I would like the price of this first one to be as low as possible.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

This laptop will have to travel with me and be used all over campus.

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

I would like to play games in college but as of right now I am not playing any PC games.

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

As many as possible. 6-8 would be amazing.


16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

4-5 years would be my goal but I could buy 2 laptops in college. If I do the price would have to be $700 tops.



I'm not sure if this will help you advise me and I know this form is meant for the "which laptop" forum but I already have a post there and I slimmed this down quite a bit. Thank you all for your help. I think I understand much better.

 

Don't forget to budget a back up drive or USB external burner to back up your projects if drive not included.

A standard i5 with 4 gig ram is mainstream so should be best bang for bucks from Sam's or Staples locally; or take your chances with mail order.

Consider an extended 3-4 year warranty from Sam's or other. This is debatable as your 3 year old laptop will be worth very little. I would go for at least a 2 year. Accidental death by back pack will be a problem for many as my son found out.

No mater what brand you buy; I find you get two types, those that will last 3 years or those that won't. No hassle factory service may be an option so you may research this if interested.

Cheers!

 

Actually, video editing, photoshop and engineering programs can be CPU intensive.
For this an i5 can easily become 'obsolete' relatively fast - but I find it 'inadequate' for those programs because most are multi-threaded and would benefit far more from an i7 quad.
An i5 is 'adequate', don't get me wrong, but pointless if you have a choice to get a much better CPU for a minor bump in price tag.

They aren't that expensive to be honest, and if I was in your shoes, I'd go with that (the i7 quad).

Furthermore, any laptop (even a mid-range one) can last you for 4 to 5 years (if not more).
It depends on what you do on it.
Given that your requirements so go beyond 'standard use', an i7 Quad will do just fine.

Look at the laptop in my signature.
It's 3 years and 1 month old now, and I use it for 3dsMax, Photoshop, etc.
I will be doing an upgrade on it though in the next month or so (8GB RAM and Q9100 cpu) so I can speed up render times which are cpu reliant (the total cost of the upgrade would come out to about 170EUR, which is great, and it will provide my system with about 50% boost in performance).
In terms of my gpu, I still find it more than adequate for my needs - and I get to play modern games of interest (most of which aren't mindless shooters or boring rehash RPG's on the same medieval theme).

As I said, given the type of work you will be doing on your laptop, I strongly suggest an i7 quad with about 12 to 16GB RAM (or get 8GB and just upgrade to more yourself later on - RAM sticks are at least cheap).

Oh and regarding the GPU...
Might as well get a GTX 560M or 570M.
Those are entry level high performance mobile gpu's. the 570M being my personal recommendation as it comes relatively close to 580M (about 25% weaker) but definitely cheaper.

 

From your WNSIB form, I think it confirms even more that you should be sticking with a dual core i5, as
1) your battery life requirements are quite high (and out of reach of most quad core machines, though there are exceptions),
2) you want a 13-14" thin and light,
3) your budget is not unlimited/huge,
4) as a politics/biology major, the most intensive program that you might encounter (and you may not even use it) is Matlab.

Depending on what games you mean (ie: Sims-esque or CoD/BF3-esque games), you may not even need a discrete GPU.

I'd say $700 is an ample budget for what you need. If you want to spend more, though, feel free. I'm just trying to save you money on things you won't even notice

 

Indeed, it doesn't look like you'll be using really intensive software. You could contact your university to know what kind of software you'll be using though. For an engineering student, it would make sense to get a quad i7. For example, i studied chemical engineering and now that i'm doing a masters, i am helping my supervisor in some classes. Sometimes, we use finite elements packages like COMSOL or Ansys. Those definitely benefit from quad cores and more memory. I had a student coming to me with a core 2 duo running COMSOL 4.2, god that was painful compared to how it runs on my G73, let alone my desktop. Needless to say that helping him to get his simulation running properly was time consuming.

From your field of study, i doubt that you'll need something like a quad i7, but i'd get informed none the less. My sister studied urbanism and you'd be surprised at the computing performance they needed for some of their software.

MidnightSun is right that if Matlab is the most intensive program you'll have to use, you probably won't need an i7. I got by using my toshiba M40 up to 2009 and then my N50 for my diploma in chemical engineering. Matlab ran fine on both and didn't take too much time to do the required calculations

 

i5+6gb+500gb+6-9cell battery is what i would recommend.! head to deals2buy.com ..saw a deal last week stating hp envy 14 for 799$ ..chk it out!

 

@RosieJ - the overall idea I'm getting out of the responses is that you don't need anything special. Most mainstream computers should suit your purposes just fine.

Some people are saying the i5 is the best choice from a value perspective and I certainly agree with that. The performance difference between the dual-core i5s and i7s is imperceptible. You're talking about single-digit percentage improvements in performance.

Check out this HP EliteBook 8460p for $771 shipped:
Newegg.com - HP EliteBook 8460p (XU057UT#ABA) Notebook Intel Core i5 2410M(2.30GHz) 14" 4GB Memory DDR3 1333 320GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi Intel HD Graphics 3000
That is some of the best quality you can get in a notebook, only issue is the small-ish 320GB hard drive.

Some other notebooks that might interest you:
MSI X460DX:
Newegg.com - MSI X Series X460DX-216US Notebook Intel Core i5 2430M(2.40GHz) 14" 6GB Memory DDR3 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M
Review:
MSI X460DX Review

HP ENVY 14:
Newegg.com - HP ENVY 14-2020NR Notebook Intel Core i5 2410M(2.30GHz) 14.5" 4GB Memory 750GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi AMD Radeon HD 6630M
Review:
HP ENVY 14 Review (2011 Update)

 

You'll always regret getting something slower for a "keeper" laptop especially for a CPU which is not upgradeable down the road.

 

^ Another victim of Intel's marketing.

 

Thanks everyone! I didn't buy a laptop during this Black Friday but I am looking forward to student deals later this year. I have found this very helpful and I hope others have also been helped by this thread.

@sgogeta4
What do you mean? Would you suggest another type or brand of processor?

 

What was a $2000 notebook like five years ago?

Excepting for screen quality (which seems to keep going down) I'm thinking that the $300 Black Friday specials from a few days ago would spank those five year old notebooks.

My point being to go cheap now and EXPECT to replace it in a few years when it starts showing its age. The other thing with notebooks is wear/tear/damage/theft. A $2000 notebook can become damaged or stolen as easily as a $500 notebook.

So... you buy tools today in case it becomes useful five years from now?

It gives you a productivity boost (less time waiting) everywhere else. Few seconds here and there adds up. Also, better battery life and less chance of laggy system because Windows is somehow wanting to keep the HDD LED solid.

 

Please read the complete thread and reply in the context the 'advice' was offered:

I mentioned that IF only one purchase was to be considered in the next 5 years and the tasks included video editing, then an i7 Quad is what is recommended.

As for SSD's giving a productivity boost - sure, but only after a system has been maxed out with the best CPU and the most RAM you can cram/afford into your system.

An SSD's cost vs. the true productivity it offers is not comparable with the tangible and real productivity boost a CPU/RAM/or platform upgrade actually provides.

There are very few workstation class tasks that benefit from an SSD's 'snappiness' and translate directly to productivity increases (a PDF heavy workload being one example that comes to mind): for most users though, all an SSD does is give enhanced boot/shutdown times and an obvious increase in the responsiveness of the O/S. While this may put a smile on our face, it doesn't make us more productive vs. the $$$$ spent and the time invested to setup an SSD optimally.

With video editing being one of the tasks the OP needs to do, an SSD vs. 8GB, 16GB or more RAM and/or a Quad Core CPU the SSD will lose and lose badly.

Especially when bang for the buck is taken into consideration (with either the RAM or the CPU).


Just a note to the OP's 'requirements' of this new system:

It simply doesn't exist, yet.

Great battery life, cool running and 14" size? Yeah - wait for Haswell based platforms (or later).