I3 2310m vs CORE 2 duo T6600

[warehouse553]

Hello, I was just wondering how much faster the i3? Twice as fast?

 

[k1114]

I'd say around 50% faster. The i3 is about 20% faster clock for clock because of the microarchitecture but is 100mhz slower. It also has hyperthreading so would add about another 30%. They are both rated at 35W but the i3 should have better power management. Depending on your uses you may or may not notice a difference in performance. It would help if I knew the rest of the specs and your uses to help you pick what's best for you.

 

[warehouse553]

Thanks for responding to my question! I don't know much about computers in detail so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting money.

My current laptop is a two year old Toshiba.

Processor*
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6500

Operating System*
Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)

Graphics Engine*
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M

Memory*
3GB DDR3 memory

Hard Drive*
250GB HDD (5400rpm)

Optical Drive*
DVD-SuperMulti drive (+/-R double layer)

Display Size
16.0" widescreen

Display Type*
HD TruBrite LCD Display

Display Resolution
Supports 720p content, 1366x768 (HD)

The new machine is another Toshiba I spotted at Best Buy for about $400.

* Intel Core™ i3-2310M processor
Features a 3MB cache and 2.1GHz processor speed.

* 3GB DDR3 memory

* Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support

* 15.6" LED-backlit TFT-LCD high-definition widescreen display
With 1366 x 768 resolution and TruBrite technology

* 320GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)

* Mobile Intel HD graphics
Feature 64-1317MB shared graphics memory

I use my current machine for general use but also for video encoding like using DVDShrink and TMPGENC. I may want to watch and rip blurays at some point. I know I should be looking at a quad but $400 for an i3 sandy bridge is pretty cheap. I'm also worried that if I get an i7 sandy bridge that it will over heat. If I were to get one, would I need a discrete video card? Wouldn't that make it even hotter?

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

Going from Intel® Core™ 2 Duo to a 1st generation Intel Core i3 at the same speed should yield a 15% to 20% performance improvement. Going from 1st generation Intel Core i3 to a 2nd generation Intel Core i3 at the same speed may yield 10% to 15% addition improvement. In the end you most likely would see a total improvement of about 30% between these processors. Also the Intel Core i3-2310M should be better on total battery life.

The Intel Core i7s are going to be running hotter but they are designed for a laptop enviroment so they shouldn't be overheating. They will however have a shorter battery life.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[warehouse553]

Going from Intel® Core™ 2 Duo to a 1st generation Intel Core i3 at the same speed should yield a 15% to 20% performance improvement. Going from 1st generation Intel Core i3 to a 2nd generation Intel Core i3 at the same speed may yield 10% to 15% addition improvement. In the end you most likely would see a total improvement of about 30% between these processors. Also the Intel Core i3-2310M should be better on total battery life.

The Intel Core i7s are going to be running hotter but they are designed for a laptop enviroment so they shouldn't be overheating. They will however have a shorter battery life.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

So is it worth it or should i just save up an extra $400 and get an i7 2630qm? I usually get a cheap laptop 2 every years. And if do choose the i7, do I absolutely need a discrete card and what are the disadvantages of not having one for the tasks I mentioned above?

 

[warehouse553]

I'd say around 50% faster. The i3 is about 20% faster clock for clock because of the microarchitecture but is 100mhz slower. It also has hyperthreading so would add about another 30%. They are both rated at 35W but the i3 should have better power management. Depending on your uses you may or may not notice a difference in performance. It would help if I knew the rest of the specs and your uses to help you pick what's best for you.

Thanks for the info!

 

[k1114]

Getting the i7 will shorten video encoding time so it's your decision for that. You do not need a discrete card and with your tasks won't really help. A discrete card is mainly for gaming.

 

[warehouse553]

Thanks to the both of you! I've decided to get the i7.

 

[popatim]

Dont forget you can sell your current laptop and recoup quite a bit to put towards the new one.