Y450 - Choice of two builds *Opinions/help*

I'll try to keep this brief.
After months of waiting the Y450 is finally here and now I'm stuck between the top three builds.

For quick reference, the differences are:
T6400 (2GHz 800MHz 2MB) vs. P7450 (2.13GHz 1066MHz 3MB)
Vista Home Premium vs. Vista Home Premium 64
GMA 4500MHD vs. GeForce G 105M 256MB
HDD 250gb vs 320gb
3gb vs 4gb ram
no bluetooth vs bluetooth

Financially, I was prepared to pay the $829 but things have gotten tight. I'm not excited to spend an extra $170 for the top build unless convinced otherwise by this forum.

In short, my MAIN concern is battery life, followed by overall performance. Any serious gaming will stick to my desktop so I don't see a reason to go for the G 105M.

Lenovo hasn't updated their tech sheet yet, and other research hasn't helped much, here are my questions:
1. Would Vista64 kill the battery quicker than standard vista? This is the only reason I would consider purchasing the least expensive of these three builds.
2. Which chip (T6400 or P7450) would drain less power (read: battery last longer)?
3. Is the P7450 (@ 2.13GHz 1066MHz 3MB) THAT much better of a processor then the T6400 (@ 2GHz 800MHz 2MB)? If it's much better for only a slight difference in power consumption I may consider it.

I assume the graphics card can be shut off on the top rig to save power, the HDD size difference and bluetooth inclusion are non issues.

So - can anyone help? I'm getting that twitchy buy finger syndrome.

Thanks!

EDIT: I did find specs on the proc's but I'm looking for a human opinion/response for batt life and performance differences
T6400
P7450

 

The P7450 is 25w and the T6400 is 35w so T6400 eats more power!P7450 is not by much but better then the T6400 in performance!

Same whit the video the G105 is much better not sure about the power consumption here! And yes the Nvidia graphic card underclock it self to safe power "Hybrid Power technology"!

And Vista64 won't kill your battery faster than the 32 bit I've tested this on my laptop!
But the bigger HDD and 1 GB extra RAM will eats lil bit more power!
So about battery life of the builds i say they are even.

I would give the 200$ extra and get the 320GB HDD and the 4GB RAM and the Better video at least in time the 200$ will pay off cus you will have better performance in future application and you won't need to upgrade!But depends if you have 200$ extra. I'm a big NO to Intel's integrated video

 

The Y450 doesn't seem have switchable graphics on the model(s) with the nVIDIA graphics card. My expectation is that the T6400/Intel GMA 4500 will use less battery life than then P7450/nVIDIA G 105M. The T6400 is a very good processor in its own right.

I'd suggest the the T6400/Vista Home Premium 64-bit/4GB RAM configuration (Y450-418938U).

 

It seems the top build (the only one with the top chipset and discrete graphics) has been removed from Lenovo's site
Anyone have clues as to why?

RE: The topic of shutting off the graphics card, I found a site that states the following:
"In conjunction with the Nvidia 9100M G / 9400M integrated graphics, the G 105M supports Hybrid-SLI (HybridPower and GeForceBoost). HybridPower is a technique to choose between the integrated and dedicated graphics core, if performance or battery runtime is needed. This works only in Windows Vista. Up to now the user has to use a tool to switch between the GPUs. Later Nvidia wants to switch automatically in the drivers. GeForceBoost uses the integrated graphics core of the 9100M G and the dedicated of the G 105M in SLI mode to achieve better frame rates." Link

To me, it sounds like the OS provides an option to shut it down. Any thoughts/opinions? (I admit that my current machines all use XP, so I'm not familiar with every aspect of Vista)
If infact it IS possible to shut off the card, then it's reasonable to think that the top build does use the battery more efficiently.

Depending on these answers, I may pull the trigger on the top build... assuming Lenovo reposts it.

 

It's not the OS but it's the video driver that is shutting down!
The Hybrid-SLI enables combining a dedicated graphic card to an integrated graphic core in order to improve performances (GeForce Boost) by reducing power consumption (Hybrid Power) by deactivating the more powerful graphic card when not needed as the iGP is powerful inought for desktop and video.
As far as I know there is no significant difference in power consumption between intel's and nvidia's integrated graphics(but nvidia is a better performer)!

But in the top build you have ONLY the 105M you don't have a 9100 or 9300 intetegrated to switch between but 105M will underclock it self to safe power when not needed (again Hybrid Power).

I see that your main concern is the battery life and think you'll get almost same battery life from all 3 builds maybe lil better from the lowest one!Again i pick the top one but if you don't wont to spend 170$ and you stick to desktop games and less graphic intensive applications the second one!

 

Thanks for the response - it was clearer then anything else I've read thus far. I will spring for the top build with confidence now.

Hopefully the question wasn't too stupid - your responses were filled with !!!!

I've read about this "underclocking on the fly" (hybrid power) - but have never found someone (till now) who has tested it to say it actually works well.

 

PlayJurist try downloading Nvidia system tools if you are interested and use the NVIDIA System Monitor to check on your system temperatures and usage and to see how the GPU is underclocking itself when you don't put load on! You can use this program to overclock your GPU too!

 

Awesome. Thanks, I'll definately play with that.

Just an F.Y.I. I read somewhere that the discrete build has 3.5hrs vs the GMA w/4.5. Not that I take a sales reps words without a grain of salt, but they too confirmed the 1hr discrepency.

With the better chip, cache, fsb, gfx card, bluetooth, etc - I went ahead and bought the top build. In the end - if the 3.5 is true, I should be ok in 90% of cases and if it comes to the point where I need another battery, I'll get one and lug it.

Thank for all your help!