Which laptop is better?

[gaveitatry]

AMD Quad-Core A10-5757M Accelerated Processor 2.5GHz with TurboCORE Technology up to 3.5GHz

AMD Radeon HD 8750M Graphics with 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM

8GB DDR3 Memory


vs.


Intel Core i5-3337U Processor (3rd Generation) 1.8GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.7GHz

NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M with 2GB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM

6GB DDR3 Memory


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Everything else about the laptops are the same.

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They are the same price. Actually the price of the second one (NVIDIA) fluctuates and is sometimes $140 more than the AMD one.

The only game that I'm going to be playing is Second Life.

WHICH LAPTOP IS BETTER?

 

[babachicken]

the laptop with the APU is better.
the first one.

 

[whitecat]

edited

 

[gaveitatry]

@ whitecat - I was thinking that too. But the AMD one has 2.5-3.5 GHz instead of 1.8-2.7 GHz, and it has 2 GM more RAM. So wouldn't that make it better?

 

[LummusMaximus]

AMD APUs are less powerful than Intel ones, clock-for-clock. So, the APU is quicker here due to significant clock speed advantage. The Intel CPU here is a 'U' model, meaning Ultra-Low Voltage: they're designed for maximum battery life an minimal heat output, and to compensate they're slower dual core processors. If they're equal in terms of GPU, and the second has a weaker CPU, I'd go for the first, and I am definitely not being influenced by the fact all of the performance PCs I've own have been AMD based.

 

[gaveitatry]

Part of the reason I am considering the first one is because I found a website that rates GPU into classes. Even though there is opinion that the HD Radeon HD 8750M is supposed to be somewhat close to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M in performance, I found a website that places the 8750M into the Class 2 category and the GT 720M into the Class 3 category. They go on further to say that the GT 720M is an entry level gaming GPU, whereas there is no mention that the 8750M is entry level, and I bet it is more mid range level.

@ Lummus, I kinda like the idea that the Intel CPU doesn't get as hot. I hate when laptops run hot. Also, your two first sentences were confusing. You said the AMD APU is less powerful, but quicker. What does that mean exactly?

Hey all of you guys are being very helpful, and I would like to see some more replies and answers, because I am learning from you all and really enjoying reading your comments. Thanks!

 

[whitecat]

@ whitecat - I was thinking that too. But the AMD one has 2.5-3.5 GHz instead of 1.8-2.7 GHz, and it has 2 GM more RAM. So wouldn't that make it better?

The clock speed of the processor is not everything
http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i5-3337U-vs-AMD-A10-5757M
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/

Now , i noticed that the first has a dedicated gpu HD 8750M
HD 8750M is faster than GT 720M and even than GT 740M
if HD 8750M and the built-in 8650G are crossfired , will be far faster than GT 720M
The first has extra 2GB , so it wins

 

[LummusMaximus]

Explaining my first sentence, if the two CPUs ran at the same clock speed (i.e. Both at 2GHz) the Intel CPU would be faster. However, since the APU runs at 3.5GHz vs the Intel at 2.7GHz, the APU wins by sheer clock speed, and the fact it was twice as many cores (4 for the APU, 2 for the Intel) means it's more powerful.

 

[gaveitatry]

@ whitecat - Thanks for the reply. I don't know anything about crossfiring. Will the GPUs automatically crossfire on occasion, or do I have to tweak some setting to enable crossfiring? My last laptop was a HP Pavilion dv6875se, and last week the screen kept going black even after I reformatted to factory settings so I just assumed that the GPU died. I bought it in 2008, but I didn't really start using it until 2010, so it only lasted 3 years. I want to get the best performance from whatever laptop that I buy for when I play Second Life, but I also want to prolong the life of the GPUs so that I can play everyday for 3-5 years without the GPUs dying on me. Is crossfiring going to shorten the life of my GPUs? And thanks for commenting about the "extra 2GB". So I'm guessing 2 extra GB makes a noticeable difference. I've pretty much made up my mind about buying the first laptop, but I'm just fishing for more knowledge as you guys are teaching me some incredible stuff.

 

[whitecat]

@ whitecat - Thanks for the reply. I don't know anything about crossfiring. Will the GPUs automatically crossfire on occasion, or do I have to tweak some setting to enable crossfiring? My last laptop was a HP Pavilion dv6875se, and last week the screen kept going black even after I reformatted to factor settings so I just assumed that the GPU died. I bought it in 2008, but I didn't really start using it until 2010, so it only lasted 3 years. I want to get the best performance from whatever laptop that I buy for when I play Second Life, but I also want to prolong the life of the GPUs so that I can play everyday for 3-5 years without the GPUs dying on me. Is crossfiring going to shorten the life of my GPUs? And thanks for commenting about the "extra 2GB". So I'm guessing 2 extra GB makes a noticeable difference. I've pretty much made up my mind about buying the first laptop, but I'm just phishing for more knowledge as you guys are teaching me some incredible stuff.

They should be "crossfired" (dual graphics technology ) by the manufacturer , otherwise you have to tweak some settings from AMD Radeon HD 8750M driver .

Might look at this
http://www.microcenter.com/product/421115/N56JR-MH71_156_Laptop_Computer_-_Black_Aluminum
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834312829

Last let me aplogize for not noticing the dedicated card . i was really overtired , spent more than 12 hours here .

 

[gaveitatry]

LummusMaximus and whitecat, you both rock. You both have been superbly informative and helpful. My first favorite answer was posted by LummusMaximus, but it was slightly confusing which is why I asked for clarification. When whitecat realized that the first laptop also had a dedicated GPU, his reply become my new favorite because it just made me think that the first laptop's GPU was far better. But then LummusMaximus clarified his answer and made me understand that the APU was faster and more powerful then the Intel's CPU. So at that point, you guys were both tied for best answers. So which answer do I pick as the solution? Hell if I know. I really valued the information about the APU vs CPU, and it really helped me become more confident in the first laptop because I've seen some talk about how APU's are weaker than CPU's in performance. However, I think that most people who play Second Life and maybe even avid gamers care more about GPU than CPU, so I'm thinking that I might pick whitecat's answer as the solution even though he originally made an error in thinking the first laptop only had an integrated GPU. Anyway, thank you both so much. I look forward to learning more from you.

 

[LummusMaximus]

No problem, it's always nice to help someone out.