[GRLUG] hardware specs help

[John-Thomas Richards]

On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 08:43:31AM -0400, Adam Tauno Williams wrote:
> On Mon, 2012-04-30 at 08:22 -0400, John-Thomas Richards wrote: 
> > LUG,
> > I am probably going to order a laptop today.  I have a question
> > regarding specs / performance.  I have my choice narrowed down to two
> > manufacturers.  The laptops have nearly identical specs with two notable
> > exceptions.  They are:
> > Laptop 1                        Laptop 2
> > ==============================================================
> > Core i3 2350M 2.3GHz            Core i5 2450M 2.50GHz
> > nVidia 540M 1GB                 Intel High Definition Graphics
> > $1,097                          $923
> 
> These prices seem very high.

They each have a 120GB Intel SSD and 8GB RAM.  Are they still high?

> > The only experience is have with Intel graphics is several years ago
> > when it was merely passable.  Is the Core i3/nVidia combo worth $174
> > over the Core i5/Intel HD combo?
> 
> NO WAY.
> 
> My mighty HP DV7-3085DX [an i7] which has nVidia graphics worked great
> with nouveau drives.  GNOME shell, multiple displays, as well as
> occasionally connecting to a projector.
> 
> Unfortunately she died [physically].
> 
> My new HP DV7-6B32US [an i7 as well] with Intel Graphics works
> flawlessly in GNOME shell and multiple displays.  I'd say that video
> performance is slightly almost, impercetably, less when the second
> display is added to the mix.  But having an i7 rocks;  you get more
> cores, on-board AES encryption/decryption, and VT support.
> 
> I prefer Intel graphics as I entirely avoid the nouveau vs. nVidia-BLOB
> driver issue.  Sometimes if you install the BLOB it is hard to get rid
> of the dratted thing and go back to the noueveau drivers (which for the
> DV7-3085DX worked *much better* when there was a second display).
> 
> And this i7 laptop cost me less than $800.  So those prices are too
> high.
> 
> > Both laptops come with Linux preinstalled.  If I go with the nVidia
> > system, I would run the binary drivers.
> 
> Ugh, I don't know why.  They may be 'faster' but for the flexibility of
> a laptop their support regarding external displays was very glitchy.

I've been using my i7/nVidia with external display each Sunday for the
past year with nary a problem.  My laptop is 1920x1080.  I *can't* use
an Intel graphics processor in this setup because I need a 1440x900
display to the right of it and Intel can do a max of 2048x2048.  I also
cannot go on top for the same reason.  (Has that limitation been removed
in the latest Intel HD graphics?)
-- 
john-thomas
------
Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.
Benjamin Franklin, statesman, author, and inventor (1706-1790)