Processor Selection

thesecretforme

Hey everyone I am in the process of getting a new Laptop from Dell.

I am trying to get the best specs for it possible and within my budget.
Basically I need it for College, I will be going back into do a Postgraduate this year.

I want to spend within the 800-900max.

So far I think I have done grand.

But I am having problems deciding on a processor, basically the one Dell recommends bumps my price up closer to 1000 euro. I am just wondering if it is necessary:

Intel® Celeron™ Dual-Core Processor T1600 (1.66GHz, 1MB, 667MHz) [subtract € 129.99]
Intel® Pentium® Processor T4200 (2.0GHz, 800MHz, 1MB cache) [subtract € 80.00]
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T6400 (2.0 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 Cache) [Included in Price]
[SIZE=-1]Dell Recommended[/SIZE]Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40Ghz, 3MB, 1066MHz) [add € 100.01 or €4/month1]
Intel® Celeron® Processor 900 (2.20 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB) [subtract € 160.00]

I'd really appreciate some advice.

mercury127

Could you give us a bit more information on what it might be necessary for? What are you going to be doing on the laptop? If your just taking notes then maybe a netbook would be a better bet.

thesecretforme

I'll be taking notes, writing essays and using the internet, watching a bit of youtube. It's a Dell 15 I think. I am just about ready to buy it, I just want to know will I be okay for the next few years with this processor?

Solitaire

Unless you want to do programming/photoshopping/CAD/gaming on it then you'd be mad to spend any more than €450 as you really don't need much spec to run Firefox and Office :P Get a netbook, or (far better) a cheap subnotebook (12.1") with a basic C2D CPU (look for Celeron with a 4-digit "T" number) and maybe even an integrated optical drive if you can find one. Might not have as good a spec as a cheap €450-500 15.4" laptop but you don't really want to snap your spine in half, do you?

thesecretforme

And would I need a large processor then or not?

Is a lower processor from the selection above, okay?

mercury127

I have a lovely little NC10 that I use for all that and it's never failed me. Fantastic battery life and a decent 160GB hard drive, I'd highly recommend it for what you'd be using it for. There was a problem with a bit of software that came with it messing up audio but after uninstalling it I could watch fairly large video files with no problems at all.

Solitaire

A T**** CPU (branded as Celerons but structurally C2D) is probably more than enough, heck a netbook with a horrid Atom CPU could handle your web-surfing (and -watching) and just about run Office. A 12.1" laptop is far better IMHO but if you can't find a cheap one then just get a Samsung nettop or something and ditch the full-size laptop.