Ready to order - final questions

Here's my build:

- EUROCOM M571RU DIVINE-X; Silver Stripe & Silver Back Cover; 17-inch Widescreen with Glossy Surface; WUXGA 1920-by-1200 pixels
- Intel Core 2 Duo® T7500: 2.2GHz; FSB800; 4MB L2; 35W; 65nm; Micro-FCPGA
- 512MB DDR3; Nvidia GeForce Go 8800GTX; 16x PCIe; DX10; VGA Module (ETA: Dec 20, 2007)
- 2GB; 1x 2GB; DDR2-667; 200pin; PC2-5300 - 1 SODIMM
- 120GB; SATA-300; 7,200rpm; up to 3Gb/s; 8MB cache; 2.5-inch
- 8x Multi DVD +-RW/-RAM Burner; Dual-Layer; Tray-based; with Software
- 802.11n; up to 300Mbps; Wireless Wi-Fi; Gigabyte GN-WI06N-RH; PCIe Mini Card; 2.4 and 5GHz
- Bluetooth; internal USB module

TOTAL: $2,120

My questions:

1. In terms of performance, how much of a hit would I take going to a 5400RPM drive? I can get 40GB more storage for $25 less if I go that route.

2. Are there any problems with 802.11 N right now? I chose that card because I hear the Intel one isn't that good. Will I be able to connect to A/B/G networks without a problem?

3. How much of a performance hit will I take not running my memory in dual channel? I purposely got a single 2GB stick (only $10 more) so I can add a second one later for Vista 64-bit when it's matured.

4. Am I crazy or should I wait for Penryn since it's supposedly coming out in January? I can wait, I just don't want to

5. And lastly, any comments about Eurocom? I know their blantant advertising on this forum leaves something to be desired but it's the only place I can get the silver version of this model without paying a $2K markup from Rock. However, if I am going to have issues with them I'd rather go elsewhere and ditch the color.

Thanks!

 

imo i would wait. they have already stated the new 5792 will not be able to use the penryn bs if you ask me

 

first of all call eurocom for the -10% student discount if its not already done

2nd keep a 7200rpm drive... 40gig doesnt worth it a speed loss

3rd wifi draft N... A wall is a wall draft N or G it wont make a big difference... and our card arent compatible with the final N... i took the gigabyte card based on atheros... its suposed to have a larger range

4 dual channel ram or raid0 hard drive give no real performance boost..

5 next processor for laptop wont be here for janunary for sure (or i should say "buyable")...

6 eurocom is a canadian compagny... if you are canadian you already know that every law are on the consumer side... for me im not worried, if something go wrong i will just call them and say that i cancel everything, call VISA and cancel the payment, send back the laptop and shop somewhere else (but they are one of the big top3 so it should be ok).

if you want save extra dollar... ask them to send just 1x1gig ram, you will save 110$... with 110$ you can buy somewhere else 2x2gig (tigerdirect for exemple)..

Negociate + Shopping = Best Deal

 

4 dual channel ram or raid0 hard drive give no real performance boost..

Not true at all... Maybe in Gaming....when you need fps...
When levels load it makes a difference..

ALso I would take advice from people who have systems.

Joe

 

maybe you should read that... my little friend http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/17/parallel_processing/

 

I have read it...

You oviously don't understand what they mean...

Most of the bench marks are for video applications.....Hold on I will say it again.... Video applications.... Example... Games.

Because games are not multithreaded... You will really not see a difference..
In the future that will change.

I other applications say.... Multi-threaded applications... the quad core will destroy a dual core....

Now with the memory... What the hell are you talking about...
They are comparing single channel with dual channel... Not the memory clock rate...
When ordering you choose from the 800mhz version and the 667mhz.

Going with 800 versus the 667... Will make a difference....
It is also not explained in the article.. No benchmarks were compared.

Now for harddrives....

Raid 0 is alot faster depending on your applications.

For gaming... since most of the processing is put on the GPU.. It really won't make a difference...

When loading boards it will make a difference, because this is when you have to read from a harddrive....

Other applicaitons that are very hardrive intensive like VM's are noticably quicker..

Are you understanding now?

Harddrives are the slowest part in your computer...
RAID 0 helps this..... But is still the slowest component...

Also have you even used a machine with RAID?

I have a D901C and can tell you from experience...

 

Here's a quote from the article you referenced..

The hard drive benchmark reflects what we were able to observe when loading game levels: a RAID setup completes such a task considerably faster than a single hard drive. However, stepping from two to four hard drives does not make much of a difference.

Should I look up the definition of cosnsiderably faster?

Joe

 

zfactor, where did you read this?
(I was very busy lately an not able to read all post on the forum...)

 

Don't do it. Stick with the 7200RPM. 40gb doesn't worth it. You need every bit of extra speed with those systems.

Sure. Pfff a wall is a wall... I'm just LMAO over this one ... N will give you more speed and more coverage. With my N setup at home, I can connect 4 floors above my router, which was impossible with G. My router is now in the basement, and I have a mezzanine over the room floor. So in a nutshell I can't connect no problem trough 3 floors in a 18' townhouse.

G compatibility is garanteed. N is less. Make sure you have compatible hardware (router and cards).

Not a big hit, but it's a hit. About 5%. In a framerates, it could mean what, like 2-3 FPS? It's safe if you wanna be upgradeable.

I wouldn't... There's always something new around the block every 3 months dammit. Please yourself ... You'll get a beast anyway.

I am a canadian client and been totally satisfied. Yeah their new salesmen are sometimes less flexible and non willing, but when I bought mine I was treated like a king and fell like an important client, even tough I managed to deal every dollars out of it.

As for their tech support, got myself a new mobo, a new HDD and a new ODD under their warranty in no time. They always shipped extra fast and the mobo replacement took a week at most, from the day I sent 'til the day I got it back, and this was with a B/O situation.

 

Alrighty, looks like I am ready to order. Now I just have to wait for the 8800m.

 

Hrm they told me the student discount was 5%