i5-3337U + 32GB SSD vs i7-3537U + No SSD.

[Cowboy Brian]

I am purchasing a laptop today! Finally it feels like. Took a good month or so of looking until I found one. I have chosen the Lenovo U410 however I must choose between the model with the I5 3337U and the 32GB SSD or the model with the I7 3537U and no SSD.

Any advice?

 

[Rack]

32G is pretty small, pretty much just room for the OS then you'd have to put all your programs on the HDD.


I had a set up like that but didn't like it. Went ahead and got a bigger SSD and put a couple of my favorite game/programs on it and the rest on the HDD.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

32G is pretty small, pretty much just room for the OS then you'd have to put all your programs on the HDD.


I had a set up like that but didn't like it. Went ahead and got a bigger SSD and put a couple of my favorite game/programs on it and the rest on the HDD.

Yeah it looks like it would just be the OS and Excel/Photoshop/Word which is fine with me. I don't game nearly as much as I used to. Starcraft 2 and Civilization V are my only pc games and either rig would have no problem running those games.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I went SSD on mine. I had the choice of 128GB or 256GB. I went with the 256GB.

 

[9darter]

I am purchasing a laptop today! Finally it feels like. Took a good month or so of looking until I found one. I have chosen the Lenovo U410 however I must choose between the model with the I5 3337U and the 32GB SSD or the model with the I7 3537U and no SSD.

Any advice?

Go with the higher clock speed and more smart cache (the i7 3537U).

I don't care for these hybrid drives. Yes, they start up faster. But once you get your laptop started, I don't see the value. And you won't be able to install anything on the SSD, it's there for the OS.

 

[9darter]

I went SSD on mine. I had the choice of 128GB or 256GB. I went with the 256GB.

He's talking about a hybrid drive vs. a traditional (mechanical) hard drive.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Go with the higher clock speed and more smart cache (the i7 3537U).

I don't care for these hybrid drives. Yes, they start up faster. But once you get your laptop started, I don't see the value. And you won't be able to install anything on the SSD, it's there for the OS.

That is what I am leaning towards. I don't see the practical use for the SSD in my case except for the quicker startup time and the excel speediness, even then I think the benefit of having the i7 outweighs it. I'm not the most advanced in hardware though so seeking as many opinions as I can get.

I just figure that even 20 seconds to load isn't really that long to me, it doesn't need to be 5 seconds. Sure it is cool to go from your backpack to on Chrome in 5 seconds but it doesn't really matter.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1632830/3337u-32gb-ssd-3537u-ssd.html

the people on my tomshardware thread seem to be advising to opt for the SSD however.

 

[Hoofbite]

He's talking about a hybrid drive vs. a traditional (mechanical) hard drive.

I thought he was talking about having an SSD or not having it (at the expense of processing power) in addition to a standard HD.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

I thought he was talking about having an SSD or not having it (at the expense of processing power) in addition to a standard HD.

Yep. Either machine comes with a 1TB HD. One comes with the I7 and the other with the I5 + SSD.

 

[Hoofbite]

Would it not be an option to go without the SSD and then add it on later yourself?

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Would it not be an option to go without the SSD and then add it on later yourself?

I have never worked with laptop hardware. I am sure I can have someone add it on later on. How much would it run to buy a 128 gb ssd and have someone install it?

How much of a hassle would it be to move the files from the HD over to the SSD?

 

[Hoofbite]

I have never worked with laptop hardware. I am sure I can have someone add it on later on. How much would it run to buy a 128 gb ssd and have someone install it?

How much of a hassle would it be to move the files from the HD over to the SSD?

Honestly, you could look for step-by-step instructions online that walk you through the whole process.

Not that difficult. You could look at newegg to see the price of the SSD. Who knows what someone would charge you to install it.

I'd rather take my chances and have some confidence in my ability to read and following instructions than pay someone to do it. I'd bet half the overall cost would be in paying the person. Might as well double your SSD size.

As far as moving files.........I dunno. Drag and drop. Re-install. Not exactly circumnavigating the earth or anything.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Honestly, you could look for step-by-step instructions online that walk you through the whole process.

Not that difficult. You could look at newegg to see the price of the SSD. Who knows what someone would charge you to install it.

I'd rather take my chances and have some confidence in my ability to read and following instructions than pay someone to do it. I'd bet half the overall cost would be in paying the person. Might as well double your SSD size.

As far as moving files.........I dunno. Drag and drop. Re-install. Not exactly circumnavigating the earth or anything.

I only asked as I didn't know if it would be that easy to move a windows install from a HD to a SSD; obviously moving a game would be quite simple

 

[Rack]

I have never worked with laptop hardware. I am sure I can have someone add it on later on. How much would it run to buy a 128 gb ssd and have someone install it?

How much of a hassle would it be to move the files from the HD over to the SSD?

I'd still keep your data files on a HDD, just get the i7 and add a separate SSD later (assuming there's to HDD slots. Even nowadays though, a few laptops only have one slot).

 

[Teren_Kanan]

SSD is probably one of the best pieces of hardware I've ever gotten. The difference will likely be more noticeable than the processing power. That being said, I'd personally get the i7 and buy a separate SSD.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

SSD is probably one of the best pieces of hardware I've ever gotten. The difference will likely be more noticeable than the processing power. That being said, I'd personally get the i7 and buy a separate SSD.

I had 2 vaio z series models.

Vaio i7 with regular 500 gb HD

and

Vaio i7 with 256gb ssd

The ssd blows away regular HDs.

I would go i7 w/ 256 ssd

Or

The i5 model w/ ssd

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Ended up purchasing from Newegg- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834310652

with a two year accidental warranty it came to $698 after tax, shipping and handling (saved $200 vs buying direct from Lenovo and only lost 2 GB in ram. )

This sale being emailed to me today made the decision alot easier, ended up getting the i5 with the SSD since it was a tough decision when they were the same price, but saving 200 made it very easy lol.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

i5, price and SSD = you win!

Ended up purchasing from Newegg- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834310652

with a two year accidental warranty it came to $698 after tax, shipping and handling (saved $200 vs buying direct from Lenovo and only lost 2 GB in ram. )

This sale being emailed to me today made the decision alot easier, ended up getting the i5 with the SSD since it was a tough decision when they were the same price, but saving 200 made it very easy lol.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

i5, price and SSD = you win!

Yup!

Thanks everyone for advice.