Solved Various questions

[gabe22]

Hi

I'm thinking to get a new system and I was thinking if I could use the windows that I got with my present system purchase, can I? note that I didn't get any windows disks, the system came pre installed.
Also I'm wondering if I can use the key from my present installation on separate windows 7 installation? if yes, where/how do I find the key?

About the new system, I'm thinking to get: Notebooks & Ultrabooks | X555LF | ASUS Global , the i3 version with the following specs:

Processor Speed 2.10 GHz, 3M Cache Processor Intel Core i3 5th Gen 5010U Storage 1 TB SATARAM 4 GB Graphics card NVIDIA® GeForce® 930M with 2GB DDR3 VRAM
Is it good? I'm thinking get another 4gb as in use 2x 4gb ram 1600mhz and repalce the 1TB HDD with a 256 SSD

What would be the performance differenace between this system (ASUS X555LF, i3 5th gen) and my present system (Dell Studio XPS L502X, i7 2nd gen, 8gb), I did some research and found this: PassMark - CPU Performance Comparison[]=878&cmp[]=2467 .. this is a comparison between my present processor and the new i3 one, ... any insights?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The i3-5010u scores 3029 on that benchmark. I can't tell the score on the i7 you have because you didn't provide enough info. Most i7s will score higher than most i3s, but if all you are doing with the PC is email and browsing, you probably wouldn't notice the difference.

If the score differences were say only 1000 points, you might not notice it.

You might be better off just putting an SSD in the old machine or buying a new i5 rather than an i3. That might be more likely to make a difference.

What are you trying to do with the old machine that it doesn't do well enough?

Generally speaking--you can't move a Windows license to another machine unless it's a "retail" license. The Windows that comes pre-installed from the factory isn't going to be retail. Think of it as "one license---one machine". Even if you had a retail license, it would be "one license--one machine at a time"--which would mean you could move it to another as long as the older machine is no longer in use.

 

[AddRAM]

No, you can`t legally use the windows license from the Dell on the Asus.

The Asus will come with Windows on it, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[gabe22]

Thanks for the info about windows.

About the system:
Well I really like the system that I have right now, other than the battery .. that just sucks but still I would say the system is great.

I'm actually being forced to change the system because last year I dropped the system from my desk and ever since then there has been number of issues such as:
> The built in dolby surround sound system got damaged from the fall and as dell doesn't have any official presence in my country so ... I cant get it repaired, I tried with local dealers of dells and requested if they can fix this .. but so far no luck
> HDD got damaged too I think, this is the part that I'm not so sure about ... I mean its been about 4 years I'm using this system and last 3 years it was great .. ever since the fall ... my system got really slow .. something like 40% slower than its original performance(before I dropped it).
> Overheating: this was an issue from the beginning but after the fall the system seems get over heated within a rather short time period and also even when in passive mode (as in not doing anything other than probably running a download or watching a movie/tv show) ... the system still gets to 55-60 and up and when gaming it gets to 90 and up
> And the graphics card model is rather old, I have fps issues on many modern games ... even with games such as Archeage my system just shuts itself down with lowest settings after like 5 hours of gaming.(not sure if there is another issue involved here this started after the fall mostly)

I don't really need a new system but with these issues, I cant seem to find any other viable options, I mean I already thought about what you suggested, as in getting a 256 or 512SSD but .. that probably won't fix my systems other issues mentioned above.

So I had a chat with a local store and they suggested I should sell my present system at its present state ... which would get me something around: $375 and I can get the Asus system for around: $540 and with SSD and such probably around $675 .. that means ... I'm basically spending $300 for a low powered system that my present one (which is rather stupid I know) but there is the fact of the issues with my system that I can't get fixed .. so I'm $300 for a safe & decent enough system to keep things running for a while.

And that made me think although the Asus X555LF doesn't have a good processor but i3 really isn't that bad ... the cache is low yes that sucks but you get what you pay for I suppose.
As the system offers GeForce® 930M with 2GB DDR3 VRAM with 8gb ram and with added 256 or so SSD .. it should perform well (just thinking, not sure) for atleast 1 year or so ... and then I'll probably sell it and get a new system.

My uses for the system is mostly ...
> Work related stuff, among them only thing that would require a decent system would be photoshop
> Gaming .. Mostly I play Online games & MMO's such as: DOTA2, RIFT, EOS (pretty much all latest mmos if i like them and ofcourse there is fact of .. can the system run it smoothly? is my bandwidth sufficient for this game?)etc.
> Finally watching anime, tv shows and so on ...

So photoshop+games(mostly games) would require a decent system and I was thinking based on the config although the ASUS system lacks on processing power .. its has decent enough components on the other criteria ...

I know probably with most modern games or the upcoming ones I'll have to play on lower settings with the new system but I don't really mind and ofcourse probably my games would load a bit slow because of the processing power (sometimes, mostly games with high requirements) but with SSD it should .. help .. even if its a little bit.

Finally I have nothing against i5 buts its gonna cost another extra $200, I don't wanna spend it unless I really have to .. suggestions?

 

[gabe22]

@AddRAM : I thought so too but I was told by the local store guy that the ASUS system doesn't offer free windows or any OS for that matter, so I'll have to pay extra like $100 for the windows, thats why I was wondering if I could use the one I have on the new system but as its not legal I suppose ... I'll have to purchase a new one.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Well, if it's mostly for gaming it's tough for me to recommend any notebook or laptop.

I'd try to settle on one photoshop/gaming desktop and then stay with what I had for a portable machine--rather than trying to turn a notebook/laptop into a photoshop/gaming machine. Even if that meant doing nothing for 6 months or a year while I saved money to get the desktop.

But you may be one of those people who absolutely has to have just one PC and that can't be a desktop. That's OK if you've got very low expectations.

 

[AddRAM]

The only way to fix the Dell would be to buy a new motherboard, but it`s 4 years old and not worth it.

Never seen a pc sold without an operating system, ya I know they`re out there, I would just keep shopping.

No one says you have to install Windows, you can always install Linux, it`s free.

But I would just keep shopping, can`t you find anything online to be delivered ?

 

[gabe22]

Well I used to have desktop before this present system and I know desktops outperform laptops when it comes to gaming but I need the portability and also there is the fact of electricity, here in my country we lose power atleast 4/5 times a day .. randomly and sometimes it comes back within like 30min and sometimes for 1.5hours ... and with desktop the only possible solution I have is to get a UPS which would cost atleast $500+(to last about 2hours) because the desktop will most likely be a gaming rig and thus it will require more power ..

Also there is the fact of liquid cooling cooling system laptops cost ridiculously high here in my place ... absurd but this is just how it is.

So I'm thinking to settle for a laptop with decent enough config to get things rolling ..
But I just wanna know how low is it really(if its too shitty, I suppose I can get the i5 version) .. im not that techy when it comes to hardware stuff .. ideas?

 

[AddRAM]

You don`t liquid cool a laptop, you just buy a chill pad, they are cheap, you sit the laptop on top of it.

An i5 is absolutely fine for gaming.

And you don`t need a UPS to last for 2 hours, if you loose power it just keeps the pc running until you shut it off, your pc will only be running if you are using it.

No way do you need a UPS that cost $500

Where do you live ?

Find a laptop with a good i5 in it and 8 GB of ram and Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, that`s all you need.

And don`t ever get a Dell again

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you have a tight budget and this is primarily a gaming machine, you're probably better off getting a mid level i3 rather than an i5 and using the saved money toward better graphics.

But maybe you don't have that kind of flexibility on laptops? Maybe you can't get higher quality graphics on an i3?

If you can afford the i5 with better graphics, go ahead with that. But gaming is more dependent on the graphics capability, so if you have to sacrifice somewhere, I'd cut back on the CPU rather than the graphics. I'd probably even do without an SSD if necessary on a cheap gaming machine laptop.

Just don't expect to use it for the latest games or at the highest settings. Keep your expectations down. I assume you're not going to go out and buy a so-called "gaming laptop" for $1000 plus.

 

[gabe22]

Linux .. I'm too lazy to familiarize myself with a new OS ... gonna stick with windows .. atleast for now.

I found a couple of great config systems .. I mean really good configs, downside is .. firstly there is about a 15% tax on laptops(applies for every shipment, even on returns, stupid I know but thats just how it is).
Then there is the fact of "if something goes wrong with the system" ... I'll have to ship it back to the company ... and international shipping cost is rather high, somewhere around $50 on each shipment .. so basically 1 issue means 2shipment, resulting in 100 bucks ... being spent and my max budget is $1000, I think spending $100 on each shipment is a bit too much for $1000 system.

Thats why I started looking into local stores.

Also I did some research and it seems what we have locally is ...
> Dell: battery life sucks and heating problem(based on personal experience and many other online reviews), so I'm trying to skip this one
> Alienware: the only a few models available with prices over $1700(cant afford em)
> Fujitsu: price to components ratio is just not right
> HP: not a big fan of HP as couple of friends bought HP and so far bad reviews.
> Acer: Never used it, totally clueless about it.
> MSI: cheap ones aren't that good and well the good ones are out of my present budget
> Lenevo: good config, good reviews but on price to components(parts) ratio Asus seems to offer better price.
> Apple: no way lol, not for me

 

[AddRAM]

Do not get an i3 and I`d go with an HP, I have 2 HP`s they work great, my daughter wore out the screen hinges on one before anything else ever went wrong with it, and nothing ever did.

They are under the bed, I hate laptops :shock: I only use it if I need it for a job.

 

[DavidE]

@AddRAM : I thought so too but I was told by the local store guy that the ASUS system doesn't offer free windows or any OS for that matter, so I'll have to pay extra like $100 for the windows, thats why I was wondering if I could use the one I have on the new system but as its not legal I suppose ... I'll have to purchase a new one.

The link in Post #1 to the Asus laptop shows the Operating System is Windows 8.1

I would ask the local store why they said it doesn't include an OS and it costs extra.
Maybe they made a special purchase with no OS to lower the cost ???

If you do buy a PC/Laptop with Win 8.x, make sure all drivers are available for Win 7 if that is the OS you want, and the PC supports Win 7.

 

[gabe22]

@ AddRAM
I have have this cooler one Logitech N100 Cooling Pad (Wit) - Prijzen - Tweakers and it doesn't do much, probably gonna get different cooler.
I'm located at Bangladesh.

@ ignatzatsonic
About upgrading graphics card, if I could I definitely would do that but I already asked about it with local vendors and so far .. no luck. No one is willing to change Laptops graphics card.

Also I was thinking to get 16GB ram but this model supports 8GB only ..

And finally thats why I decided to get SSD .. cant upgrade ram/graphics card .. so I thought about boosting the data read/write speed a bit .. should boost overall system performance(quite a lot) and gaming performance(not sure how much impact would an SSD make on this system but I'm hoping atleast 10% performance boost maybe? or is it too much?)

@ DavidE

Your guess is as good as mine, I thought the same when I was checking Asus official site ... I'm gonna ask the vendor about it next time I'm on the store.

 

[AddRAM]

You don`t need 16 GB of memory.

 

[gabe22]

With my gaming priority .... on the Asus X555LF

How much of an impact would an i3 make? as in being an i7 user, going down to i3 ... I'm guessing I would probably suffer from processor performance(more or less)

Or in other words
How much of an impact would an i5 make? ofcourse this will be better than an i3 but considering my usages .. do I really need an i5?

 

[gabe22]

BTW I was thinking .. what if I just place a fan like this under the laptop .. would it help keeping temp down better than those tiny little cooler fans?

 

[AddRAM]

Oh ya that fan will help :roflmao:

An i3 is only a dual core, an i5 is a quad core.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Games will load faster with an SSD, but I don't think gaming performance will improve much.

Try to get a firm price on 2 machines from whatever suppliers you have.

1: i5 without SSD

2: i3 with SSD

For gaming purposes, you might prefer 1 rather than 2 if they were the same price. A non-gaming grandmother might prefer 2.

 

[gabe22]

Yes i3 > i5 > i7 ... , not being a smartass but I know that .. what I would like to know is .. with my present usages .. do I need i5? or would an i3 suffice?

On a percentile basis .. how much boost can I expect form a i5 processor from the same system?

About the fan .. another thing thats been bugging me ... would it create too much dust(considering the size and spinning rate)?