quick computer question for Jack (or anyone else who knows about processors

[bode]

I'm getting ready to order 3 new laptops for work today through Dell. The program we need to run (Autodesk Revit) is asking for a Intel i5 quad core at 2.8ghz for a minimum. When i build the laptops through Dells website it gives me the option of an Intel i7 quadcore at 2.3ghz. Does the fact that its an i7 vs an i5 make up for the lesser speed of the processor?

Thanks for any help. I need to order these this afternoon and dont want to have to actually call Dell and speak to their customer support!

[d0zer]

AFAIK, the main diff between the i7 and i5 is hyperthreading enabled on the i7, but I'm not sure if the software you're running would actually take advantage of the extra virtual cores. You already have 4 physical cores so the drop in clock speed might be noticeable. It will be fairly close, but all the benchmarks I've seen suggest that a i5 at 2.8 would be a bit faster than an i7 at 2.3 -- but it's hard to speak in absolute speed terms because it depends on what the application is doing.

It's typical to buy desktops for employees with high-demand apps like this cuz of the bang for your buck, but if your company loves spending money then pony up and get a thinkpad or something

[DoubleJ]

...dont want to have to actually call Dell and speak to their customer support!

+1,000,000!

[bode]

AFAIK, the main diff between the i7 and i5 is hyperthreading enabled on the i7, but I'm not sure if the software you're running would actually take advantage of the extra virtual cores. You already have 4 physical cores so the drop in clock speed might be noticeable. It will be fairly close, but all the benchmarks I've seen suggest that a i5 at 2.8 would be a bit faster than an i7 at 2.3 -- but it's hard to speak in absolute speed terms because it depends on what the application is doing.

It's typical to buy desktops for employees with high-demand apps like this cuz of the bang for your buck, but if your company loves spending money then pony up and get a thinkpad or something

we buy a mix of desktops and laptops. a few of us that have to take a laptop to meetings so we can show a model or drawings to a client need to have a laptop. Plus some of us like to have laptops to be able to take them home to work at night or on weekends instead of coming in to the office.

[d0zer]

we buy a mix of desktops and laptops. a few of us that have to take a laptop to meetings so we can show a model or drawings to a client need to have a laptop. Plus some of us like to have laptops to be able to take them home to work at night or on weekends instead of coming in to the office.

I hear yah, it's just painful to use high-demand software on shitty machines. I wouldn't want just the minimum recommended specs for really resource intensive CAD software.

At work I have a powerhouse desktop for the majority of my work, then I remote desktop in from my laptop for meetings or working remotely. It's easier for me as a codemonkey where latency isn't such a concern as it might be for CAD/graphics software, iunno.

[jjbish]

I'm running an i5 @2.4ghz w/turboboost to 3.0ghz for ACAD inventor and ACAD. No issues at all compared to my last laptop. (TY to the wad heads that broke into our shop and stole every computer and flat screen over labor day wekend?)

I only say as a reference, and I've never used Revit, but Inventor is such a hog itself.

[bode]

I'm going to go ahead and order an i7 quadcore 2.3ghz w/ 8GB cashe w/ turboboost and 16GB RAM. From everything i've read it will handle Revit fine.

[Jack Sawyer]

Sorry I answered late, I was off the intarwebs yesterday.

Whenever there's CAD involved I tend to discourage laptops. The reason is the videocards; you need CAD videocards that have the required drivers, and AFAIK no laptops have these. (edit: d0zer covered this already)

i7 Quadcores do turboboost as well when needed, so you should be fine. 16GB RAM should be sweet, and since its corporate laptops, try to get some SSDs in there on corporate budget

You did get the Dell Precisions, right?

[bode]

i ended up with 2 dell precisions. Both w/ i7 quadcores @2.3ghz w/ 8gb cache and turboboost. Both with 16gb RAM with NVIDIA 3000 something or other 2MB video cards. No SSDs in the budget this time, although i tried. This is an 8 person firm, not some huge company