Buying new computer, spec question

[mae_creativity]

Hi fellow farm animals 😅

So I’m finally buying a new laptop. While I am a millennial, I’m still stupid about this stuff.

Question is about the processor speed.
I’m looking at a certain laptop:
Is 1700Mhz Processor speed high enough, since the laptop has SSD?

Edit: need laptop for editing videos + audio, and usual stuff (writing a book on office, etc).
My budget is almost non existent.
This all has to do with my other post:
Fiverr Forum

Buying video recorder + Zoom H1 and need advice

Dear people who are smarter than me in this subject, ? I know this is super long. Maybe my main question is this—it seems that a camcorder with no mic input is much cheaper than one with a mic input. I’m gonna use an external mic (Zoom H1). Am I...

Reading time: 3 mins ? Likes: 3 ❤

Thanks loves, May 🌻

[gig_freak]

Dear Maam, to be honest, it really depends on what you are up to. If you do heavy work that processor is actually slow. But if you only use it for simple tasks it should be fine. It also depends on what kind of processor is, if I am correct the ultrabooks have processors like that and they are fine.

It would be good if you can post the entire specs or put the link from the laptop so more people can give you their opinion.

[Guest phantompower]

It depends on what you will be using the laptop for.

[sugamlife]

1700 is very basic and would only suit if you have basic requirements. SSD might help a bit to some extent but you should look for a good processer. Since you are purchasing you can look for GHz. But if you will only write articles and surf internet it will do fine. But for some heavy softwares like photoshop or gaming it will start to hang. Buy it if you get it with impressive price but if price is comparable for a GHz then go for it.

[shubh2012]

1700MHz = 1.7GHz
@sugamlife
Photoshop runs smoothly.
Autodesk Maya, Cinema4D work fine at this speed.
After Effects runs with some hiccups.
Counter Strike GO runs smoothly.
GTA IV runs smoothly.

SSD = Solid State Drive.
It doesn’t include a rotary disk and hence consumes less power, doesn’t heat too much, and has a higher searching speed.

[yurymuzlanov]

Processor FROM 2000 Mhz/2.00 Ghz and more
Operating Memory FROM 4 Gb and more

And so on. More is good, less is bad for today.

[mae_creativity]

Thanks so much all for the first 3 comments 🙂

So first, this is what I need the laptop for:

a) For recording high quality videos. I already bought a Panasonic video camera + (buying tomorrow) Zoom H1 for recording videos. Videos will be for my new Youtube channel (actually not sure what videos will be about yet) + videos that are recorded tutorials (me teaching)+ videos with tracks of my guitar and vocals. Hopefully also videos for a new gig to sell (also not sure what exactly–testimonials? Voiceovers? I don’t know). The Panasonic and Zoom will be for all that, and the laptop for editing the videos and sound.

I would be using video and sound editing software.

b) All the work I do as a freelancer on and off Fiverr (teaching live classes, editing, etc.—an eclectic, wide range of services).

c) Writing my book on MS Office

d) Studying (reading ebooks, using OneNote, etc)

e) I use Intuos tablet A LOT (for teaching live + creating recorded tutorials, creating art).

f) Regular internet stuff and computer stuff (watching movies, etc)

              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1. This is what I wanted to buy, but the store said he doesn’t have it anymore. Not sure if another store would have it, but wanted to buy it there because I have $50 store credit. Still, this is over my budget.

HP 250 G5 1KA03EA
HP
Windows 10
Intel Core i5
Processor speed: 2500Mhz
Model processor 7200U
7th generation
8 GB RAM
DDR4
SSD 256GB
screen size 15.6 inches
screen resolution 1366x768
Intel HD Graphics 620
VGA, USB, HDMI, RJ-45, Bluetooth

2. The cheaper laptop that IS in my budget is this (it’s the one you all don’t like because of the 1700Mhz):

Asus X555LA-XX2884T laptop
ASUS
Windows 10
Intel Core i3
Processor speed: 1700Mhz
Model processor: 4005U
4th generation
4 GB RAM
15.6 inches
screen res: 1366x768
Intel HD Graphics 4400
VGA, USB, RJ-45
DDR3
256 GB hard drive
SSD
****these last 2 confuse me- next to “Hard drive speed” it says “SSD”

It says this in the note:
“Standard magnetic hard drives typically reach 5400 or 7200 RPM, and the higher the speed, the higher the data retrieval and read rate,
SSD drives do not contain moving components, so rpm is not relevant to them; Such drives are almost always significantly faster than conventional magnetic drives.
Many laptops come with an SSHD drive or a hybrid drive: this is a standard magnetic drive designed for storage, with an SSD component that is designed to speed up your computer. Usually, the user does not have separate access to the SSD but is only used by the operating system. The speed of such a drive will be zap (my note- “zap” is the name of this website that compares product prices) as follows: 540_0 / SSD, where the number indicates the RPM speed of the magnetic drive, and the SSD indicates that the SSD is on the drive.”

                                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You’ve all said that 1700Mhz with SSD is too slow, so I don’t know why the first laptop–the one I wanted which is also more expensive–is just a little faster (still Mhz and not Ghz). Me all confused 😬

Hugs 🙂

[sugamlife]

1700MHz = 1.7GHz

@sugamlife

Photoshop runs smoothly.

Autodesk Maya, Cinema4D work fine at this speed.

After Effects runs with some hiccups.

Counter Strike GO runs smoothly.

GTA IV runs smoothly.

SSD = Solid State Drive.

It doesn’t include a rotary disk and hence consumes less power, doesn’t heat too much, and has a higher searching speed.

@shubh2012 umm my bad I wasn’t really paying attention to last “0” as people don’t generally mention in MHz if they are refering GHz . But as I have already mentioned GHz is great and seems like SSD will help even more. 😅 Great laptop @mae_creativity go for it.

[mae_creativity]

@shubh2012 umm my bad I wasn’t really paying attention to last “0” as people don’t generally mention in MHz if they are refering GHz . But as I have already mentioned GHz is great and seems like SSD will help even more. 😅 Great laptop @mae_creativity go for it.

Thanks but which one are you referring to?

[djgodknows]

Thanks but which one are you referring to?

Let me make this easy for you.

There’s 3 levels of intel processor:

i3 - low

i5- mid

i7- high (the best).

I would be using video and sound editing software.

For your functions, I would STRONGLY recommend picking an i5 processor with at least 8GB RAM

You DON’T have to have ssd, you can purchase one cheaper from online and swap it out.

p.s

Another thing to notice is 7th gen processor vs 6th gen.

The 7th gen is the LATEST family of processors, while the 6th gen is couple of years old.

If you purchase the 7th gen, don’t have to worry about mhz/ghz. Since its the newest line.

p.p.s

You can buy an i5 processor with 4GB ram, since the RAM is easily upgradeable later on. You cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.

You can post more options available and I can advise on the config, I just remembered you are in Israel, not sure on the availability of various options.

[sugamlife]

Thanks but which one are you referring to?

HP is something i see with every other computer engineer for its reliability and service and the HP model you are refering to is awesome, it can handle anything but the question is if you want your laptop to handle anything? If you are not going to develop a software or play games that require graphics then i personally think you should not buy it go on with the second one its service will be just fine and will comfortably run all your erands with bonus of a little saving to get you something of your need. 1700 MHz is very fine.

I personally think laptops should just match your needs. I have just started with my bachelor in computer science and my parents offered a MAC which I declined and happy with my dell. There is no use if I won’t be able for its optimum use and by the time I will some new generation will arrive. Go with the budget. 😃

[Guest phantompower]

Let me make this easy for you.

There’s 3 levels of intel processor:

i3 - low

i5- mid

i7- high (the best).

I would be using video and sound editing software.

For your functions, I would STRONGLY recommend picking an i5 processor with at least 8GB RAM

You DON’T have to have ssd, you can purchase one cheaper from online and swap it out.

p.s

Another thing to notice is 7th gen processor vs 6th gen.

The 7th gen is the LATEST family of processors, while the 6th gen is couple of years old.

If you purchase the 7th gen, don’t have to worry about mhz/ghz. Since its the newest line.

p.p.s

You can buy an i5 processor with 4GB ram, since the RAM is easily upgradeable later on. You cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.

You can post more options available and I can advise on the config, I just remembered you are in Israel, not sure on the availability of various options.

don’t forget to add xeon to the list.

[mae_creativity]

Let me make this easy for you.

There’s 3 levels of intel processor:

i3 - low

i5- mid

i7- high (the best).

I would be using video and sound editing software.

For your functions, I would STRONGLY recommend picking an i5 processor with at least 8GB RAM

You DON’T have to have ssd, you can purchase one cheaper from online and swap it out.

p.s

Another thing to notice is 7th gen processor vs 6th gen.

The 7th gen is the LATEST family of processors, while the 6th gen is couple of years old.

If you purchase the 7th gen, don’t have to worry about mhz/ghz. Since its the newest line.

p.p.s

You can buy an i5 processor with 4GB ram, since the RAM is easily upgradeable later on. You cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.

You can post more options available and I can advise on the config, I just remembered you are in Israel, not sure on the availability of various options.

Thanks @djgodknows 🙂

1. You said I do not have to have an SSD because I can buy a cheaper one and swap it out.

   But later you said: “ou cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.”

2. Israel is called “Hitech Nation” so don’t worry–everything is available here. 🙂 But–everything is also soooooooooooo expensive here. That’s why I’m looking for ways to cut down on the cost (for example 4GB ram instead of 8 / i3 instead of i5 / 5 or 6 gen instead of 7).

[gig_freak]

Thanks so much all for the first 3 comments 🙂

So first, this is what I need the laptop for:

a) For recording high quality videos. I already bought a Panasonic video camera + (buying tomorrow) Zoom H1 for recording videos. Videos will be for my new Youtube channel (actually not sure what videos will be about yet) + videos that are recorded tutorials (me teaching)+ videos with tracks of my guitar and vocals. Hopefully also videos for a new gig to sell (also not sure what exactly–testimonials? Voiceovers? I don’t know). The Panasonic and Zoom will be for all that, and the laptop for editing the videos and sound.

I would be using video and sound editing software.

b) All the work I do as a freelancer on and off Fiverr (teaching live classes, editing, etc.—an eclectic, wide range of services).

c) Writing my book on MS Office

d) Studying (reading ebooks, using OneNote, etc)

e) I use Intuos tablet A LOT (for teaching live + creating recorded tutorials, creating art).

f) Regular internet stuff and computer stuff (watching movies, etc)

              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1. This is what I wanted to buy, but the store said he doesn’t have it anymore. Not sure if another store would have it, but wanted to buy it there because I have $50 store credit. Still, this is over my budget.

HP 250 G5 1KA03EA

HP

Windows 10

Intel Core i5

Processor speed: 2500Mhz

Model processor 7200U

7th generation

8 GB RAM

DDR4

SSD 256GB

screen size 15.6 inches

screen resolution 1366x768

Intel HD Graphics 620

VGA, USB, HDMI, RJ-45, Bluetooth

2. The cheaper laptop that IS in my budget is this (it’s the one you all don’t like because of the 1700Mhz):

Asus X555LA-XX2884T laptop

ASUS

Windows 10

Intel Core i3

Processor speed: 1700Mhz

Model processor: 4005U

4th generation

4 GB RAM

15.6 inches

screen res: 1366x768

Intel HD Graphics 4400

VGA, USB, RJ-45

DDR3

256 GB hard drive

SSD

****these last 2 confuse me- next to “Hard drive speed” it says “SSD”

It says this in the note:

“Standard magnetic hard drives typically reach 5400 or 7200 RPM, and the higher the speed, the higher the data retrieval and read rate,

SSD drives do not contain moving components, so rpm is not relevant to them; Such drives are almost always significantly faster than conventional magnetic drives.

Many laptops come with an SSHD drive or a hybrid drive: this is a standard magnetic drive designed for storage, with an SSD component that is designed to speed up your computer. Usually, the user does not have separate access to the SSD but is only used by the operating system. The speed of such a drive will be zap (my note- “zap” is the name of this website that compares product prices) as follows: 540_0 / SSD, where the number indicates the RPM speed of the magnetic drive, and the SSD indicates that the SSD is on the drive.”

                                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You’ve all said that 1700Mhz with SSD is too slow, so I don’t know why the first laptop–the one I wanted which is also more expensive–is just a little faster (still Mhz and not Ghz). Me all confused 😬

Hugs 🙂

Whatever you do I would advise you to stay away from HP and Lenovo as they are the leaders when it comes to malfunctioning laptops, especially Lenovo. I would recommend you getting an ASUS, ACER or Toshiba laptop. But this is my personal opinion. It is a lot better if you can do some research on TomsHardware and similar tech related forums.

The specifications of the ASUS you have sent above are outdated and it won’t be enough for video editing and doing a lot of items at the same time.

I just bought a laptop recently and I was researching a lot, at the end I decided to go with ASUS.

[mae_creativity]

HP is something i see with every other computer engineer for its reliability and service and the HP model you are refering to is awesome, it can handle anything but the question is if you want your laptop to handle anything? If you are not going to develop a software or play games that require graphics then i personally think you should not buy it go on with the second one its service will be just fine and will comfortably run all your erands with bonus of a little saving to get you something of your need. 1700 MHz is very fine.

I personally think laptops should just match your needs. I have just started with my bachelor in computer science and my parents offered a MAC which I declined and happy with my dell. There is no use if I won’t be able for its optimum use and by the time I will some new generation will arrive. Go with the budget. 😃

Thanks @sugamlife

I DO need to stick with a low budget because of all the recording equipment I’m buying.

I currently have a Lenovo and am scared to buy another because it’s only one year old and already too broken to fix.

Before that I had an HP and it lasted 6 years with no problems. That’s why I really want an HP. I trust them because of those 6 years.

[sugamlife]

Whatever you do I would advise you to stay away from HP and Lenovo as they are the leaders when it comes to malfunctioning laptops, especially Lenovo. I would recommend you getting an ASUS, ACER or Toshiba laptop. But this is my personal opinion. It is a lot better if you can do some research on TomsHardware and similar tech related forums.

The specifications of the ASUS you have sent above are outdated and it won’t be enough for video editing and doing a lot of items at the same time.

I just bought a laptop recently and I was researching a lot, at the end I decided to go with ASUS.

I agree with ASUS but I think HP is known for its service. HP ranks below MAC and above DELL sometimes. The mention ASUS model is not outdated and with SSD it will match the HP model. There are 2. GHz possessing models out there but even with a 1.7 GHz a person can do 95% advance level use.

[mae_creativity]

I agree with ASUS but I think HP is known for its service. HP ranks below MAC and above DELL sometimes. The mention ASUS model is not outdated and with SSD it will match the HP model. There are 2. GHz possessing models out there but even with a 1.7 GHz a person can do 95% advance level use.

I agree with ASUS but I think HP is known for its service. HP ranks below MAC and above DELL sometimes. The mention ASUS model is not outdated and with SSD it will match the HP model. There are 2. GHz possessing models out there but even with a 1.7 GHz a person can do 95% advance level use.

Sugam, I am wondering whether or not you saw my post above where I wrote what I need to do with the laptop? 🌻

[djgodknows]

Thanks @djgodknows 🙂

1. You said I do not have to have an SSD because I can buy a cheaper one and swap it out.

   But later you said: “ou cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.”

2. Israel is called “Hitech Nation” so don’t worry–everything is available here. 🙂 But–everything is also soooooooooooo expensive here. That’s why I’m looking for ways to cut down on the cost (for example 4GB ram instead of 8 / i3 instead of i5 / 5 or 6 gen instead of 7).

1. You said I do not have to have an SSD because I can buy a cheaper one and swap it out.

   But later you said: “ou cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.”

2. Israel is called “Hitech Nation” so don’t worry–everything is available here. 🙂 But–everything is also soooooooooooo expensive here. That’s why I’m looking for ways to cut down on the cost (for example 4GB ram instead of 8 / i3 instead of i5 / 5 or 6 gen instead of 7).

1. I was trying to keep it in layman’s terms for you but here’s basically what you can/cannot upgrade on laptop.

   Processor - N/A

   Graphics card - N/A

   Sound Card - N/A

   RAM - YES (So you can buy 4gb now, and down the road, purchase another 4gb stick, install it and you will have 8gb)

   Hard Drive - YES (Having an SSD is great, but it isn’t a must. But SSD adds EXTRA cost because it is still considered a PREMIUM option)

So since the processor is NOT upgradeable, and purchasing a laptop still is a sort of investment, try to purchase an i5.

If not possible at all, then i3 but up your ram to 8gb. Hope that made sense.

I would recommend you getting an ASUS, ACER or Toshiba laptop. But this is my personal opinion.

I strongly concur with above, I’m a dedicated Acer laptop user (10+years), so I will be biased and say go for Acer, because the PRICE per PERFORMANCE ratio is one of the highest.

My new laptop that I purchased:

i5 - 7th gen

8gb RAM

2gb Nvidia 940mx dedicated graphics card

m.2 256gb SSD

17" display

$560 (purchased from newegg).

You can’t beat the price for that spec. So im sure price for acer would be relatively lower in Israel as well.

p.s

One thing you must consider is the value of TIME.

During post-processing, when utilizing your video/audio editing software. The slower the processor, the longer the PROCESSING time.

This extra time on slow processors will compound over time and cause you to spend more time which will decrease your overall value of your time.

Thus investing in a good processor is important for the workflow.

[gig_freak]

@djgodknows is right.

The processor that @mae_creativity posted in the specs for the ASUS has the fourth generation of i3, which is like from 4-5 years ago.

My machine that I purchased has:
I7 - 7th gen
16GB of RAM
8GB of nVidia 1070 GPU
17’’ display
1TB HDD and 256 SSD

[sugamlife]

Thanks @sugamlife

I DO need to stick with a low budget because of all the recording equipment I’m buying.

I currently have a Lenovo and am scared to buy another because it’s only one year old and already too broken to fix.

Before that I had an HP and it lasted 6 years with no problems. That’s why I really want an HP. I trust them because of those 6 years.

@mae_creativity Yes, HP is famous for its reliability that is why every software developer have one. The components used in any HP laptops are very original. HP never compromises with device components whereas other brands compromise over the components to add some softwares in order to cut price and appear impressive that is why they are so durable, High quality components. If you intend to use your laptop more than video editing then go for HP .ASUS can handle that much. LENOVO is still revolutionsing in laptops. To tell you what my brother received a new model of lenovo phone as a prize in state football championship and it stopped working as one day he went outside after rain in a somewhat humid whether whereas I use my phone always wet handed, my MI phone is just fine.

[sugamlife]

@mae_creativity Yes, HP is famous for its reliability that is why every software developer have one. The components used in any HP laptops are very original. HP never compromises with device components whereas other brands compromise over the components to add some softwares in order to cut price and appear impressive that is why they are so durable, High quality components. If you intend to use your laptop more than video editing then go for HP .ASUS can handle that much. LENOVO is still revolutionsing in laptops. To tell you what my brother received a new model of lenovo phone as a prize in state football championship and it stopped working as one day he went outside after rain in a somewhat humid whether whereas I use my phone always wet handed, my MI phone is just fine.

@mae_creativity ASUS is lacking in RAM but that can be taken care of and might also have to compromise with durability. HP laptops are rough one.This model of ASUS can handle all the video editing and other stuffs you have mentioned with a bonus of its graphics. HP is having a RAM and durability advantage over here.And as for generation it does not matter much. Purchase HP if price is not so much higher but If you have to make a big compromise with budget then go for ASUS. ASUS one seems to handle the one you mentioned and a little bit more.

[gig_freak]

@sugamlife

I hate to disagree with you but HP is the worst possible laptop that you can purchase.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/laptop-malfunction-rates/

The reason why every software engineer uses HP is the same as why every designer uses MAC. If you go for HP only the OMEN series is reliable everything other sucks.

[wuerz123]

@sugamlife

I hate to disagree with you but HP is the worst possible laptop that you can purchase.

http://www.statisticbrain.com/laptop-malfunction-rates/

The reason why every software engineer uses HP is the same as why every designer uses MAC. If you go for HP only the OMEN series is reliable everything other sucks.

HP is the worst possible laptop that you can purchase

I didn’t want to write it before but you did it for me 👍

I would go the whole way with an ASUS and not HP.

In my opinion you should get an ASUS with the characteristics of the HP you want to buy.

[sugamlife]

@sugamlife

I hate to disagree with you but HP is the worst possible laptop that you can purchase.

http://www.statisticbrain.com/laptop-malfunction-rates/

The reason why every software engineer uses HP is the same as why every designer uses MAC. If you go for HP only the OMEN series is reliable everything other sucks.

I understand that you disagree with me. But its true that HP has a very nice service. Almost every brand has some malfunctioning like dell gets heated. Hp is among the best laptops brands. As for MAC, there is absolutely no problem with the series might some time some malfunctioned units were reported but they are so good that a MAC user don’t even touch brands like HP or DELL. They make an effort to install windows with addition to Linux but they never touch anything else

[mae_creativity]

1. You said I do not have to have an SSD because I can buy a cheaper one and swap it out.

   But later you said: “ou cannot upgrade/change the processor on a laptop.”

2. Israel is called “Hitech Nation” so don’t worry–everything is available here. 🙂 But–everything is also soooooooooooo expensive here. That’s why I’m looking for ways to cut down on the cost (for example 4GB ram instead of 8 / i3 instead of i5 / 5 or 6 gen instead of 7).

1. I was trying to keep it in layman’s terms for you but here’s basically what you can/cannot upgrade on laptop.

   Processor - N/A

   Graphics card - N/A

   Sound Card - N/A

   RAM - YES (So you can buy 4gb now, and down the road, purchase another 4gb stick, install it and you will have 8gb)

   Hard Drive - YES (Having an SSD is great, but it isn’t a must. But SSD adds EXTRA cost because it is still considered a PREMIUM option)

So since the processor is NOT upgradeable, and purchasing a laptop still is a sort of investment, try to purchase an i5.

If not possible at all, then i3 but up your ram to 8gb. Hope that made sense.

I would recommend you getting an ASUS, ACER or Toshiba laptop. But this is my personal opinion.

I strongly concur with above, I’m a dedicated Acer laptop user (10+years), so I will be biased and say go for Acer, because the PRICE per PERFORMANCE ratio is one of the highest.

My new laptop that I purchased:

i5 - 7th gen

8gb RAM

2gb Nvidia 940mx dedicated graphics card

m.2 256gb SSD

17" display

$560 (purchased from newegg).

You can’t beat the price for that spec. So im sure price for acer would be relatively lower in Israel as well.

p.s

One thing you must consider is the value of TIME.

During post-processing, when utilizing your video/audio editing software. The slower the processor, the longer the PROCESSING time.

This extra time on slow processors will compound over time and cause you to spend more time which will decrease your overall value of your time.

Thus investing in a good processor is important for the workflow.

Hmm. I was basing this whole decision on the SSD. I was told that it IS A MUST.

So what you are saying is news to me. 🙂

Ugh I don’t know how long it will take for my brain to understand.

What I think I do understand is the 4/8 GB RAM - that is memory and the less the comp has, the cheaper the costs. And it’s fine because you can easily buy and add more memory later.

What I’m confused about is what are all the parts that contribute to the processor speed. You say that’s the most important.

Is this correct? Intel Core: the higher (5, 7) the faster / gen: the newer the faster

Processor speed: what is the minimum I need?

What about processor model? For the HP above, I can see that the model is 7th gen and the Asus is 4th. The other numbers and letters I don’t know what they mean. But I’m assuming a model could be the best 7th gen, while the other numbers and letters mean the laptop is not better than a different machine with 5th or 6th gen.

And I wonder why you say getting 8GB RAM instead of 4 would be better–in the case that I have to get i3 instead of i5?

By the way–your new laptop that costed you $560, is less $ than the Asus I wrote about. 😒 lol.

Thanks love.