i7 2920xm v.s. i7 2820qm - On Paper nothing - On Price something -

Hi guys, I'm in a dilemma here just like I believe many are who are currently out for a high end laptop. The question on many laptop newbies mind is whats better to go for? The i7 2920xm or the i7 2820qm? On Paper they seem to be so similar, but price wise the upgrade from the 2820 to the 2920 is over 500$!

So if anyone can clear up the difference for me and everyone else searching for this topic on google, please do so. If not, discuss the differences here. Thanks !


P.S I used the search button, could not find a thread so I created one.

 

I think the xm has unlock multipliers making it easier to overclock.

Some opened another thread with the same question: http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...grades/545462-2720qm-vs-2820qm-vs-2920xm.html

 

Yeah, the extreme processors usually have unlocked multipliers (and they are pretty tough chips anyway) this means they should be able to handle quite a big overclock (using the adjustable multi and a program like throttlestop)

The first gen i7 extreme processors also have adjustable TDP and TDC values, that means you can push the CPU quite hard as far as your cooling system is good enough.

Let me make an example... the max standard turbo boost for one core on my 920xm (first gen i7 extreme processor) is 3.2GHz.... but thanks to Throttlestop and the adjustable multi as well as the adjustable TDP/TDC I can easily push it to 3.2Ghz across all cores which is a absolutely great overclok that will even beath most of the new Sandy Bridge CPUs...

So assumed the 2920xm has adjustable multis and TDP/TDC as well, this processor would be a true beast!!! Standard single core turbo boost is 3.5 GHz... so in case you can make the same adjustments on this chip as with the first gen version you should be able to overclock and run it stable at about 3.5-3.7 GHz across all cores!!!! That's what I call raw CPU power...

However, I'm not definitely sure that you'll be able to change all these things in the 2920xm, but most probably it will be possible.

But the extra money is only worth it when you really need the power imo (or when you want to brag )

 

On Sandy Bridge, ONLY extreme processors can be overclocked. Also ALL extreme processors have had unlocked multipliers. These are the only differences.

The 2820QM is very powerful as it stands. The 2920XM will not give you much bang for the buck. Without overclocking it is only 3% (100Mhz) faster than the 2820QM. With overclocking, YMMV, but unless you know you "need" that extra processing power for some special task, you are just throwing your money away. If you really want one it is probably better to buy the lesser CPU now and upgrade later if you still want/need to for a lower price.

 

Right. And for that matter, stick with the 2720QM because there is only 0.1GHz (100MHz) difference between the 2720QM and 2820QM, otherwise they are identical. These chips already blow the socks off previous gen i7's. So unless you really need lots of CPU power, best to save your money or put it elsewhere in a machine like a better display, 256GB RAID SSD's, or whatever.

 

All of you guys have been very helpful, thanks!

However I currently have a 740qm in my g73
I game alot, and do video editing from time to time (HD and now 3D)

Im a sucker for shiny graphics and want to be as future proof as possible (although I know the best future profing is keeping money in your wallet)

I also like playing on my self calibrated gaming specific pn50c8000 (I'm a videophile, or some call "nerd"lol) which is a 1920x1080 resolution tv with progressive scan and subfield drive (600hz refresh rate) so I REALLYneed games to look smooth....

So in short.. do you think ill have a difference in fps in games like GTA 4, Crysis Warhead and possibly 2, as well as Metro 2033 (i know, one might dream) and possibly have a noticible difference in editing 3d and HD video?

 

your better off getting a 920XM and overclocking it with your G73 rather than getting a new notebook.. 920XM can be pushed quite a lot in G73... it would be more than enough.. you won't get much difference in games but a new CPU would help.. G73 is more than enough for now... all it needs is a 920xm.

Panther214

 

Well any game is going to perfectly smooth if it stays at 60 fps or above, although depending on the game and situation, you can often get away with significantly less. Your graphics are going to be a lot more dependent on the graphics card anyway though.

 

Yeah, the SB i7 CPU's are way more than adequate for any games, it's the GPU power that matters most. For video editing obviously a different story, more cores and more speed the better.

 

Unless you have a 120hz monitor

 

Not really. The same was true for my CRT that did 100Hz and for my brother's plasma that does a whole lot more. 60fps is the amount where I've noticed, at least for me, no higher fps does any good.

 

interesting. so on the sub field drive 600hz, the video should look amazing?

 

No. That doesn't mean anything in and of itself at all.

 

has anyone any overclocking results of the sandy bridge line up? its interesting seing how far they can go in terms of safe, constant overclocking. Perhaps th difference then would justify the price

 

I don't see how any difference can justify the cost of those SB Extreme processors since you can buy an entire laptop for the same price.

 

I just hope unclewebb is able to get ThrottleStop working with the i7 2920xm and be able to unlock the TDP/TDC settings.. Because yes they can overclock ... But without increasing the power fed to them, then that OC won't be very significant...

On the 920/940xm ... many ppl have reached 3.5ghz across all cores... but that's only possible by increasing the TDP settings to feed it and extra 30-40 watts of power...

That being said if the i72920xm doesn't have it's TDP settings unlocked ... Then sadly the i7 920/940xm will in fact be much faster...

Fingers crossed... Because if they're able to run just shy of or at 4ghz across all cores... That my friends, is some serious power... kind of power that would surpass even the desktop equivalents (stock that is..)

so yea... I'd say go 2720... Or go 2920 ONLY IF the TDP Settings are unlocked (which we don't know yet bcuz it's still new and not many ppl have tried and experimented)... The mid proc 820/840 and now the 2820 always screamed fail... .1mhz don't make a difference

 

Hi Guys,

Okay, here is a good comparison that I found on the web which compares head to head the Desktop cpu i7 980X vs i7 2920XM vs i7 940XM

Conclusion : Mobile Gaming: Can Core i7-2920XM Beat Desktop Core i7-980X?

After reading over it, the stock i7 940XM does look like a middle-low end part compared to the stock 2920XM in every single way....and the 2920XM beats the desktop 980X in about 80% of all the tasks at hand, being only a little behind on applications which are optimized for multi core use....since the 980X has 6 cores and 12 threads, this is understandable, but in regards to raw power, apparently yeah, the mobile 2920XM does beat the current fastest desktop 980X chip. And this is stock.....

Ok, here is my question, Stzu is coming from a 720qm, I'm wanted to upgrade coming from a 820qm, are the SB compatible with our MOBO's？ is it the same socket?
I tried looking a lot for this answer, looked at intel sites, these review sites, and while the sockets seems similar....I can't be 100% if they are the same and all we have to do is buy the chip, remove the order old one, put in the new one, and voila...a superbly faster laptop.

I was thinking of buying the 940XM, but after I saw the comparison to the 2920XM...I believe the 2920XM upgrade makes better sense to me for the future under my circumstances.

So it's just a question of compatibility...which hopefully you guys can help out with.
And waiting I guess, since I haven't found a single 2920XM chip for sale yet...

Thanks in advance

BTW, my setup is as following:
Alienware M15x, i7 820qm, Nvidia GTX 260M, 256 SSD, 4 Gigs ram, LED 1920x1600, Blue ray drive

 

yeah, I'm also waiting for the GTX 485M to be available for sale to upgrade that too...that'll be a nice more than double in performance jump from the 260M....which is just okay.

 

And with some of the hints about the limits of overclocking the i7-2920XM, it may remain better only at stock, and the i7-940XM (given sufficient cooling) may be able to outpace it.

More relevantly, however, no, you cannot upgrade from 1st generation core i to 2nd generation core i; it is not the same socket. The highest uprade for your M15x would be an i7-940XM.

 

what is the limitation of QPI? Since that of 2008 intel dont use FSB anymore.

What PCIe clocks that you are talking about?

What information on AMD mobile platforms that you have that we dont? So how is the performance of Llano or buldozer? Which I believe both wont appear for mobile, Llano has shot buldozer not so much

 

According to Anandtech from his Sandy Bridge preview (don't know if this has changed in the interim), the clock generator is now integrated into the chip, and the BCLK is now generally locked to 100 MHz. This basically kills all of the old FSB style base clock overclocking methods, and limits overclocking to multiplier changes... which are impossible unless you have a chip with unlocked multipliers like an Extreme or K series.

 

Aww, is my 2820QM's 8MB L3 cache being ignored?

 

I know

if the quote dont work, since its another forum, here is the link

Intel Sandy Bridge - Reviews and Discussions - Page 2 - Total War Center Forums

 

Notice that he's using an unlocked K processor, though. And naturally, being a desktop, he has a lot more options than we do in notebooks. What I was referring to previously, though, is that there are some hints ( 1 2) that the new mobile Sandy Bridge CPUs are lockable in BIOS.

 

although that is good info on how to oc SB chips, its different since we cant use the usual FSB methods, we just have to think more.