5165 v 8130, plus many other questions!

Hi everyone! I've been researching a new laptop for the past few months, and I've been lurking heavily on NBR for info. I'm almost at the point where I'd like to order, and I figured it was time to finally post my many questions!

Here are my configs so far:

5165 - ~$1245 from Xotic

1080p Matte Screen
i5 2520M
IC Diamond Thermal Compound
GT 555m DDR3 with 2GB
8 GB 1333 MHz RAM
500 GB SATA 3 HD with 4GB SSD
Intel N 6230 Wireless
Windows 7 Home Premium

8130 - ~$1330 from Malibal

1080p Matte Screen
i5 2410M
IC Diamond Thermal Compound
8GB 1333 MHz RAM
GTX560M DDR5 with 1.5GB
500 GB SATA 3 HD with 4GB SSD
Intel N 6230 Wireless
Windows 7 Home Premium

My Thoughts

I don't need hyperthreading, which is why I went with the i5 over the i7. Unfortunately, the 8130 doesn't offer the i5 2520 (or at least Xotic and Malibal don't), otherwise I don't think this would be a choice. It seems like any gains from upgrading to the 560m would be largely negated by the dip in CPU power. Is that something I'm making up in my head?

I also don't know if the 4GB SSD will offer me any significant boosts in boot times, but I can't justify spending an extra ~$300 for a primary SSD and a secondary drive.

I also also am unsure about the thermal compound. Mostly it's a knee-jerk reaction because my current laptop gets molten after an hour of use...

Anyway! At the moment I'm only playing WoW, but I'd love to be able to run FPS (like Battlefield: Bad Company 2), RTS (like SC2), and the upcoming Star Wars MMO at high settings. I also do a lot of graphic design--I run Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fireworks.

I think I can sum up my dilemma thusly: Is the 560m worth a blow to the CPU, battery life, and weight (both of which are somewhat important to me), plus an extra $100?

Thanks all!

 

Photoshop relies more on the CPU than on the GPU.

 

Depends on which Photoshop you are running. CS5 apparently has CUDA support, so theoretically more GPU power = faster in Photoshop. But what koji126 said is true, Photoshop is still CPU-reliant, and in some tasks the GPU can help. The GT 555M has CUDA support too, so it is not like you are not getting help from the GPU if you purchase the NP5165.

Now, running modern and upcoming games at high with the GT555M is not possible at full HD resolution, maybe at a lower resolution. I think you can upgrade the CPU on the 8130 to an i7, but then now it's lower battery life and even more extra money!

So, it's whichever you value more if you want to stay within your budget: better gaming performance, or better graphic design performance?

 

Personally I would drop the thermal compound - you can always apply it yourself later if needed. With the cash saved you can then pick up a 8130 with a better processor.

I suppose if you move around a lot in your line of work the extra weight of the 8130 would be a concern. However, it seems like the difference in battery life is actually not that great between the two - http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/579383-np5165-vs-np8130-battery-life.html

I'd pick the 8130 if gaming in the future is a consideration, or if you will be using the laptop for a long time. (4 yrs?) I think the 560M is a lot more future proof than the 555m.

 

my 8130 never breaks a sweat. forget about the compound. no need for me to place it on a cooling pad, unlike my toshiba or previous laptops like the DV6's.

 

Agreed. You might not think you need hyperthreading, but Windows 7 itself is optimized for it. Also PS doesn't really use HT all that well now, but who knows what CS6 will bring. Also, games evolve at a much faster pace.

I'd save coin on the thermal compound and get a better processor.

The Momentus XT (the hybrid HDD in your config) will help you speed up boot times, but it's not a replacement for a dedicated SSD. Still, it's a good step to get a taste of what an SSD can do.

 

agreed. I wouldn't buy anything short of an i7 2720, at this point. I missed the fact that the OP was thinking of an i5 !

 

The i5 is plenty fast for your needs but on the same token it is pretty cheap to jump to the 2630qm.

Ultimately your best speed upgrade will be an SSD and NOT a hybrid SSD. Drop that down to a standard drive and possibly use that towards the processor.

The speed differences between a standard HDD and a hybrid SSD are noticeable, but minimal. However the jump from a standard HDD or hybrid SSD to an entirely SSD for your main drive will be like night and day. At minimum, you can save that money for the SSD in the future.

If you plan on going with SC2 I'd go for the 560m. The i5 will be plenty for this game and you'll only be shown up in benchmarks. Whooptie do.

However if you're not concerned with maxed out settings, the 555m will be plenty to play on medium - high settings.

EDIT:

And I agree, if gaming isn't your main thing, I'd not fret the IC Diamond 7 compound, it will barely get used (AKA it is most useful when gaming to keep you down a few degrees).

 

I ordered my 8130 with the i7-2630, regular 500GB hd and regular wireless card. Chose not to get Windows with mine because, hey, Microsoft still likes my old college e-mail that I still have access too. Saved $50 there and don't forget any free shipping options. Good luck on your choice!

Awesome not having to buy another thing to add to my clutter, although I have some NT-H1 if I ever feel the need to.