How is this configuration?

Hey guys, not a laptop expert here... just have a basic idea of what I want.

I really like some of the options in the new HP Envy 15, the blu-ray and 1080p to run it, strong vid card, etc. Anyways, I've specced out this version and I'm curious if it is sensible. Especially, do I need the 540M vs the cheaper 520 or 430 options? I don't want to spend extra money getting more power in one department when all it is going to do is be bottle-necked someplace else... so if someone could critique this build for me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

HP ENVY 15 customizable Notebook PC
NX369AV


Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-540M Dual Core processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L2 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.06GHz
4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
320GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5830 Graphics - For i5 and i7-620M Processors
15.6" diagonal Full High Definition LED HP Ultra Brightview Widescreen Display (1920x1080)
External Slot Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer with 2 USB Ports
Webcam Only
Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
HP QuickWeb, Corel VideoStudio Pro X2, Corel Paintshop Pro X2, Stardock My Colors
HP Color Matching Keyboard
6 Cell Lithium Ion Polymer Battery
No Productivity Software
HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

It's hard to tell with these processors.. honestly you can probably save money and go with the 520m. That's what I did. I think the performance gap between the 430m and the 520m is bigger than the gap between 520m and 540m.

Everything else looks fine.

 

With clock speed on two cores, the gaps are both 5%. Other than that, the 5x0Ms support AES-NI, and have more single-core turbo boost, which means that the 520M is ~15% faster on one core than the 430M (the 540M is another 5% more). In my opinion, even 430M->520M isn't worth $100.

Your config is fine, though here's some points to consider:
- The Brightview is the glossy screen, so you'll want to decide whether you want matte or glossy
- You might want to upgrade to the 500GB HDD for $50; that's not an excessive charge for 500GB I'd say.
- You might want to consider other external blu-ray drives than the HP; they'd probably be cheaper.