Laptop that won't break the bank/good performance

**Black Fox** · July 06, 2012, 01:37 PM

Does anyone know if this would be worth buying? And if it would run adobe software (like Illustrator) smoothly

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MSI-CX705M...ht_3045wt_1396

+rep for anyone that helps cheers

**Darkpriest667** · July 06, 2012, 03:19 PM

Its an Intel CELERON dual core.

Celeron is intel's lowest budget brand of processor. I would honestly recommend against this laptop for running adobe illustrator.

What's your budget?

**Black Fox** · July 06, 2012, 04:38 PM

I'm pretty much broke at the moment being a student, my budgets is £300 max maybe 400 i'm going abroad soon for a few months so I need one asap.

**Darkpriest667** · July 06, 2012, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Black Fox

I'm pretty much broke at the moment being a student, my budgets is 300 max maybe 400 i'm going abroad soon for a few months so I need one asap.

Is it to the United States? If so I would buy one when you get here. If its somewhere else then maybe CrazyEyes can help.

**Black Fox** · July 06, 2012, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Darkpriest667

Is it to the United States? If so I would buy one when you get here. If its somewhere else then maybe CrazyEyes can help.

No, its somewhere else. I went ahead and bought that laptop, what I plan to do is remove that CPU and replace it with a better one. Every other laptop for that price had a integrated graphics card *Le shudder*

**Tongera** · July 07, 2012, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Black Fox

No, its somewhere else. I went ahead and bought that laptop, what I plan to do is remove that CPU and replace it with a better one. Every other laptop for that price had a integrated graphics card *Le shudder*

I'm pretty sure CPU's in latops are wielded in place and cannot be replaced. I think also you can't replace CPU's in laptops.

**Bolkonsky** · July 07, 2012, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Black Fox

No, its somewhere else. I went ahead and bought that laptop, what I plan to do is remove that CPU and replace it with a better one. Every other laptop for that price had a integrated graphics card *Le shudder*

Return it.

1) If you need to ask for advice on a laptop, replacing it's way above your technical capabilities.
2) Your CPU probably isn't replaceable.
3) Even if it is replaceable, and you know how to, good luck finding a better one that's the same socket.
4) Even if there is a better one that's the right socket, good luck finding a place that sells it.

**Colossus** · July 07, 2012, 02:43 PM

Every other laptop for that price had a integrated graphics card *Le shudder*

The Intel HD 3000 chipset (found on sandy bridge processors) has exactly the same performance as the AMD HD 5450 you have just bought, so that statement is complete misinformed rubbish these days. Integrated graphics are perfectly capable of running adobe software, and have the benefit of much better power consumption and therefore noise and heat reduction.

Anything with an i3 2310M has a considerably better processor and the same graphical power, for a bit more than you paid. If you are willing to get a refurb, as with this, the difference won't be much at all.

**Colossus** · July 08, 2012, 11:53 AM

A couple of years ago that would have been true. Every time Intel release a new line of processors, they have a new graphics chip in them as well. If you can within your budget, make sure you get a sandybridge i3, so the 2310M, as that has HD 3000 graphics, which are fine. An older Arrandale i3 has worse graphics as you say, as well as obviously being a slower processor.

**karamazovmm** · July 08, 2012, 03:26 PM

arrrandale uses a bridge between the gpu that is in the die, and the cpu itself, SB was the first to integrate it in the cpu itself.

IVB is another big jump in performance. 50% over SB, over 100% against arrandale.

I would also recommend looking for i5 system due to turbo boost.

**Black Fox** · July 08, 2012, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mr MM

arrrandale uses a bridge between the gpu that is in the die, and the cpu itself, SB was the first to integrate it in the cpu itself.

IVB is another big jump in performance. 50% over SB, over 100% against arrandale.

I would also recommend looking for i5 system due to turbo boost.

Like this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hewlett-Pa...#ht_968wt_1396

or this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lenovo-Thi...#ht_856wt_1396

**karamazovmm** · July 08, 2012, 07:38 PM

I would go for the thinkpad edge

you can search for the new models with ivy, those are fairly cheap

**Colossus** · July 09, 2012, 05:45 AM

I would try and find something with at least a Sandy Bridge processor, both for performance and the graphics. The HP is arrandale. The Lenovo I'm not really sure. It says 2.13GHz in the spec (don't think there is an i5 with this clock speed...), but then 2.66GHz in the bit below. You really want to know the model number rather than the processor, although if it is a year old then it is probably Sandy Bridge.

In a way it is all just details; the laptop will do what you want. It's worth knowing what you are getting though, and obviously if you can get better for the price, then do.