Q: I plan to buy an HP Pavilion dv5t laptop with foll 2 config options: option 1: -Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz) (3MB L2 Cache) -4GB DDR2 RAM or option 2: -Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T9400 (2.53 GHz) (6MB L2 Cache) -3GB DDR2 RAM I will also include 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT in both cases. Which option should I go for, 1 or 2? Will the faster CPU and more cache give better performance over the extra RAM? I can't afford both of them. So please let me know, Thanks, Santosh
A: You won't notice any performance difference between the two CPU's You also won't notice any difference between the RAM unless you get Vista 64 which is about 20% faster than Vista 32 and can use all the RAM Vista 32 can only use 3.5 gig of RAM max and sometimes less depending on the video setup. The largest single factor in making your laptop feel fast will be a 7200 rpm hard drive so downgrade the CPU as much as needed to make sure you get a 7200 Also heat generation is such a problem in laptops that faster CPU's are run in all sorts of power saving modes that they are a waste of money in a normal laptop. You need a laptop with some good copper plumbing inside to take advantage of faster graphics and CPU -- two examples of that are Dell XPS M1730 and any Alienware...