Help me choose upgrades (CPU and Video Card) for Dell Vostro 1500

[Need4Deal]

Hi,

I am planning to buy Dell Vostro 1500 Laptop. Here is the default config:

Intel® Core? 2 Duo T5270 (1.4GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
160GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
8X CD/DVD Burner w/ double-layer DVD+R write capability
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

Now, consider the following upgrades:

a) Video Card:
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce? 8400M GS [add $99]

b) CPU:
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T5470 (1.6GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB) [add $75]
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T7250 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) [add $130]

1. If I upgrade the CPU and/or video card as above, will I get any SIGNIFICANT 'processing power' for Video Editing (capture video from camcorder, eiditng and burning to DVD's)? Please note that I am just a novice at video editing. I won't be doing any SERIOUS editing.

2. If I do get SIGNIFICANT benefit with the upgrades, which upgrades make sense?

3. Am I better off doing these upgrades after I buy the laptop (by looking for good deals on video cards, etc)?

Thanks.

 

[Brainonska511]

The only upgrades you could really do after getting the notebook would be the hard drive and the RAM. Anything else is either soldered or proprietary (GPU) or changing it will void the warranty (CPU).

What do you plan on doing with this laptop?

If you're not going to touch any games, stick with the integrated graphics; you'll get much longer battery time and it will run a little cooler.

CPU: I'd only bump this up if I had money to spare as there are better upgrades to do first - If you plan on gaming, allocate the money for the GPU first, then bump this up one notch if you have money to spare (or two if you want).

 

[Need4Deal]

Thanks for the information.

I am NOT going to be using it for gaming. It will be general purpose (web browsing, music, photo editing, word processing, CD/DVD burning, etc.).

I am thinking of doing some video editing ONLY IF one of the above upgrades is going to provide the necessary processing power. If it does not provide SIGNIFICANT benefit, I will not be using it for video editing. I will just go with integrated video card and the 1.4 GHz Core2Duo CPU.

So, does CPU or video card upgrades give me any additional benefit for video editing?

 

[Brainonska511]

Yes, video editing would benefit from a faster CPU. Faster GPU won't do anything for you.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The 1.4 GHz to 1.6 GHz CPU upgrade will only make a 14% difference in encoding speed, and will have no effect on disk I/O speed. So the increase in speed / decrease in time will be < 15%.

The jump from 1.4 to 2.0 GHz is a 42% increase in clock speed that will have a significant effect on video encoding speed.

The only benefit from the graphics card would be to get back around 32 MB of system RAM stolen by the intel motherboard graphics, which shouldn't matter when you have 2GB of RAM.

I'd go with the 2 GHz / $130 CPU upgrade.

 

[Need4Deal]

Thanks, DaveSimmons.

One more question:

I know there has been a debate about the issues with Vista.

Should I go for Windows XP Home or Windows Vista Permium and hope that Microsoft issues a Service Pack to address the issues (I am thinking that the service pack is free of cost)?

 

[DaveSimmons]

You might check that your software (editing and any camera drivers) works under Vista, but most of the complaints have been about gaming performance not general use. People using Vista for work have been much more positive than gamers.

XP sp1 and sp2 were both free upgrades to XP, and I have not read anything about Microsoft wanting to charge for Vista service packs.

Which means Vista is a fairly safe choice, but if you don't care about its eye candy and better (but annoying) security then XP is a known quantity and more mature.

 

[alm4rr]

the 1500s on the small biz site (as of earlier this week) came with the nvidia card w/o jacking $100

 

[accguy9009]

The Vostro should serve you well. If you are somewhat concerned about Vista now, but want the ability to use it at a later time after SP1 is released I suggest getting Vista Business and downgrading to XP Pro for a while.


http://www.computerworld.com/a...asic&articleId=9040318

:thumbsup:

However Dell does reccomend Vista Business for its business customers. Enjoy your new Dell.