Curse

Apoc · Jul 24, 2009, 03:52 PM // 15:52

I'm about to buy a new laptop for uni and *gasp* I have a dilemma.

I'm currently eyeing a lappy from Asus and it offers two models: one with a T6500 CPU (950$) and the other with a P8700 (1150$). I know the latter is faster, less power-hungry and produces less heat but is it worth the extra money? My budget is about 1000$ and can always dish out a bit more.

Now you're wondering what I'll do with the laptop. I'm a casual gamer and my main games are Guild Wars (duh), CS:S and TF2. Though, I'll probably play some CoD4 and Mass Effect (surely the most intensive games I'll play for the next couple of years). With uni, I won't play much anyway.

Other than games, I frequently use Photoshop. I also work with IDEs for my software classes (Visual Studio) for the usual debugging and compiling/decompiling. I might do some desktop virtualization and Compiz/Fusion on Linux.

Do those things require a P8700 or is the T6500 will do just fine? I want my lappy to last through my four years of uni and I'm not sure if the T6500 will have enough power juice.

Thanks for your suggestion!

rb.widow · Jul 24, 2009, 04:05 PM // 16:05

Do you have a link to the laptop you are looking at, the CPU is really going to depend on what other hardware relies on it.

Apoc · Jul 24, 2009, 04:44 PM // 16:44

Asus F50SF-X1 (T6500):
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220559

Asus F50SF-A1 (P8700):
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220560

They pretty much have the same specs, except for the CPU. My choice could have been much easier if the 7200rpm HDD was only for the A1 model.

Quaker · Jul 24, 2009, 05:38 PM // 17:38

The P8700 should outperform the T6500 by more than just the clock speed would suggest. It also has a faster buss speed and larger cache. Also, since it is less power hungry, it should provide a longer battery run time (all else being equal). The P8700 laptop also comes with a carry bag and a mouse, which takes up part of the $200 difference.

Apoc · Jul 24, 2009, 08:26 PM // 20:26

Heh, actually, the carrying bag and mouse come with both models. Asus laptops usually come with them.