Is the SB envy 14 worth getting if you have a 1st gen core i envy 14 with radiance display

I currently have an i5-560m, 4GB ram, 1600x900 Radiance Display, 256GB Crucial C300 SSD, 5650 GPU

If i would get a new SB envy 14 it would be with the i5-2410m as all the games and programs I use can only use 2 threads so 2 cores + 2 Hyper threads is all that I will utilize efficiently. I can't even see myself needing more then a dual core even in the next 2-3 years. It also has the 6630 in place of the 5650 the gpu's look about even powered as does the 2410 vs the 560.

So unless the CPU or GPU is a significant upgrade in speed it seems like this "upgrade" to the envy 14 line is more like a downgrade (similiar performance in all areas and a downgraded screen)

The only real benefit I can see is if you really need quad core cpu power you can now get the fastest quad core and still keep the battery maximizing GPU switching. Maybe if I could actually benefit from a quad core it'd be worth upgrading.

I want to get the latest and greatest but unless the i5-2410m adds a nice increase from the i5-560m or the 6630 adds a nice increase from the 5650 I don't think I can bring myself to losing the radiance screen.

Does the envy 14 with radiance screen command a premium price on ebay still? If so what is an i5-560m + radiance + 256GB Crucial c300 SSD + 4GB 1600Mhx Hyper X ram worth?

 

There's better options like a 15.6" DV6 (FHD, HD6770M), and 14" Lenovo Y470 (GT550M). SB Envy 14 weighs more than many 15.6" systems. See thin-andlight comparison in my sig.

 

Yea I noticed for the same price you can get quite a superior system in the dv6t.

I'm just going to sit tight till ivy bridge + 7000 series Radeon that should go from 40nm to like 28nm process manufacturing size comes out.

What i'll probly do is keep the envy 14 as my on the go portable laptop, sell off my custom built desktop and get a nice big m18x with 22nm ivy bridge + 28nm 7990/7970 (whatever is out) and use it as a portable desktop.

Yup no more computer purchases till next year. Looks like I will be moving away from a dedicated desktop and a portable laptop to a large 17 or 18 inch powerful laptop that will be used like a portable desktop with external everything (keyboard,mouse,monitor,backup harddrive, 5.1 speakers/JH Audio custom in ear monitors) and will rarely be moved and always used off AC power like a desktop and then keep the portable laptop as what i take with me when im on the move.

I can just imagine the amount of power that will be in the ivy bridge + 7000 series radeon equipped alienware m18x. The amount of power in that beast will make owning one of those big clumsy desktops completely pointless when you can have a nice lil 11-12 pound smaller then a briefcase rectangle doing it all and it will still leave my envy 14 very useful to keep as my portable on the go computer so I only have to move the m18x if im going to a lan party somewhere overnight which normally i'd have to move a 40 pound desktop so using the m18x as a portable desktop will be very convienient and give me close to top desktop power in a package that is a million times easier to take to a lan party than a full ATX desktop.

 

The only new option really compelling for me is the dual drive (ssd+hdd). I wish I had that.

 

Why? You've 320GB SSD.. new gen only has 80 or 120GB (integrated) SSD.

 

I would also like to have the dual drive SSD. I noticed I don't really need a huge SSD (256GB). Something smaller like a 80 or 120GB SSD to load the OS on then have a larger 500GB HDD to store movies, music, pics... is much better. You don't need to reload all your content if you want to do a reinstall which saves on massive read/writes for media which kills SSD performance.

 

I'm pretty sure that's a 320GB HDD, not an SSD...

 

since you have an old gen i5 + radiance , I would not change for a SB envy for the following reasons:
- you have a radiance
- your battery life will not be significantly upgraded
- your GPU is just a tad slower than the updated

The only reasons I could see getting a SB envy is if you have an i7 with low battery life or if you need large processing power.

 

That is correct. 320GB HDD /sadface

 

yea i tried as hard as i could every which way to talk myself into upgrading is worth it but no matter how i look at it there is no point to upgrade till ivy bridge.

i have a bad technology addiction and i cant help it. Even though this laptop I have now does everything i want it to its driving me crazy that its 1 generation behind but I just have to wait. Thank god I have my desktop to play around with still.

 

On the other hand, I'd say there is no point in upgrading until Haswell (2014) because Ivy Bridge will probably only have higher clocks. I'm not sure they will change the TDPs...

Even last-gen Intel is more than sufficient to run your computer's tasks (and I don't think you are doing really hardcore gaming on the 6630m, 5560m or whatever is in the previous Envy 14)

 

LOL. Wait 3 years? That's pretty much the average NBR member's notebook upgrade cycle!


For me, Arrandale+SSD is plenty fast. The GPU, however, is sadly lacking for my tastes.