Question Coolest CPU of this list (i5-8300H to E-2186M) that gets the job (many browser windows + After Effects) done?

[micmuc]

Dear All,

I'm trying to self-configure a HP ZBook Studio X360, but am not sure which CPU to pick (see list below). (To each of these a Nvidia Quadro P1000 or P2000 can be –optionally– added.)

i5-8300H
i5-8400H
i7-8750H
i7-8850H
i9-8950HK
E-2176M
E-2186M

The device would be used for roughly 80% browsing, web development, YouTube and other media consumption (with many tabs open simultaneously) and about 20% drawing, photo and video editing (Photoshop and After Affects). Possibly also relevant: the device would come with a 15 inch 4k (3840x2160) screen. I very much prefer a cool silent laptop over one that is loud, but of course the device should still be able to handle above use case..

I was already told that I should probably skip the i9, Xeon and P2000 options (given my preference for a cool lap, but please do say if you disagree) and am considering the P1000 with the i7-8750 and then undervolt the i7.

Which configuration would be recommendable?

 

[Lutfij]

For the sort of workload and percentage of usage for said app's, it seems you're overthinking and overspending on your laptop purchase. If you're the kind of person who loves power on demand, then you're on the right track.

I'd look at the i7 due to your inclusion of the Quadro. If you're forgoing the Quadro, you can drop down to an i5 with an MX150 GPU. Then again I don't know if you're going to be making(scrubbing through) 4K videos on the fly(while you move from point A to point D) in a matter of 20 mins or so.

 

[micmuc]

For the sort of workload and percentage of usage for said app's, it seems you're overthinking and overspending on your laptop purchase. If you're the kind of person who loves power on demand, then you're on the right track.

I'd look at the i7 due to your inclusion of the Quadro. If you're forgoing the Quadro, you can drop down to an i5 with an MX150 GPU. Then again I don't know if you're going to be making(scrubbing through) 4K videos on the fly(while you move from point A to point D) in a matter of 20 mins or so.

Many thanks for these thoughts.

Between the i7-8750H and i7-8850H; which CPU would you say has the better "speed-thermal balance"? I have read a lot about 8750H laptops getting very hot and from that perspective I'm somewhat hesitant to pushing things by chosing an even stronger 8850H. However if the heat difference between the two of them isn't too big, the bigger HP casing might allow for better cooling than other laptops, and the possibility to undervolt (or perhaps even downclock) is on the table too, I guess it could still make sense to thake the 8850H.

Finally, given the recommended approach of Quadro + i7, would a performance gain be noticeable when taking 64GB of RAM as opposed to just 32GB?

Again many thanks for the help.