8510w/p vs. dv9500t - Last thread before order

I felt like this deserved a new thread.. so.. here it goes.
This will be the last question(s) I ask before placing an order. I'm very excited.

I have to be honest, I don't purchase PCs very often. This desktop lasted 6 years and the one before that, another 5. Though I understand as technology grows these figures are probably impossible, I want my laptop to last.

I WOULD like to play games on the system. I'd call myself a casual to moderate gamer. The laptop would not be for strict gaming purposes, but I'd like to experience some games on high specs if possible.

So here goes:

I'm interested in the 8510w/p with the following specs..

8510w Notebook PC - RM296UT - Option 2
Linked to HP - click
[Est. $2239 after RAM, tax, warranty, etc] [Would upgrade RAM to 3GB]

8510p Notebook PC (RM303UT) - Option 3
Here
[Est. $1,729 after RAM, tax, warranty, etc] [Would upgrade RAM to 3GB]

So.. it's a matter of:
A) Am I going for 'overkill' in the 8510w model?.
B) What about ATI vs. nVidia?
C) Which model will last longer in the end?
D) Is the 8510w really worth the $510 price difference?

So far I'm leaning towards the 8510p. I'm not sure of the difference between the two beside the memory card.

I'm just worried that while I have the money now, whether the 8510w is the better option.

Opinion? Advice? Anything?. I'm about to drive myself crazy over here.

Note: For multiple reasons, I can only purchase directly from HP -- no matter the savings.

 

I would recommend getting the 8510p, as it has the most bang for the buck of all of those models.
A)No, any C2D 2.0GHz or higher will be fine, above that processor speed is really not significant.
B)The HD2600 will be better than the 8600M-GS, and almost as good as the FX 570m, but not quite.
C)The 8510 models will almost certainly last longer.

I would recommend checking out something like this:
http://www.shopblt.com/cgi-bin/shop...01000100U015_BN28030P.shtml&order_id=!ORDERID!

 

the 85140w has 2 ram slots ,one dimm means it has only one 2 gb ram module in one slot and the other is empty instead of 1gb + 1gb configuration,it makes it easier to upgrade to 3 or 4 gb in the future without having to throw your older ram

 

Thank you both. I take it the 8510p has the same thing -- the way they worded it just made me a little confused.

Any more opinions?. Close to just hitting the order button and just crossing fingers.

 

Yes, pretty much all modern laptops have two user replaceable slots these days (except some ultraportables).

 

Anyone else?.. About to hit that button. Sheesh I'm nervous.

 

I personally went with the DV9500t because of the features it has in it. With the DV9500t I got Vista Ultimate 64-bit because I'm upgrading to 4GB of RAM and I want to see how 64-bit is and mess around with it. For me the only reason the business model would have been better was the video card (because I plan on gaming), but I like the HDMI port, the buttons on the top of the laptop for media, quickplay, and the design of the DV9500t (I'm not sure if the business line comes with HD brightview or ultra brightview). For me and what I wanted the DV9500t had it all except for a better video card.

For you though, if you want XP none of the multimedia laptops come with it anymore, and if you wanted the better video card the business model does have a better one, but I'm not sure how much better. Anyways, it comes down to personal preference and weighing out the options each one comes with.

 

should have bought it with the 30% off... wish i did..

 

Thanks Envision. dv9500t was my first choice until I noticed the business line had the XP that I wanted and a better graphic card -- but like you, I'm not sure by how much. Regardless, since I don't have an XP OS CD, I'd have to purchase one if I wanted the dv9500t -- which means the 8510 turns out the better deal.

Regardless..
If it (8510w > 8510p) is significantly better, I'll get it. But when I say significant, I meant enough to value the $510-difference decision.. Savings is savings - it's not something I can just throw around but at the same time I want it to last.

(EDIT) Adding to it: I'm not a big, huge gamer but I'd like to play around with a few games on highspec.. I'm just not sure if that means the difference between w/p or not.

I'm a city girl that's mostly concerned with business matters, but that doesn't mean I might not enjoy the occassional MMORPG or two -- no big Call of Duty or whatever the new shooters are though.

Just WoW here and there, a few of the cute Korean MMORPGS.. Hey, I'm being honest.

Am I going for overkill with the 8510w?. I'd like to save if I can, but I want the best that I can get right now -- that's suited for the purposes I said above.

 

If the higher powered chip is extremely important to you, look into the Lenovo Thinkpad T61p, as it's generally cheaper than the 8510w in the U.S. However, the 8510p should be fine for almost anything, as it has the second best graphics card on a 15.4" notebook, and it's not that far behind the 8510w.

 

Just get 8510p. I think it is not worth 510$ for a little better graphic card. And in 3 years time there won't be any difference at all. Ok 8510p has a little less ram but you can buy that at newegg for 60$