Would an HP Envy m6-n113dx work for me?

[handymanshandle]

So I plan on doing some work in Linux alternatives to Photoshop, Sony Vegas, Illustrator, Finale, Ableton Live and FL Studio, etc.

Though I was wondering is the APU in that laptop be sufficient for doing those things fairly well. I know in a laptop I'd be better off going with like an i5 or i7 with a GTX 860M on board but that is out my price range and if I recall Intel doesn't have a true quad core mobile CPU yet. 

I've heard HP's quality is questionable but I use an HP Pavilion g6 from 2011 (i5 2430M) which has fared pretty well. Also with my experience with AMD mobile APUs (My Samsung - A8 4500M and Lenovo - A8 6410M) that they're pretty good (or at least it seems) and frankly I'd like to see AMD focus on making their mobile APUs on the CPU side better and take the <$799.99 notebook market. Anyways that was sort of off topic, from reading an article from a google search about the FX 7500 they said it was comparable to an i3, which for what AMD considers their best APU on Kaveri that seems quit either to be an overstatement from AMD or an understatement from that site, because while unreliable but sort of fair cpuboss scored the FX APU it wasn't too far behind an i7 4500U. 

 

[D2ultima]

Mobile APUs are very weak. Your i5-2430M might be on-par-with or better than the APUs. So use that as a bench.

[handymanshandle]

Mobile APUs are very weak. Your i5-2430M might be on-par-with or better than the APUs. So use that as a bench.

Pretty sure that the i5 2430M is probably worse. 

[D2ultima]

Pretty sure that the i5 2430M is probably worse. 

FX 7500 http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Kaveri-FX-7500-Notebook-Processor.117332.0.html isworse than the i3-2310M http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i3-2310M-Notebook-Processor.45318.0.html

A8 4500M http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-A-Series-A8-4500M-Notebook-Processor.74884.0.html isweaker than the i5-2537M (ULV chip) http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-2537M-Notebook-Processor.49695.0.html which is worse than your i5-2430M here

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-2430M-Notebook-Processor.53435.0.html

 

Your old i5 is better. AMD APUs *SUCK*

[handymanshandle]

FX 7500 http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Kaveri-FX-7500-Notebook-Processor.117332.0.html isworse than the i3-2310M http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i3-2310M-Notebook-Processor.45318.0.html

A8 4500M http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-A-Series-A8-4500M-Notebook-Processor.74884.0.html isweaker than the i5-2537M (ULV chip) http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-2537M-Notebook-Processor.49695.0.html which is worse than your i5-2430M here

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-2430M-Notebook-Processor.53435.0.html

 

Your old i5 is better. AMD APUs *SUCK*

I really like that HP and Intel iGPUs sucks and I just got back from my local Best Buy, and for a quad core i7 and GTX 860 I'm paying almost $1,000 and I'd like to keep it at like $599 to 750.00 and for that price on the Intel side, I'm stuck with Intel's crappy iGPU. Unless there is an better option on the Intel side.

[D2ultima]

Search around for some systems using 820M/830M/840M and ULV chips. Lenovo and Dell might be decent areas to start.

 

But I will point out to you that you are on a very low budget for decent performance in a laptop, while also looking for good build standards and stuff.

 

Look for a second hand machine somewhere if you really need one. You might be able to find a decent MSI or something on ebay.

 

Here's a decent one with decent value; despite the broken vents http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-GT60-Gaming-Laptop-15-6-750gb-2-4-GHz-12-GB-Notebook-0ND-250US-GTX-675M-/291391732177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d84cf9d1

 

Could always buy a backplate for it and replace later if you get it.

 

Here is another one with a "buy it now". http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-GT70-Core-i7-12-GB-DDR3-GTX-675M-4GB-BLURAY-1080p-1-5TB-RAID-0-/281615464601?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item419196f899

[handymanshandle]

 

   

I know it's not a lot for a decent laptop but that's why I figured that an APU would be a decent middle ground, and since I plan on using Linux which is less demanding than Windows for the more CPU intensive things since a.) Linux alternatives are free or cheaper and b.) Linux uses less resources allowing the alternatives to have more resources.

I would much rather buy like an rMBP 15 with a GT 750M (I know that at the price of the rMBP I can get better but that's not the point. I also like that HP because it has lovely design aesthetic (I know Dell and Lenovo deliver on aesthetic too).  I mean would the $100 more expensive Intel option which has an i7 really reap in like huge benefits because I recall that the i7 in that other option was like a U i7 which is only a dual core though a dual core with hyperthreading. I suppose how I can sort of meter the usability of an APU with my use case is to try to get my A8 4500M stable (fully bootable) again and then put on Fedora and all the alternatives I plan on using and see how well or poorly they perform I should also do the same for the i5 2340M. I don't particularly care for the i5 2340M simply because of HPs days of crappy design.

[D2ultima]

Well the point was that every APU you've listed is weaker than the 2340M, therefore you would be getting a downgrade to use a system other than what you currently own.

 

In other words, any current i5-U chip will indeed surpass those APUs and match or beat that i5 you have, so... if you find your i5 to be "not enough", then you should get the intel.

[handymanshandle]

Well the point was that every APU you've listed is weaker than the 2340M, therefore you would be getting a downgrade to use a system other than what you currently own.

 

In other words, any current i5-U chip will indeed surpass those APUs and match or beat that i5 you have, so... if you find your i5 to be "not enough", then you should get the intel.

Even in Linux/Fedora?

[D2ultima]

Even in Linux/Fedora?

IPC is IPC. The amount of instructions the processor can perform per clock cycle does not change with the OS.

[handymanshandle]

IPC is IPC. The amount of instructions the processor can perform per clock cycle does not change with the OS.

I know but if the OS is less demanding on the CPU that's got to count for something?

[D2ultima]

I know but if the OS is less demanding on the CPU that's got to count for something?

yeah... it'll count for something... but if you're doing something like rendering a video, it does not matter. Rendering the video will use X resources with X codec. Doesn't matter the OS.

 

A better CPU will always be better. You might get the A8 to perform like the i5 for basic tasks in Linux, but the i5 in the same Linux distro would then perform better. It's a moot point.

[handymanshandle]

A better CPU will always be better. You might get the A8 to perform like the i5 for basic tasks in Linux, but the i5 in the same Linux distro would then perform better. It's a moot point.

True. 

I guess the HD 4400 and 5500 aren't that bad but idk.

[handymanshandle]

@D2ultima

I could however justify doing an HP Envy with an i5 5200U and GTX 840M with Windows 7 and it does have a touch screen. AMD will be releasing Carizzo APUs here soon and if Carrizo has any improvement over Kaveri and was more comparable to that I'd much rather go that route. Another reason I like the idea of going with the APU HP Envy is because I can buy it at a store whereas if I went with the 5th gen i5 I'd have to wait for it and I wouldn't be able to buy it in a store. (I might be sort of introverted but for some reason I'd rather buy tech in person rather than online.)

[D2ultima]

Well it's up to you. I've already given you all the info necessary.

[handymanshandle]

Well it's up to you. I've already given you all the info necessary.

I know, I do wish that there was more and better options at my price range.

[handymanshandle]

@D2ultima Okay well I decided I'd go see some benchmark results of the two CPUs/Platforms I have access to now and the FX 7500.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=798&cmp[]=2375&cmp[]=40 (i5 2340M, A8 4500M, FX 7500)

 I do see what you mean that the FX APU isn't very good but it's better than my A8 4500M. Though it appears that I'd be better off going with my FS1r2 Samsung and doing parts of the conversion I had in mind. Which included upping the A8 4500M to an A10 5750M which was about 100 or so points higher than the i5 2340M though I'm pretty sure that the fastest CPU on the i5's socket would do better than the A10 though I am also concerned about on-board graphics. 

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=2375&cmp[]=40&cmp[]=1920 (A8 4500M, FX 7500, A10 5750M)

I won't remove the crossed out stuff simply because I feel like it still can sort of provide some info, however comparing Quad Core Ivy Bridge i7s to the i5 2340M they blow anything that was an option from what I own.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=798&cmp[]=1482&cmp[]=901 (i5 2340M, i7 3920XM, i7 3940XM) Though practicality and affordability that would be all I could afford to do on the socket G2 HP and if I were to upgrade it I'd want to do some cosmetic work and some other hardware stuff to it as well... 

 

Would the slightly better (~1000 points) 5th gen i7 5500U really be better for what I was hoping to get out of the FX APU?

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-5500U+%40+2.40GHz&id=2470

 

Just as a bit of a reminder I was wanting this from a laptop that I could buy from Best Buy or another physical store (I.E MicroCenter) and that it could perform task in the Linux alternatives/Versions of Sony Vegas, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Ableton Live 9 and FL Studio, Finale, Blender, etc. Though on a more day to day basis the use of the laptop would be web browsing/writing-typing and gaming on low settings with scaling or medium settings w/o scaling. Basically a laptop that has the aesthetics of like a Mac and the price of an "okay" a more capable casual laptop. My budget is not to exceed $750 and that is why I considered going with the FX Envy because it has a better iGPU and looks better... Far better than my HP Pavillion g6 from 2011.

 

   (I know I'm being quite picky and different because I want to buy my laptop from a physical store rather online and yet I'd consider myself to quite an introvert and the reason behind why I like buying something in person rather online is because there is a satisfaction that I think you lose when you just find this one site with something that sounds good and you just gamble on it being good or that you like it. I know technically the HP Pavillion g6 is better because it has a slightly better CPU and has more ram (I upgraded it to 8GB) but where it lacks is aesthetics and frankly that's enough to make want to get a new computer.)

 

 

@thekeemo I summon thee (Doesn't hurt to have some extra opinions.)

[thekeemo]

@D2ultima Okay well I decided I'd go see some benchmark results of the two CPUs/Platforms I have access to know and the FX 7500.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=798&cmp[]=2375&cmp[]=40 (i5 2340M, A8 4500M, FX 7500)

 I do see what you mean that the FX APU isn't very good but it's better than my A8 4500M. Though it appears that I'd be better off going with my FS1r2 Samsung and doing parts of the conversion I had in mind. Which included upping the A8 4500M to an A10 5750M which was about 100 or so points higher than the i5 2340M though I'm pretty sure that the fastest CPU on the i5's socket would do better than the A10 though I am also concerned about on-board graphics. 

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=2375&cmp[]=40&cmp[]=1920 (A8 4500M, FX 7500, A10 5750M)

I won't remove the crossed out stuff simply because I feel like it still can sort of provide some info, however comparing Quad Core Ivy Bridge i7s to the i5 2340M they blow anything that was an option from what I own.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=798&cmp[]=1482&cmp[]=901 (i5 2340M, i7 3920XM, i7 3940XM) Though practicality and affordability that would be all I could afford to do on the socket G2 HP and if I were to upgrade it I'd want to do some cosmetic work and some other hardware stuff to it as well... 

 

Would the slightly better (~1000 points) 5th gen i7 5500U really be better for what I was hoping to get out of the FX APU?

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-5500U+%40+2.40GHz&id=2470

 

Just as a bit of a reminder I was wanting this from a laptop that I could buy from Best Buy or another physical store (I.E MicroCenter) and that it could perform task in the Linux alternatives/Versions of Sony Vegas, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Ableton Live 9 and FL Studio, Finale, Blender, etc. Though on a more day to day basis the use of the laptop would be web browsing/writing-typing and gaming on low settings with scaling or medium settings w/o scaling. Basically a laptop that has the aesthetics of like a Mac and the price of an "okay" a more capable casual laptop. My budget is not to exceed $750 and that is why I considered going with the FX Envy because it has a better iGPU and looks better... Far better than my HP Pavillion g6 from 2011.

 

   (I know I'm being quite picky and different because I want to buy my laptop from a physical store rather online and yet I'd consider myself to quite an introvert and the reason behind why I like buying something in person rather online is because there is a satisfaction that I think you lose when you just find this one site with something that sounds good and you just gamble on it being good or that you like it. I know technically the HP Pavillion g6 is better because it has a slightly better CPU and has more ram (I upgraded it to 8GB) but where it lacks is aesthetics and frankly that's enough to make want to get a new computer.)

 

 

@thekeemo I summon thee (Doesn't hurt to have some extra opinions.)

I dont know if the 5500 is worth it since the 2630 seems to be where the sweet spot is and as always CPU then CPU then Ram then GPU when it comes to laptops

[handymanshandle]

I dont know if the 5500 is worth it since the 2630 seems to be where the sweet spot is and as always CPU then CPU then Ram then GPU when it comes to laptops

I suppose that I could carry out the AiO conversion I had in mind for the Samsung and go with the 2630QM instead but it seem a tad bit weird to carry around an AiO that could be portable. 

[D2ultima]

honestly, the 5500U won't do much for against the APU, as far as I think at least. A 2630QM would be a pretty good chip to just keep. The iGPU would pretty much suck, but it'll do basically anything else you want. It beats an i7-950 even.

[handymanshandle]

honestly, the 5500U won't do much for against the APU, as far as I think at least. A 2630QM would be a pretty good chip to just keep. The iGPU would pretty much suck, but it'll do basically anything else you want. It beats an i7-950 even.

I still don't really want to stick to the imho ugly Hp Pavilion g6. So like new options in my budget. I guess I'd be willing to extend it like $150 and go up to like $850.

[D2ultima]

I still don't really want to stick to the imho ugly Hp Pavilion g6. So like new options in my budget. I guess I'd be willing to extend it like $150 and go up to like $850.

That one there is up to you on what you want to do. If you're fully going to update your machine and iGPU performance is important, then the APU I guess can work. If your price is $850 and you can deal with the bad screen, then as much as I hate it, the lenovo Y50 has otherwise strong internals. You could likely research and buy a better screen later and replace the crap it has in it. The 860M will do gaming pretty well.

[handymanshandle]

 If your price is $850 and you can deal with the bad screen, then as much as I hate it, the lenovo Y50 has otherwise strong internals. 

 

I see it's not just their lower end laptops that have sort of crappy screens.

[EpicAdom]

if I recall Intel doesn't have a true quad core mobile CPU yet

In the U series processors which are meant for ultrabooks/convertibles, there are no quad cores. In the M series processors, the i7's are quad core cpus.

 

Also, for APU vs Intel Core i5/i7, the Intel chips have WAY better cpu performance. The place where APUs shine is in their graphics performance which rivals that of an i7 at a much lower price. So it would be incorrect to say that the APU is a downgrade. It has 4 cores which, at the least, will give you performance similar to your old i5, and the integrated graphics are worlds better than your old i5's iGPU.

[handymanshandle]

@thekeemo @D2ultima

 

Intel options...

 

    

      Under budget http://www.bestbuy.com/site/toshiba-satellite-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-6gb-memory-750gb-hard-drive-satin-gold/3108026.p?id=1219570207962&skuId=310802

       Over Budget (but manageable) - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/toshiba-satellite-radius-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i7-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-satin-gold/3477007.p?id=1219581273264&skuId=3477007

 

 Which one would be better? (From some videos the iGPUs in the i5 and i7 aren't bad but the FX's iGPU did much better.)