CPU v. RAM

PRUNEFACE · #1 01-20-2009, 10:04 AM

Hey, not looking to get a laptop now or anything, but was just curious as to what you thought.

If getting an Alienware (or any highend brand) laptop and you had the option of getting a decked out model with Dual 512MB ATI w/Crossfirex (HD3870x2 I guess you could say), 4GB RAM, a Dual Core CPU 2.4gHZ and 3MB cache and Vista 64

or

a laptop with one 512MB ATI (HD3870), 2GB RAM a Quad Core 2.26gHZ and 12 MB cache and Vista 32.

EDIT: I'd prob go with the top one

MJ5150 · #2 01-20-2009, 10:09 AM

I try to make sure the RAM is higher than the CPU speed. Your first choice would be better in my opinion.

-Mike

Tsal · #3 01-20-2009, 10:16 AM

RAM should be easily expandable. Processor speed or GPU is not.

ianm76 · #4 01-20-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRUNEFACE

If getting an Alienware (or any highend brand) laptop and you had the option of getting a decked out model with Dual 512MB ATI w/Crossfirex (HD3870x2 I guess you could say), 4GB RAM, a Dual Core CPU 2.4gHZ and 3MB cache and Vista 64

The top one. More RAM is better especially considering the 64bit OS will be better able to take advantage of it. This is, of course, a general opinion without any knowledge of what you're using the machine for. In certain situations, the quad core processor may be better...

I'm glad you didn't ask for opinions of XP vs Vista...

Beno · #5 01-20-2009, 10:34 AM

Definitely the top one. A 2.4ghz processor and 4 gb of ram is a pretty good combo.

warnergt · #6 01-20-2009, 01:07 PM

I would go quad core. The higher end video looks like overkill to me. You can always add more RAM. Go for the max CPU power.

0fret · #7 01-20-2009, 01:11 PM

Go for MacPro

dave64o · #8 01-20-2009, 01:40 PM

If you're building a PC from scratch, then you can easily upgrade anything any time you like. However, if you're asking this question then I think it's a safe bet that you're not building your own PC.

Without knowing anything about what you plan to do on this PC (if all you're doing is surfing "pron" then both options are serious overkill

) I'd opt for the quad core PC. Memory is easy to add later if you need more. I'd also ask if you really need a high end graphics card. If not, I'd go for CPU first and then 4GB if I could afford it with the savings from the video card. Like memory, you can always upgrade the video card in the future if you need to.

For what it's worth, my home PC is a quad core with 2GB RAM and, so far, the audio and video processing I've done on it have been problem free. I've haven't seen it break a sweat yet. Photo processing is even less taxing on it.

geoff_in_nc · #9 01-20-2009, 01:59 PM

RAM is dirt cheap these days.

2GigaBytes of RAM at Tiger Direct these days is about $20-25 for DDR2, and about $30ish per GB for DDR3 memory.

Get the fastest CPU and upgrade the memory.

PRUNEFACE · #10 01-20-2009, 06:01 PM

Once again, not planning on getting one. I just wanted to know whether you guys would take the pimped Duo or the bare-bones Quad