I need some help deciding which processor to pick

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  1. Posts : 23
    Windows 7
       #1

    I need some help deciding which processor to pick


    Hello everyone, I need some help deciding which processor to pick for the HP Envy 14 beats edition that I wanna get, I just need an explination of which processor is better and why:

    Here is the laptop

    The specs are gonna be: 6gb ram, 1gb ATI video card, 500 gb HD, 1366x768 LED display, and the processor is where I can't decide which one is better?

    I know the specs are not the best, but I also wanna get this laptop for the looks, and the Envy line is the best out there for the looks, excluding MacBooks.


    Anyways here are my options for the processor:

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-460M Dual Core Processor (2.53 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz Included in price

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-560M Dual Core Processor (2.66 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz +$100.00

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-580M Dual Core Processor (2.66GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.33GHz +$150.00

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Quad Core processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.8 GHz +$200.00

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-740QM Quad Core processor (1.73GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz +$300.00

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-840QM Quad Core processor (1.86GHz,8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz +$600.00

    The ones with the red font are most likely the ones I'll be picking just for the price, but here comes the question I asked, is the best i5 better than the worst i7? and what is the main diff between a quad core and a dual core?

    Thanks in advance guys!
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  2. Posts : 1,496
    7 Ultimate x64
       #2

    What do you want the machine to do?
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  3. Posts : 1,849
    Windows 7 x86/x64, Server 2008r2, Web Server 2008
       #3

    Will you be doing alot of multi tasking?
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  4. Posts : 11,424
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64
       #4

    i7 - 740 for +300
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  5. Posts : 23
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #5

    %80 of my computer usage is basicly surfing the web, I don't play games, prolly like 1 game a year, all I do is go on the internet and download things, I also like customizing my pc, like putting themes, changing the icons, that's about it.
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  6. Posts : 1,849
    Windows 7 x86/x64, Server 2008r2, Web Server 2008
       #6

    I would go for the dual core unless you think some time down the line you may need extra horse power
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  7. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    What linnemeyerhere said. -
    If you are going to get a new computer don't limit your options. The i5 will do what you say you are doing now. But, what if 6 months from now you decide you want to do some other things - but you cant because your CPU isn't capable. My opinion is to get a computer that will enable you to do anything you might want to do.

    EDIT: to answer your question the best i5 won't match the worst i7.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 23
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #8

    So the worst i7 is better than the best i5?? How about like going on the internet, which one is going to load the sites faster? and isn't the quad processor better for multitasking only? like that's the only improvment over the dual?
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  9. Posts : 1,496
    7 Ultimate x64
       #9

    essenbe said:
    EDIT: to answer your question the best i5 won't match the worst i7.
    Come again?
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  10. Posts : 579
    Windows 7 64-bit Home
       #10

    if all you do is go on the internet, an i5 which i believe is quad core (unless the M "mobile" processors are different) is MORE than sufficent.. the processor has little to do with how fast a website will load

    edit: just read, aparently the i5M is a dual core, still you will be fine... read below

    you dont need to splurge for a better processor. even if you decide you want to do more intense things later on with your computer its not like it WONT do it.. just not as fast as possible

    some reasons to upgrade a processor would be: video editing, music production, CAD / CAM, heavy heavy multi tasking, photo editing, high def video transcoding

    things along those lines.. if you see your self doing that in the future but only sparingly then dont worry about it, your i5 will still do those things, it just may take 5 minutes to render a 3d landscape instead of 25 seconds...

    edit 2: if you can afford it then by all means go for the biggest and the best, then you can have that machine forever, but think about what you need and will possibly need for the next 5~10 years when you will be replacing that machine

    edit 3: oh, and to answer your question the main difference between a dual core and a quad core is the number of physical cores on the processor. the more cores the more instructions you can ram through the processor at a single time.
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