Mobile CPU for gaming - i7 vs i5

[strange]

Hi

I'm looking at a new gaming laptop, can spec a gtx680m, but I'm unsure where to go with the cpu.

I play Guild Wars 2, Arma 2/Day Z and will be playing Borderlands 2 and Planetside 2. So generally more CPU intensive than some games.

From what I've read there's little benefit going i7, but thought it worth checking... I'm favouring the i5-3360M, but could choose from (all mobile chips):

i3 3110
i7 2670
i7 2760
i5 3360
i7 3520
i7 3612
i7 3720

Can anyone advise?

simonA

 

[james_2k]

depends what they charge you to upgrade.

imo get the fastest you can without paying too much. because of limited oc ability in most laptops.

and to upgrade the cpu late will cost you a lot. check on ebay/google for some examples. (if you can find anything at all)

 

[strange]

It's a Clevo, so I presume some OC possible (not sure I want to on a laptop though).

the i5-3360m (3.5Ghz) or i7-3610qm (3.3Ghz) are roughly the same cost-wise.

When you say fastest, you mean raw Ghz?

Ah, just read this:

"Desktop benchmarks between an i5 and i7 are irrelevant to mobile CPUs, desktop i5s are quad cores while mobile i5s are hyperthreaded dual cores which does make a difference. The i3 comparison is valid though as those are hyperthreaded dual cores."

I'd been assuming the argument for i5 vs i7 is the same for mobile, sounds like it isn't...

s

 

[Gerpur]

I would say i7-3610qm would be the best buy, being a quad core and you are going to run cpu intense games. Also the double size of L2 and L3 cache wont hurt. It has 45 TDP compared to 35 for the i5 3360 but since you are thinking about 680m, the cooling should be fine

If you can't get 3610, get the i7-3612qm, as it similar, running 0.2 GHz slower with 35 TDP.

Avoid i7 3520, as it is just dual core with hyperthreading.

 

[ChilledLJ]

I would pay more attention to the graphics when it comes to laptops i3. i5 or i7 are all plenty powerful enough for any gaming it will almost always be the GPU limiting you unless you have 680M SLI.
i3 and i5 are both dual core with hyperthreading. You can get quad core i7's and they are a much bigger upgrade over an i5 than an i5 is over an i3

 

[MagicBoy]

All mobile i5s are hyper threaded dual cores. Low end i7's are also. Only the i7-QMs are quad core.

Not familar with the games. If they perform better on a lower clocked quad than a high clocked dual core then you have your answer. Bare in mind the i7-3610QM is only 3.3GHz in turbo mode on a single core. Standard clock is 2.3GHz.

 

[james_2k]

I would pay more attention to the graphics when it comes to laptops i3. i5 or i7 are all plenty powerful enough for any gaming it will almost always be the GPU limiting you unless you have 680M SLI.
i3 and i5 are both dual core with hyperthreading. You can get quad core i7's and they are a much bigger upgrade over an i5 than an i5 is over an i3

not really true. i got cpu bottlenecked a few times with my 580m and 2720qm. the raw core speed which games need, isnt that high

 

[strange]

Thanks for all the help. The games I play - GW2, Day Z and 'potentially' Planetside 2 are all CPU intensive - and a 4g 680m shouldn't be holding them back...

Sounds like the i7-3610qm, unless there's a better similarly priced cpu!

strange