Hardware Should I sell my laptop and...

[the_randomizer]

Use the money to get one that is more powerful? So right now I have a Lenovo Y570 and don't get me wrong, I haven't really had any issues except for a couple times when the temps reached 91 Celsius Now, I do have a desktop so it's not intended to be a replacement per se, but rather something for me to use when I go to my parent's or friends' house and just lug it with me. I like Lenovo, I think they make excellent machines, and what I was looking at is the new-ish Lenovo Y510p

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-IdeaPad-Y510p-Notebook.97470.0.html

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/y-series/y510p/

Considering the discount you get with the eCoupon on their site, it's a damn good price for the hardware, the only thing is that it uses nVidia SLI for the GPU, which I imagine, would make it hot enough to cook scrambled eggs on. On Lenovo's site however, it's not clear if all those Y510p models have one or two GPUs, it's not entirely clear, but the CPU I imagine would be powerful to run Dolphin (most games) same with PS2 emulation on the go Is the SLI enforced on all programs or can it be set to only use one GPU? Should I end up getting this? I doubt the cooler I have now will make any positive impact on temp reduction. Again, I don't expect to do super intensive gaming, mostly emulators and games that aren't super recent (well, maybe from 2011-2012). The only major concern is reaching 100 Celsius since it has two GPUs and a Haswell Core i7 CPU.

My question is, should I sell my current machine and get this or a similarly priced powerful laptop? If so, maybe I'll make a thread in the WTS section

If not that, one of those Clevo laptops on Xoticpc.com perhaps? The SAGER NP4650 looks pretty sick http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np4650-clevo-w650sh-p-5997.html

What say you?

 

[trumpet-205]

SLI and CF can only be used if driver supports particular game. Dolphin and PCSX2 will never be able to take advantage of SLI.

When running programs that don't support SLI, only 1 GPU is used.

 

[the_randomizer]

SLI and CF can only be used if driver supports particular game. Dolphin and PCSX2 will never be able to take advantage of SLI.

When running programs that don't support SLI, only 1 GPU is used.

Makes sense, but the Lenovo site doesn't really tell the person it's one or two GPUs inside, I guess I would need to speak with a rep and ask him/her about that. Glad that I don't have to use it if I don't need to, that should keep the heat down. The only thing again, that freaks me out is the potential for this laptop to get hotter than the one I have due to the Core i7 as opposed to the Core i5. Then there's the Sager, which is also very reasonably priced and while it doesn't come with Windows 7, I have a student MSDN license so I can get that for free I wonder how that particular CPU handles emulation and games like Skyrim. Not too sure about Haswell CPUs when it comes to intensive programs. Should I just sell it and get one of those Clevo/Sager machines?

 

[PityOnU]

Makes sense, but the Lenovo site doesn't really tell the person it's one or two GPUs inside, I guess I would need to speak with a rep and ask him/her about that. Glad that I don't have to use it if I don't need to, that should keep the heat down. The only thing again, that freaks me out is the potential for this laptop to get hotter than the one I have due to the Core i7 as opposed to the Core i5. Then there's the Sager, which is also very reasonably priced and while it doesn't come with Windows 7, I have a student MSDN license so I can get that for free I wonder how that particular CPU handles emulation and games like Skyrim. Not too sure about Haswell CPUs when it comes to intensive programs. Should I just sell it and get one of those Clevo/Sager machines?

The heat the CPU will generate is based on its TDP. You can compare your i5 and the i7 on that one using a spec sheet. I tend to use CPU-world instead of digging around Intel's site because it's easy to search.

Even if the i5 and the i7 are rated at the same TDP, the i7 will probably run cooler under the same load because it won't be "working as hard" [citation needed].

What you should be worried about is the noise, heat, and power draw from those two GPU's. As someone already mentioned, it's not guaranteed you'd even be able to use both of them in any given game.

 

[the_randomizer]

The heat the CPU will generate is based on its TDP. You can compare your i5 and the i7 on that one using a spec sheet. I tend to use CPU-world instead of digging around Intel's site because it's easy to search.

Even if the i5 and the i7 are rated at the same TDP, the i7 will probably run cooler under the same load because it won't be "working as hard" [citation needed].

What you should be worried about is the noise, heat, and power draw from those two GPU's. As someone already mentioned, it's not guaranteed you'd even be able to use both of them in any given game.

Right, the other problem being I'm hearing some models only have one GPU in it, so I'd have to ask the customer rep to see if it's two or one GPU. I personally don't care if I'm able to use both at the same time as I would assume that when one is idle and the other is working, it won't draw as much power and heat. I would also likely need a more powerful laptop cooler (AC powered) just so it would keep the machine from killing itself from the sheer heat What do you think, should I sell my laptop and get this or the Sager laptop instead? I've heard a lot of good things about Sager and it looks like it only has one GPU instead of two, plus they are customizable on the site. Might be the safer bet as I can Windows 7 for free via MSDN (by default, Xoticpc's machines don't come with an OS unless you want to pay extra)

 

[PityOnU]

What do you think, should I sell my laptop and get this or the Sager laptop instead? I've heard a lot of good things about Sager and it looks like it only has one GPU instead of two, plus they are customizable on the site. Might be the safer bet as I can Windows 7 for free via MSDN (by default, Xoticpc's machines don't come with an OS unless you want to pay extra)

Skipping the OS is a nice way to save some cash, and the Sager does look cool. However, for gaming, do they both have anti-ghosting keyboards?

 

[the_randomizer]

Skipping the OS is a nice way to save some cash, and the Sager does look cool. However, for gaming, do they both have anti-ghosting keyboards?

I don't know much about that, it doesn't say, but the lack of it doesn't bother me, but the price for that kind of hardware is next to impossible to beat, that's for sure! I've heard a lot about Sager being a very good manufacturer. Now, should I decide to sell it, what would be a good asking price? The Y570 I have is actually in very good condition. On my Logitech keyboard, I can play games like Splinter Cell just fine, so ghosting doesn't really affect me.

What do you think about selling my current machine and getting the Sager?

 

[calmwaters]

Windows 8 64-bit is now defacto on notebooks? I would shy away from that.

Right, the other problem being I'm hearing some models only have one GPU in it, so I'd have to ask the customer rep to see if it's two or one GPU. I personally don't care if I'm able to use both at the same time as I would assume that when one is idle and the other is working, it won't draw as much power and heat. I would also likely need a more powerful laptop cooler (AC powered) just so it would keep the machine from killing itself from the sheer heat What do you think, should I sell my laptop and get this or the Sager laptop instead? I've heard a lot of good things about Sager and it looks like it only has one GPU instead of two, plus they are customizable on the site. Might be the safer bet as I can Windows 7 for free via MSDN (by default, Xoticpc's machines don't come with an OS unless you want to pay extra)

Yes, I would get the one with Windows 7. Unless they've released some sort of update that makes Windows 8 worthwhile. Do you know what the 8.1 was under the IdeaPad? And if your laptop gets really hot, I usually fix it by shutting down programs I don't need. Or I elevate it so the hot air has a lot more space to inhabit. (I'm holding my laptop at a 45* angle right now anyway)

 

[the_randomizer]

Windows 8 64-bit is now defacto on notebooks? I would shy away from that.

Yes, I would get the one with Windows 7. Unless they've released some sort of update that makes Windows 8 worthwhile. Do you know what the 8.1 was under the IdeaPad? And if your laptop gets really hot, I usually fix it by shutting down programs I don't need. Or I elevate it so the hot air has a lot more space to inhabit. (I'm holding my laptop at a 45* angle right now anyway)

Worst case scenario, if I get the Sager it doesn't come with Windows 7 installed which lowers the price, BUT, I do have a student MSDN license through my school, so I can get a Windows 7 key for free. In fact, I already have one I saved on my PC somewhere, so all I would have to install it. No big loss. The Lenovo models I see all have Windows 8 or 8.1, and while it's not the worst OS, I don't want Windows 8. I have a laptop cooler for my Y570 and it helps with airflow a lot and it would be a lot worse if I didn't have one

Now, the method of selling it, Craigslist, eBay, or on the Want-to-Sell thread, which would also use PayPal, so either way, it'd be a while before I got any money. Now, I paid $800 or so and it's been about a year and a half since getting this sucker and I want the most I can get, it's in excellent shape

The model I see now has the following (Sager NP4650)

CPU: 4th Gen Core i5-4200M (2.4 to 3.1 GHz)
RAM: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
GPU: nVidia GT 740M 2 GB GDDR3 (no biggie for me lol)
HDD: 750 GB 7200 RPM
LCD: 15.6: 1920 x 1080 IPS anti-glare screen
Optical: Multi DVD/CD drive

For less than $850? That's insane

 

[the_randomizer]

On second thought, even if the Lenovo comes with Windows 8, I'll just wipe the HDD and all the bloatware, then install Windows 7 Pro

 

[ILuvGames]

The price you can sell your y570 for obviously depends on the specs and what somebody is prepared to pay of course. If it were mine and judging by the second hand prices I have seen and the fact it is fairly new I would halve the original cost and add an extra 10% or so (not including the postage).

 

[the_randomizer]

The price you can sell your y570 for obviously depends on the specs and what somebody is prepared to pay of course. If it were mine and judging by the second hand prices I have seen and the fact it is fairly new I would halve the original cost and add an extra 10% or so.

The specs are as follows (I memorized them )

IdeaPad Y570
CPU: Core i7 2670QM Sandy Bridge 2.4 GHz to 3.1 GHz
RAM: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
GPU: Intel HD 3000 + GeForce 555M 2 GB GDDR5
OS: Windows 7 Home 64-bit
LCD: 15.6" 1366 x 768
Battery: Six-cell, about 2.5 hours if gaming, close to four if you just serf the internet

So, half of what I paid, plus %10 would be in the range of $500 to $530. It's also in very good condition and I've seen this model as high as $700 on eBay and it was used.

 

[Rockhoundhigh]

Well I'm typing this on a y410p I bought about a month ago with near identical specs. It's been able to run everything I've thrown at it so far save for some of the more demanding dolphin games (Super Mario Galaxy [ugh, LLE audio ] and The Last Story [just way too demanding even for a laptop i7 Haswell and overclocking a laptop processor is suicide]). While it puts heat out like nobody's business when gaming even with just the single GT755M it does a good job of maintaining reasonable temperatures. I can't speak much on battery since I only ever bring it with me to take notes in lecture but it seems like for casual use if you take advantage of all the power settings available to you it can hold out very nicely. Really it's your call on whether it's enough of an improvement to warrant the purchase.

 

[the_randomizer]

Well I'm typing this on a y410p I bought about a month ago with near identical specs. It's been able to run everything I've thrown at it so far save for some of the more demanding dolphin games (Super Mario Galaxy [ugh, LLE audio ] and The Last Story [just way too demanding even for a laptop i7 Haswell and overclocking a laptop processor is suicide]). While it puts heat out like nobody's business when gaming even with just the single GT755M it does a good job of maintaining reasonable temperatures. I can't speak much on battery since I only ever bring it with me to take notes in lecture but it seems like for casual use if you take advantage of all the power settings available to you it can hold out very nicely. Really it's your call on whether it's enough of an improvement to warrant the purchase.

Wow, yeah, that one does have similar specs and is on sale for $729 on their site So is it a dual GPU setup then? How do other non-intensive games games in Dolphin run, like SSBB, Mario Kart Wii, Tales of Symphonia, etc? And PCSX2? I'm curious. The only thing that's off-putting is the somewhat small screen (14"), but it is 1600x900 so it's better resolution than my current Y570. I'll keep doing research as that looks like a solid laptop to get

 

[ILuvGames]

Yeah, the y570 should be worth about 700$. It would be difficult getting that. If you look at the completed sales on ebay for your y570 it should give an indication of what people have been willing to buy them for. I can see about 5 with a very similar spec to yours and they sold for about 550-575$. They also had a 64gb ssd as part of the specifications.

 

[the_randomizer]

Yeah, the y570 should be worth about 700$. It would be difficult getting that. If you look at the completed sales on ebay for your y570 it should give an indication of what people have been willing to buy them for. I can see about 5 with a very similar spec to yours and they sold for about 550-575$. They also had a 64gb ssd as part of the specifications.

Right, and I do want to make sure I spend as little possible when compensating for the y410p or the y510p, both of which are close to the same price. If I'm going to do this (seems very likely) I need to make sure not to get one with a dual GPU. Reason being, even when one is idle it can output a lot of heat. Granted, I have a laptop cooler and that helps, but still, I need to find out for sure

 

[calmwaters]

Worst case scenario, if I get the Sager it doesn't come with Windows 7 installed which lowers the price, BUT, I do have a student MSDN license through my school, so I can get a Windows 7 key for free. In fact, I already have one I saved on my PC somewhere, so all I would have to install it. No big loss. The Lenovo models I see all have Windows 8 or 8.1, and while it's not the worst OS, I don't want Windows 8. I have a laptop cooler for my Y570 and it helps with airflow a lot and it would be a lot worse if I didn't have one

Now, the method of selling it, Craigslist, eBay, or on the Want-to-Sell thread, which would also use PayPal, so either way, it'd be a while before I got any money. Now, I paid $800 or so and it's been about a year and a half since getting this sucker and I want the most I can get, it's in excellent shape

The model I see now has the following (Sager NP4650)

CPU: 4th Gen Core i5-4200M (2.4 to 3.1 GHz)
RAM: 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
GPU: nVidia GT 740M 2 GB GDDR3 (no biggie for me lol)
HDD: 750 GB 7200 RPM
LCD: 15.6: 1920 x 1080 IPS anti-glare screen
Optical: Multi DVD/CD drive

For less than $850? That's insane

Haha, yeah, that's a perfectly beautiful laptop. Whatever you want: I'd list it in all three places if you would accept payment with Paypal.

 

[the_randomizer]

Haha, yeah, that's a perfectly beautiful laptop. Whatever you want: I'd list it in all three places if you would accept payment with Paypal.

The only issue I have with PayPal is how long it takes to get the money, but nothing I can do about that I'm still torn between that and the Lenovo Y510p which both have very good hardware

 

[ILuvGames]

None of the current line of y410's have dual graphics. Only the top of the range model in the y510's range has dual graphics. The y510's are more power hungry than the y410's. The y510's give about 4 hours battery life on average. The y410's probably about an hour more. The main difference between y410 and the y510 series is the resolution and/or size of the screen. Also as you seem to have found out, Lenovo themselves are having a sale on in their web store.

 

[the_randomizer]

None of the current line of y410's have dual graphics. Only the top of the range model in the y510's range has dual graphics. The y510's are more power hungry than the y410's. The y510's give about 4 hours battery life on average. The y410's probably about an hour more. The main difference between y410 and the y510 series is the resolution and/or size of the screen. Also as you seem to have found out, Lenovo themselves are having a sale on in their web store.

Battery life isn't a concern of mine since I'm always near an outlet, heat might be but like you said, only the high-end Y510p has the dual GPU set up, good to know ! Heat is also a concern, but I have a pretty good cooler for my laptop so that should help. I'm kinda picky, but I like the number pad, which the Y410p doesn't have (I know, I'm weird ) but other than that, there aren't too many differences. I heard from reviewers that the non-SLI laptops don't output as much heat as one would think, but airflow needs to be good enough, and the cooler will keep the temps safe