Laptop Choice - Your Opinion

Basically, which laptop would offer overall best performance? One has newer CPU with faster RAM but the other has a dedicated GPU and bigger HDD.

Would the newer CPU / faster RAM outweigh the dedicated video card??

Not for me, and i know there's other models / manufacturers etc

Model 1
Inspiron 17 Intel Core i
The new Inspiron 17, with a new look and new features, like the HDMI port to connect to your HDTV!
Intel® Core™ i3-330M (2.13Ghz, 4Threads, 3M cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
17.3" WLED High Definition + (1600 x 900) TFT Display with TrueLife™
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator HD
3072MB 1067MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [1x1024 + 1x2048]
250GB (5,400rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive
DVD +/- RW Drive (read/write CD & DVD)
1 year of coverage included with your PC
McAfee® Security Centre™ 15-month subscription
Includes Antivirus Upgrade Valid until 10/02/2010 Price From £449


Model 2
Inspiron 17
The ATI graphics card adds a new level of detail to your media experience: movies, games, pictures.
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor T4400 (2.2GHz, 800MHz, 1MB cache)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64bit- English
17.3" WLED High Definition + (1600 x 900) TFT Display with TrueLife™
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330
3072MB 800MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [1x2048 + 1x1024]
500GB (5400RPM) Serial ATA Hard Drive
DVD +/- RW Drive (read/write CD & DVD) with DVD Burn software
1 year of coverage included with your PC
McAfee® Security Centre - 15 Month Protection - English
Get Free Shipping Valid Until 10/02/2010
Save £114 (Inc Vat) until 10/02/2010
Get Free Colour Upgrade until 10/02/2010
Includes Antivirus Upgrade Valid until 10/02/2010

Model 2 - Simply because of the graphics card (its not shared), and the dual-core processor.

Depends what they're doing...

If any gaming is involved then go for 2 (graphics based) If not - they'll see much better multitasking from Model 1. Hard drive wise - they're the same spindle speed, with the 320 being slightly denser (assuming the 500 is more platters) so the 320 will probably technically run slightly faster seek times, but not to a noticable degree.

Feel free to correct me on my hard drive knowledge...

ICTSM - the dual core CPU might be good, but compared to the i3 in model one (quad thread) it's at a disadvantage in this comparisson

I was asked an opinion, which I gave openly and honestly. I do not need to see your opinion of my opinion. Keep it in a PM if you must.

However, in answer to your opinion, for me the devil is in the detail...and have yet to see a multi-threading PC operate faster than dual or quad processor. When I do, my opinion may change.

Wow - my apologies if that came accross as a personal attack...

I was addressing it in the context of this thread - I agree entirely with threaded cpus not quite being up to multicore cpus, however the i3-330m is a dual core chip, with 2 threads per core, so will be inherently faster than the older tech Dual core pentium, which was a model level below even the Core2Duo. You're also looking at triple the cache on the i3.

Again this may come off as an opinion of your opinion - but I struggle to see what else a forum is for other than trying to offer the OP as much information as possible from varying points of view. If I hadn't addressed the point you'd made - I wouldn't have been able to justify the point I was trying to make in saying that the i3 is a better CPU. (Which I can go and grab benchmarks for if you require)

RwD

Option 1 general use

Option 2 Games

The Core i3 (2 cores with 2 threads per core) in option 1 should thrash the one in option 2