Configuring 1420 Need Final tips

Guys, I plan to configure my 1420 with the following options:

I have some other optional upgrades I am looking at:
1. Upgrade to T7100 (1.8 GHz, 2MB Cache, 800 MHz FSB) - will require me to shell out an additional ~ $170 equivalent.
2. Upgrade to 2GB (2 X 1024MB) 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM - will require an additional ~$95 equivalent.

Now of the above 2, which one would you recommend? I dont have enough cash to do both! (usage - multimedia/ downloads/ may carry it to a college next year)

 

Between the two, upgrade to 2GB

 

How about an upgrade to T5450? Its gonna cost me an additional ~$115. Any difference with the T5250?

 

The RAM. Always choose the RAM when you have 1 gig. ALWAYS.

Processor won't matter as much, since most games will have a problem with your graphics before your processor. And watching things in 720p? Doable on the 1.6 ghz (.1 difference between mine that runs it just fine)

 

You can buy 2 gigs of RAM from a store like Newegg.com for 80-85 bucks, and that'd let you try to resell the 1 gig you get in the notebook. Doing so is extra-effective for people configuring notebooks where adding 2gigs of RAM is like a $150 increase, you seem to have a "reasonable" price on the Dell RAM.

As for the processor, the sweet spots seem to be the jump to 800mhz with 2mb cache and then the 800mhz with 4mb cache. The ones in the middle are just a minor processor speed increase, and while still an "upgrade" don't really seem worth the scratch.

You might want to consider the longevity of your system against the price of it. For instance, in my situation, I'm looking at a cheap $599 Vostro 1400 that comes with the 8400 graphics card but only the T5470 processor (1.6ghz, 2mb cache, 800mhz FSB). Upgrading to the T7300 (2.0, 4mb cache, 800mhz) costs a whopping 195 bucks, so that's a good 33% increase. Would having that extra processing power and the bigger cache really add that much longer to my system to warrant such a price increase? I think not; let's face it, all these laptops are gonna become a brick sooner or later, and for me, I like to err on the cheap side and buy more often, even though I'm still really stingy and that "more often" is multiple years

 

Thanks a ton guys!
Guess I will go for the 2GB RAM with the T5250. Am ordering tomorrow.
Guess will also choose Vista home premium over the basic (a $38 extra here in India, with the promo offers). Is the extra price for premium justified?

 

the ram depends on what system youre running...1 is enough for xp...i would go for a t7300 if ya can fish the money out of the couch or something

 

Definately. Premium is a hell of a lot better than basic.

 

need to bump this old thread.
is the intel media accelerator x3100 good enough to handle the vista basic?
am going for a 2 gb ram with C2D 5250.

 

Yh its more than enough for Viasta Basic, it will even run Vista Home Premium. But if you want to game then get the 8400 GS graphics card.