Processor upgrade - Where do you stop?

I just ordered 6700t laptop and I am second guessing my processor decision.

I will be using the computer for email / web and some light gaming mostly older games such as battlefield, civ 4 maybe some Sims 2 if the mood strikes me.

I paid the extra $125 to upgrade from the t2370 to the t7250 which at the time I was a little hesitant about since I was trying to keep the price down. After I ordered it I was looking at the other options and for only another $50 I could go up to the t8100 and then another $50 would get me up to the t8300 and then $50 more for the t9300. Trying to keep the price as low as possible where should I stop? Did I make the right decision, or should I return it and go with something slightly faster?

Thanks!

 

This is always a valid question.

The CPU is only one factor in the overall performance. I think you are right to get up to the 2GHz level of the T7250. The performance difference between that and the T8100 will be minimal although the latter might have slightly lower power consumption better battery life (this partly depends on the voltage settings of individual CPUs). Thereon upwards the law of diminishing returns applies. Your next $50 would be better spent on having 2GB or more (if Vista) RAM and one of the better performing HDDs.

John

 

I was so disppointed that HP stopped offering the T7500, which I believe the current CPU sweet spot.

I 'd say if you are comparing between Pentium and Core2duo , go for the C2D.
But the T8100 is not much faster than the T7250, but just 50 bucks extra , then go for it since it is much newer.

Dell or Sony charges more than that for this kind of upgrade.

But then if you dont do lots of RAW file manipulation or video decoding stuffs , then maybe just get the cheaper one since 50 bucks is still lot of money.

 

90% of the time, your cpu will not run at full speed. it doesn't matter if you get a 1.8, 2.0, or 2.2... mobile cpus do not operate at full capacity most of the time.

this means that even if you spend hundreds of dollars on a faster cpu, it will STILL run at <1.0 ghz for most of the time.

 

Thanks for the great answers! I am going to keep the t7250 since I don't think the $50 and the hassle of returning and reordering would be worth it.