P8600 or T9400 for Thinkpad T500?

I think I'm going to order the T500 in the next few days, but I'm not sure what processor to get. I want the computer to be really fast-I do photoshop, video editing, and a bit of gaming-but I also want it to be cool/quiet. How do these processors compare in terms of performance? The clock speed doesn't seem substantially different, but the T9400 has twice the cache as the P8600, but I don't really know how that would impact performance or if it justifies the nearly $400 price jump. How much difference in terms of heat/noise/battery life would I likely see if I got the P8600 (25W vs 35W)?

Ideally, I'd really like the P9500 but it doesn't seem like Lenovo will offer that anytime soon and I need a computer for school and really can't wait any longer...

Also, does anyone know how the screen on the T500 compares to that of the T61p if both are WSXGA+? Are they using the same screens that they did with the T61p? I'd heard a lot of complaints about them.

 

I think the P8600 is a better deal than the T9400, although video editing can use that extra L2 cache quite well, but the $425 seems to be a little too high to justify the step up. As for the heat, I don't think you should worry with either P8600 or T9400, since both are the newer 45 nm CPUs, the P8600 should be a tad cooler.

 

If you feel like you have the techincal ability (not really that hard to do) you can always buy the processors 3rd party and install it yourself. You get the 6MB L2, 2.53Ghz and 25W TDP. It is cheaper too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819111007

 

According to a sales rep, the price on the T9400 is a typo and was supposed to be fixed today... it was not. He said it should be more of a $200 upgrade than a $400 one.

 

Not cheap enough to justify for the Lenovo warranty.

 

Definitely get the P8600--actually, get the P8400. All that money for a minuscule increase in performance that you won't see outside of benchmarks is definitely not worth it. Also, the P series should get you noticeably better battery life since they run on like 10 W less power.

People always say "ooo, you do video editing, then you need the fastest processor" but that's misguided... depending on what you're doing, a few seconds or minute or so of extra rendering time is likely not going to be worth the upgrade cost. If you're doing serious rendering work you would have a desktop workstation for that anyways (where you can get a much faster quad core for the price of the stinkin' 150 MHz upgrade).

 

So I assume installing a processor myself would void the warranty, right?

I guess I'll wait another day or two and see if they fix the price on the T9400 (or maybe even make the P9500 an option, you gotta hope). But I think I'll probably go with the P8600. Thanks everyone.

 

Yep, swapping CPU will void the warranty. I mean, it's a good idea, but only after the warranty period.

Aleman, of course it depends on the videos he/she will be editing, I just assumed it will be HD videos since that's getting pretty common nowadays. But yes, you won't notice much difference if the video isn't that big.

 

Bad news... I talked to another rep today, who said that the T9400 price IS correct. They said the rep I talked to yesterday must have been wrong, and that more processor choices will not be added to the web for a while.

At least I don't have to worry about changing my order now... I guess.

 

As of now I'm just doing standard resolution video and I don't see getting an HD camcorder in the near future. So it sounds like for that the P8600 should be fine. I'm just about ready to make my order, but does anyone know if getting bluetooth is still causing delays? It'd be nice, but if it won't ship until september I can definitely live with a USB receiver.

 

Actually, I don't think that is so certain. I don't see why changing the processor would be a warranty issue, especially since you can return to the regular processor in the case that you need to use the warranty. There is nothing permanent about it!

Your only issue with the warranty being voided is if you break the laptop while changing the processor.

 

Is it a big deal to change processors multiple times? Do you have to install new drivers and fiddle with the bios everytime? I think I'll order it with the P8600 for now and if that doesn't seem to cut it I'll buy another processor separately.

Also if anyone is interested, I just spoke with a lenovo sales representative and he said that the 9 cell battery sticks out the back even on the T500. I thought I had heard that it doesn't and no one here seems to know for sure. I guess he could be wrong though.

Has anyone had a 9 cell in the past? Does it bother you that it extends past the back a little?

 

According to a video of the T400. the 9 cell sticks way out (1 in back) and curves upwards. I assume the T500 has a similar battery.

I still plan on getting the 9 cell... so much battery life.

 

Don't eat the marketing saying that you will always need the latest and the fastest CPU.

Any core 2 duo around the corner will be good for video editing. In fact, I have an athlon 64 3000+, and I have no problem with video edition. In fact, why don't you get the "slower" P8400?

Nop.

But if you need a little bit more power, it's easier to just overclock you CPU for a short while, then return it to the factory state after.

 

I think you should be fine with the P8600 or even the P8400.

 

Total lame price gouge. The T9400 or thereabouts was like a 150 - 200 upgrade on the T61p just a week ago.
Really makes me lose my enthusiasm for lenovo.

 

It's not the same T9400.

The T9400 on the T61p is an older generation CPU(santa rosa). The T9400 on the W500 has the same name, but is a newer gen CPU.

 

I don't think it's the T9400 you saw on the T61 upgrade options. It should be T9300 and T9500. The T9300 <del>was $206.25 and</del> now it's only $112.50. And the T9500 <del>was $496.25 and</del> now it's only $330.00.

 

Why don't they have the T9300 as an option for the T500?
I want the 6mb L2 but not the higher price.

BTW I show the T9300 option as $360 on the T500.

 

Processors don't have drivers and you don't have to fiddle with the BIOS. It is probably to go with the slowest they offer and then upgrade to the 2.53 25W processor if necessary.

 

Doesn't the T9300 use 800mhz fsb? That seems like an obvious conflict seeing as the new ones use 1066.

 

Yeah, everyone is confusing the older T9300 with the new T9400.

 

I've been checking for almost 1.5 weeks now and it's still the same $425 listed. I wonder if they're ever going to change it.

 

In Canada, the T9400 is 150, and the T9600 is listed as 425....

 

Exactly how much hotter does the laptop run when using T9600 compared to P8600? I need mine mainly for doing 3d graphics and video editing (highdef), and I think the T9600 and a 7200rpm will perform a lot better in this case, than a P8600 and 5400rpm (agree, disagree?). However, I would really have taken the P9500 instead, but that is not available for me :/
I don't really want it to run hot.. in that case, I'd rather slow down on the performance.

Advise?

 

their site is really messed up. When i ordered my T500, i got the LED backlit for -150 and I upgraded to a T9400 for only around $100...
Keep checking their site and you should see the options to change in availability and price a lot!

 

I'd like to add my input into this.

I recently received a X200 replacement from Lenovo that contains the T9400 CPU. Even on the X200, heat is NOT an issue. However, I have a much reduced battery life compared to X200s with the P8400. I can only get about 5 hrs with wifi on, lowest power setting and 40% brightness. People with the P8400 can get easily 7+ hours.

Part of the reason is that my idle CPU is clocked at 1.6 Ghz whereas the P8400 is clocked at only 800 Mhz. If I can reduce the idel CPU speed, I'm sure I can get nearly the same battery life but I don't know how.

 

I assume it is the same with the T9600.
Whats the disadvantage of downclocking it?

Another thing, what is the estimated battery time I can expect with the T9600 in a T500, on a 6cell battery?