RAM, GPU, CPU.................Priority?

[Syd]

Almost at the point of ordering a laptop.

Gonna have to forfeit something, trouble is whats gonna make the most difference.

I figure a 1.6 core 2 Duo is good enough

1/2GB ram ?? thats the real question, will I notice the difference in Web browsing/Dvd Playback/World of Warcraft/Vista performance?

Video : 8400MGS/8600MGT/X1700

It's now a toss up between a Dell 1520 with:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5450 (1.66 GHz,667MHz,2 MB L2 cache)
15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife™
1024MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x512]
nVidia® GeForce™ Go 8600M GT with 256MB DDR3 dedicated graphic memory


OR

Samsung R70 with:

Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 - 1.8GHz (x2), 800MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache
15.4" Super Bright Widescreen TFT (1280x800 - 16:10)
1024MB DDR2 (1x1GB)
NVidia GeForce 8400M 256MB TurboCache (128MB Dedicated)

OR

Asus F3Jp Laptop - F3JP-AP104C with :

Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 - 1.66GHz (x2), 667MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache
2048MB DDR
15.4" Widescreen TFT
ATI Radeon X1700 supporting 512MB HyperMemory

All approx 680 - 740

Anyone have any experience with anything like these???

I am really struggling to decide what to do so help is most gratefully rec'd

[staffsMike]

You will notice the difference between 1 and 2gb of ram in vista.

From that lot I think i'd get the dell but configure it with 1gb of ram on one stick then upgrade it yourself.. you can get a 1gb stick quite cheaply.

I wouldn't bother with the asus.

The samsung with 2gb would be the best day to day but pretty bad in games.

[Syd]

Thanks again staffsMike for the response.

Why would you leave the Asus, I'd heard that they were one of the best laptops to go for, seemed like the best value for money option.

Secondly do laptops have 2 slots of ram, and if thats the case would I not have to buy 2 x 1gb sticks if I went for the Dell?

The 2GB upgrade is £110, perhaps that is the better route, it's just pushing my budget up to £840

[staffsMike]

The asus laptops aren't always built as well as you my expect and their warranty service is truely shocking from what i've read.

Yeah pretty much all laptops come with 2 slots as long as they are reguar size. The problem is one slot is inside the laptop and the other is located at the bottom for typical user upgrades.

Assuming the one inside isnt welded in you can replace it..but its a lot of work and you may void your warranty by doing it.

You can usually configure dell like I said so you have 1gb as 1 x 1gb stick rather than the standard 2 x 512mb.. its a no cost option on most. That way you can just buy a second 1gb stick from where ever.

If you want to play games..especially direct x 10 games then you only have the choice of the samsung and the dell.

Personally I'd go with the dell as they have never let me down on warranty work..but i always go with next day onsite so take that with a pinch of salt.

The samsung looks the nicest but the 1.8 will almost certainly perform very simalarly to the 1.66 even with the lower FSB.