Advice on choosing between two laptops

[DeanosAmagos]

Im about to buy a new laptop and I'm currently stuck between two that I've found. These laptops arn't particularly amazing, but with only $800 on hand its this or nothing.

 

The first: http://www.dicksmith.com.au/laptops-notebooks/acer-aspire-v3-572g-55ft-i5-nb-dsau-xc0241

 

Key Features

• 15.6" HD Widescreen LED Display
• 4th gen Intel® Core™ i5-4210U Processor, Dual Core (Up to 2.7GHz)
• 8GB (DDR3) RAM
• 1TB HDD
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 840M 2GB Graphics
• Windows® 8.1

Other Features

• DVD-Super Multi Drive (Dual Layer)
• Integrated Bluetooth 4.0
• Wireless 802.11 a/g/n
• HD Camera
• SD Card Reader
• Connections:
• 1 x USB 3.0 Ports
• 2x USB 2.0 Ports
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 1 x VGA Port
• 1 x RJ45 Port
• Stereo Speakers/Analogue Mic
• Battery: Up to 7 hours (based on MobileMark® 2012 test results)
• Dimensions 381.6 (W) x 256 (D) x 25.3/30.3 (H) mm
• Weight 2.55kg
• Colour: Silver

 

The second: http://www.dicksmith.com.au/laptops-notebooks/acer-aspire-e5-571-i7-nb-dsx-dsau-xc0238

 

Key Features

• 15.6" HD Widescreen LED Display
• 4th gen Intel® Core™ i7-4510U Processor, Dual Core (Up to 3.1GHz)
• 8GB RAM
• 1TB HDD
• nVIDIA 1GB Graphics
• Windows® 8.1

Other Features

• Integrated Bluetooth 4.0
• Wireless 802.11 a⁄g⁄n
• HD Camera
• SD Card Reader
• Connections:
• 1 x USB 3.0 Ports
• 2x USB 2.0 Ports
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 1 x VGA Port
• 1 x RJ45 Port
• Stereo Speakers⁄Analogue Mic
• Battery: Up to 7 hours (based on MobileMark® 2012 test results)
• Colour: Midnight Black
• Dimensions: 381.6 (W) x 256 (D) x 24.55⁄32.65 (H)
• Weight: 2.55kg

Really, Im stuck between a laptop with an Intel Core i7 Processor and 1gb graphics and a laptop with an Intel Core i5 Processor and 2gb graphics. I tend to use the new laptop for mild gaming running games that aren't too heavy on the computer itself.

 

Thanks for any advice/help

 

Dean

[pcantellow]

I see why you are stuck, at first I was thinking go for the second one no doubt, but then you say about mild gaming.  

 

If only mild gaming, I would still go for the Core i7 Laptop as 1GB should be enough, but obviously we may class mild differently. Also, you get $99 cash back on this laptop if you buy it from the link you've posted. 

 

Other than the CPU and graphics, there pretty much the same. 

[DeanosAmagos]

The second option did draw me in with the core i7, but will i benefit more from i7 than i5? Im not going to be hammering the laptop with video editing or anything like that.

[Caeradwyn]

1GB of VRAM isn't likely to be enough, even for "light gaming" unless you're only talking about older titles. Many, if not most, recent games easily uses more than 1GB VRAM even on lower settings. Sure, there are plenty of simple indie- and browsergames that of course don't require a lot, but those will probably run fine on the on-chip Intel graphics as well. The thing is, when your VRAM fills up, performance drops extremely rapidly, to the point where you might not even be able to play the game. Two years ago, I'd have agreed, go i7 and 1GB VRAM, but today, get 2GB VRAM if you're doing any kind of gaming.

[DeanosAmagos]

Thanks for that, what you're saying was pretty much what I was thinking. Of course going with the 2gb of graphics means I end up with a core i5, will this be sufficient or the question really being is an intel i5 a quality processor?

[techguru]

most games aren't cpu bound..its mostly gpu

[DeanosAmagos]

So from that I guess i5 will be enough, and with 2gb of graphics ill be able to play most of the games I want to, without having to worry about the games taking up the computers graphics and limiting performance.

Sounds good to me