Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Help me choose these two laptops

Jul 19, 2017 3:49PM PDT

Hello. This is my first post on this site. The reason I am here is because I needed help choosing between these laptops I found on the net with same price tag but little different specifications from more tech savvy people.

So the first laptop specs are as follows:
# 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-7200U Processor (3MB Cache, up to 3.10 GHz)
# Windows 10 Home 64-bit English
# 8GB Single Channel DDR4 2400MHz, up to 16GB
# 256GB Solid State Drive
# AMD Radeon™ R7 M445 Graphics 4G GDDR5

Second laptop specs:
# Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz to 3.5GHz with Turbo Boost
# Windows 10 (64 bit)
# 8GB RAM
# AMD Radeon R7 M445 4GB DDR3.
# 1TB HDD

So both are for the same price and the two differences I was concerned with are the processor and gpu. So the processor is better on the second one but apparently since the first has a DDR5 gpu, its much better than the DDR3 on the second laptop? which should i buy between these laptops and if you could also explain why. thank you.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
The short reason is
Jul 19, 2017 3:58PM PDT

That for graphics performance there's a lot of memory access. DDR5 is that much better so it should win any benchmark and deliver better 3D (aka gaming) results.

But let's check that GPU.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-R7-M445-Gaming-Benchmarks-and-Specs.195642.0.html finds this is unacceptable for gamers I know.

OK for say The Sims.

The DDR3 based model at https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-R7-M440-Benchmarks-and-Specs.169455.0.html shows so much red that this would be for say video play and spreadsheets.

- Collapse -
thanks for the reply!
Jul 20, 2017 7:20AM PDT

is that really going to make that much of a difference? isn't the i7 and i5 going to make any difference? also i noticed the DDR3 gpu they tested on is a 2GB one. the one i am thinking of buying is a 4GB. will this improve the fps? will a 4GB DDR3 gpu perform better than a 2GB DDR3?

my heart is kinda set on the i7. i am not much of a gamer but i am planning on playing odd bit of games when i can. the i5 processor does come with 256GB SSD so this will make the computer produce less heat and noise? if i am correct?

- Collapse -
I offered links to show these don't game.
Jul 20, 2017 7:35AM PDT

As to the i5/i7 and frames per second, somewhere about the i5-2500 could drive a trio of GPUs at full tilt so there is plenty of CPU horsepower at the i5 model and changing it to the i7 rarely gains you significant frames per second.

As to heat and noise, yes a SSD can help. SSDs however give you an overall benefit of fast startup and shutdown times so you get more use out of your PC since you don't dread turning it on and waiting.

TL;DR. Models given so far are not gamers. SSD is preferred.

- Collapse -
definitely not gaming computers.
Jul 20, 2017 8:03AM PDT

haha. yea definitely not gaming computers. thanks for the help. (no sarcasm intended). seriously though thanks. i guess i'll spend the money on booze and hookers.

- Collapse -
That's what I did.
Jul 20, 2017 8:44AM PDT

When I bought Fallout Las Vegas.

If you are not gaming, a plain i5/i7 with the usual 2 sticks of RAM (8GB please) and SSD gives us a very nice experience. The models you supplied had GPUs onboard so when members ask for comparison I find they are asking about game performance.

To answer I give links when possible to vet my answers.

If gaming is not the goal, shop around for an i5/i7 with 2 sticks of RAM (8GB total or better), SSD and I have yet to find a model with this that folk don't hate.

- Collapse -
sorry if i came across rude.
Jul 20, 2017 9:58AM PDT

yea that was the main reason why i came here. i wanted to hear opinion from people who know more about computers than i do. and all i know is that ram stands for random access memory. i wanted to ask how would these two computers perform if i were to use them for playing games and u have answered it for me.
i suppose it would be better to spend a few quids more and buy an entry level gaming computer. or i'll spend the money on cheap booze and hookers. funny thing is i've never had a gaming computer or a hooker ever in my life. but im determined to find out what it's like having either one in the next few weeks.

- Collapse -
For gamers. My advice
Jul 20, 2017 10:22AM PDT

Is to shop the models with the Nvidia 1050 GPUs. That gets you good performance and don't have to break the 1K buck mark (USD.)

My current work and game laptop is an Asus ROG from a year ago with the 960m but upgraded to SSD (just 512GB by Samsung.) It came with a rather nice i7 and 16GB DDR4.

It's very very nice and the base machine was right at 1K. I'd buy their newer 1050 based model if I had to replace this.

- Collapse -
Answer
M445/ddr3
Jul 20, 2017 11:35AM PDT

Where did you see this?
Post a link.

- Collapse -
link
Jul 20, 2017 1:58PM PDT
- Collapse -
better one
Aug 8, 2017 4:21AM PDT

it does not matter how much ram or what motherboard there is or even is it i7 or i5.
ur graphic card is the one that matters cz u can chance everything else, but when g-card is old in lap u cant do s-hit to it. u can get better ram and motherboard for 100usd but u cant chance g-card