Question Is clockspeed more important than generation of processor?

[alyoneliu29]

I am looking to get a new laptop and I do a lot of photo and video editing (on Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, sometimes Final Cut Pro X). I often have multiple programs running and am multitasking. I am wondering if a 2.3 GHz i5 7th generation Intel chip is better than a 1.4 GHz i5 8th generation Intel chip, both quad core, provided both have the same ram and ssd.

These are the two computers:
https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/produ...8e13233a3fe632dbb10756c1d80302b7eede4a02373a5

https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro (the second one).

Thank you!!

 

[Eximo]

Between 7th and 8th gen, not so much.

They are marketing those oddly. 1.4Ghz is the guaranteed base clock. It can still boost to 3.9Ghz, which is what the older one is marketed with, it max boost of 3.8Ghz.

The older one has a slightly superior onboard graphics chip.

I think either would be fine.

 

[alyoneliu29]

Between 7th and 8th gen, not so much.

They are marketing those oddly. 1.4Ghz is the guaranteed base clock. It can still boost to 3.9Ghz, which is what the older one is marketed with, it max boost of 3.8Ghz.

The older one has a slightly superior onboard graphics chip.

I think either would be fine.

Thank you! Would you recommend the the 2019 higher end model for what I need it for? It would give me 4 ports instead of 2, which I will need but I'll be needing adaptors anyways. And a slightly better graphics card. For the 2.4 GHz i5 with 16 gb ram, but only 256gb ssd, it comes up to about a little over $200 more. Wondering if it's overkill, if I'll see a difference with the processor/need it. Thank you again!!

 

[Eximo]

Well, if I trust their marketing again, that is the next step up in processor, an H (28W (~35W)) class instead of U (15W) class. Pretty sure they do that to make the top model look that much more impressive and increase sales of it.

Would be nice if they just listed the processors:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-8257u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-8279u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-4-10-ghz.html

I can't gainsay you on your port requirements. The faster processor will mean shorter battery life on average if the system is put under a load for long periods.

 

[alyoneliu29]

Well, if I trust their marketing again, that is the next step up in processor, an H (28W (~35W)) class instead of U (15W) class. Pretty sure they do that to make the top model look that much more impressive and increase sales of it.

Would be nice if they just listed the processors:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-8257u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-8279u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-4-10-ghz.html

I can't gainsay you on your port requirements. The faster processor will mean shorter battery life on average if the system is put under a load for long periods.

Thanks again . Yeah I guess I'm wondering if the H class processor instead of the U would make a huge difference in video and photo editing; or would the H be unnecessary because I wouldn't need something that powerful. I do 4K videos and raw images sometimes, but I don't do anything extremely intensive like 3D modelling or anything. Thanks for your time, I don't know much about processor capabilities and I've read the bench marks but it doesn't mean much to me =P.

 

[Eximo]

The key thing here is that these are effectively the same processor. They are all produced on the same wafer, cut apart, and then tested through a process called binning. The more expensive CPUs are ones that will run at high frequencies with less voltage, resulting in less power. Or have other desirable characteristics to meet a specific design specification. Damaged CPUs that still mostly operate will have the damaged parts removed with a laser and sold as a different part. Most commonly seen with desktop processors without onboard graphics. Or in this case, probably lasering off parts of the GPU that didn't work (Or doing it on purpose to make a target power rating)

So if both of those CPUs are running at, say 3.6Ghz, they will behave exactly the same. One is designed to stay there longer and use more power.

The difference might be, and this is a big might with Apple, the size of the heatsink in the laptop. The lower wattage processor could get away with less to make it lighter. Though I suspect they wouldn't have bothered and only make one chassis/heatsink. So that would make the lesser CPU possibly better, but it will have less graphics, so there is still a trade off.