processor question and advice: new i5-560 vs older i7-620?

[dallascowboys]

Hello once again thinkpad family,

As I will be making a purchase soon, I pose yet another question:

Which processor would you get? the new i5-560 just came out but the i7-620 has been out for a while. Do yall think that the i7-620 is worth the extra $180? here are the specs on the processors:

Intel Core i5-560M Processor (2.66GHz, 3MB L3) [New]
Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB (add $180)

As you can tell they are very similar.

I do not edit HD videos but will be playing HD content a good amount and would like to play the occasional pc game from time to time. The other features on the configured laptop will be:

-4GB ram
-NVidia NVS 512 video card
-6300 wireless card
-500GB, 7200rpd Hard drive
-etc and etc.
Everything else on the laptop is pretty much top of the line, so should I just got all out and get the i7 just because?

What do yall think I should get?

[ThinkRob]

Well if you have the sort of money that allows you to spend an extra $180 "just because"... well... go for it.

Kidding aside, the real difference is going to be the extra 1MB of L3 cache -- but honestly, given that it doesn't seem like you've got a very CPU-intensive workload, I'd save the money. Both chips have loads of power, and even 1080p won't be a problem. Games? Sure, I suppose that some CPU-heavy games *might* get a bit of a boost from the i7's larger cache, but since gaming is mostly GPU-bound anyways, I'm not sure that it's worth it.

My advice? Save the money for other upgrades. $180 will get you a decent SSD, and that'll provide a *much* more noticeable speed bump.

[chairsky]

if you just need it to play HD, i3-330m is fair enough
if you are doing resource-consuming work on laptop, then go for i7-620m (it is the same generation compared to i5-560m, just released earlier).

i7-720m does not only has 1m L3 cache more, but also comes with higher turbo speed, and much lower latency when it is transferring data with the memory (only 1/4 latency time compared to i5 series).

Personally, I use matlab a lot, which requires higher frequency and less latency time, as huge data is transferring between CPU and memory in the process of simulation or calculation.

[dallascowboys]

I had an i7-740 on my Sony Vaio, and though the processor was fast, it was loud and caused the fan to run constantly. So many laptop options, hard to choose the right cpu

[Colonel O'Neill]

I had an i7-740 on my Sony Vaio, and though the processor was fast, it was loud and caused the fan to run constantly. So many laptop options, hard to choose the right cpu

You should remember that most VAIOs and ThinkPads belong in different classes especially in regards to the compromises made on the cooling and airflow systems for the purpose of aesthetics. Either function over form or form over function. Guess which one ThinkPads are?