T420, T520, or W520???

I could use some help deciding between one of these three configurations - T420, T520, or W520. Price is a secondary consideration.

I'm currently using an HP Elitebook 8540p with a quad core i7 Q820 CPU. This machine has done what I needed it to do but I'd like something lighter for travel with a better screen (currently at 1366x768), better battery time, and in basic black.

What ever I replace it with has to perform at least at the level of the 8540p. I use the machine for typical office applications and Photoshop but we also have a couple of intensive database applications that use all 8 threads of the Q820. I'm thinking its not a good idea to drop down to a dual core as I'm not prepared to give up on performance. However, I could be convinced otherwise since I really prefer the size of the T420.

The W520 is tempting for the all out performance but it seems like the graphic card is overkill for my needs. Additionally, it requires more power and is a bit heavier, which is really going in the wrong direction.

In the end, I'm probably better off with the T520 but it doesn't price out much different than the W520.

Here are the three configurations I'm looking at with the key differences. Let me know what you think.

ThinkPad W520
Processor: Intel Core i7-2820QM Processor (2.30GHz, 8MB L3)
Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro 2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Color sensor: Color Sensor

ThinkPad T520
Processor: Intel Core i7-2820QM Processor (2.30GHz, 8MB L3)
Display type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System graphics: NVIDIA NVS 4200M Graphics with Optimus Technology, 1GB DDR3 Memory

ThinkPad T420
Processor: Intel Core i7-2620M Processor (2.70GHz, 4MB L3)
Display type: 14.0 HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System graphics: NVIDIA N12P-NS1 Optimus Graphics with 1GB DDR3 Memory

 

Is your DB-app actually CPU bound? Yes it'll run on 8 threads but its more likely that its IO bound. You'd probably gain most by the fastest SSD available, and second-most from the W520's ability to handle 32GB ram.

 

Why not just upgrade the screen on the Elitebook?

Weight is going to depend on the specs and the battery, a T420 with 9 cell and slice is going to weigh more than a T520.

Also for the T420 the 2620M is a dual core i7 not a quad core. Looking through the tabook I don't see a quad core i7 for the T420, maybe in CTO.

 

Good point and you're probably right although I still need to be in the Q-core to get to more than 8GB of ram. I believe the dual core machines only have 2 DIMMs available.

I was planning on buying an SSD drive at a later date.

Louis

 

Well, its a corporate machine so that is out of the question but the screen isn't my primary concern. Its just too big and heavy. Prior to this machine I was using a T400, which I really like but it is slow compared to the HP.

You are right about the T420. It is only a dual core. So while I prefer the size it probably won't do. Although, with a fast SSD and 8GB of RAM it might get close.

Louis

 

For your needs, the T520 is the way to go. The W520 has a hugely more powerful and power-hungry gpu, which you do not appear to need. The W520 gpu is an awesome thing, but uses 55W compared to 17W. For that it has 4X the pipelines, twice the memory bus width, more ram, etc etc. The respective gpu's are in different categories. But if you don't need the massive extra grunt, then you can save equally massively on power needs - and cost.

 

Thanks! This is the direction I was leaning.

 

Check out the other limitations on the T520. USB 3.0 for one. Even if you don't need the graphics you can turn the card off in the BIOS.

Given the t520 and the w520 are the same size and wt (within ounces) and the same price (nearly) I simply couldn't go with the T520. The 4 sticks of memory and the USB 3.0 alone would move you to the W520.

In fact the minute you say quad core, I think that takes the T520 out of consideration given its limitations and the advantages of the W520.

Perry

 

Good points! Thanks!

 

A very good good point if the W520 can be run on the intel gpu - though that negates the point of having an external gpu. I would be interested in seeing the comparative prices of a T520 and a W520 with equal specs (other than the external gpu and W-specific improvements). If the price is so little different, who would buy the T520? I certainly wouldn't.

 

Also be aware that the W520 uses a huge 170watt power brick.

 

With a similar configuration the prices are very close making the price a non-issue, for me at least. The more I think about it the more I'm liking the W520.

 

Yea, I know but apparently it weighs less than the 135 watt power brick that comes with the T520 but of course it's not as small as the T420 power brick.

I wish I could get the power of the 520 in the 420 but that isn't happening.

 

Are you sure? I guess everything is relative.

 

Perry,

Does the W520 support changing from the internal to discrete graphic cards on the fly? It's not a big deal to do this in the bios at startup but I can make this switch on the fly with my T400. Its a nice feature.

Louis

 

HP used to make a 14" quad core. I don't know if they are offering one in their Sandy Bridge lineup.

 

I'm sure but I'll go heavier and bigger if I need to. Additionally, big notebooks are hard to use on planes. I always found that 14 inches was about the limit.

Louis

 

The W520 uses the nVidia Optimus technology, allowing dynamic changing between discrete and integrated GPUs without needing to restart the machine. Additionally, I believe the process is almost completely automated (although I think there is a hard toggle available in the bios).

 

Perfect. The W520 really does seem like the way to go.

Louis

 

Yes, around 100 grams less than the 135 watt version, but the size of it, it's huge, and I think my 135 watt is big enough. Does the T520 ship with the 135 watt version, isn't there a 90 watt version, as in the one with integrated graphic?

 

I believe it ships with the 135 watt version but i could be wrong.

 

I understand your preference. For me, even at the same price, I would prefer smaller brick, and the much cooler external gpu of the T520, plus option to have less powerful cpu's (I love a cool and silent workstation). I would never need the power of the W520, but I like the extra ability of a dedicated rather than an integrated gpu (I never use the internal gpu in my W500 - I could do the same with the T520, but not the W520). One of my previous notebooks had a powerhouse 55W gpu and I didn't like it - it needed so much cooling. That said, if you need the grunt and are willing to trade that with more heat and therefore extra cooling (i.e. fan noise), or are OK with turning the external gpu off completely, then the W-series is the way to go.

 

I agree with you on the brick. I hate the size of the thing and I'd pay to get something smaller. In fact, I might look for something aftermarket that gets me there. But on everything else, I'm not seeing the concern. When it is hooked up to the docking station with my external monitors none of the points you make should be an issue for me. At least I'm thinking they aren't.

When I hit the road, I can throttle everything back as needed even the CPU. With my T400 I always used the intergated gpu on the road. I only used the external gpu when driving my 30" monitor with dual-link DVI-D, which is one reason I need the external gpu.

Louis