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MBP 13 i5 vs i7 processor?

K

kathryn27

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 27, 2012
10
0
Hey all,

I just purchased a refurb MBP 13" with the i7 processor, but now I'm thinking I should've saved the $250 and just stuck with the i5. I'm basically using it for school/work (lots of Excel, Word, email), streaming some videos, working with SAP database for work, web browsing, etc. It will be my main computer and I want it to last for 3-4 years which was my reasoning for getting the higher speed processor, but now I'm wondering if I will ever even see the benefit of the i7 with my usage?
I'm planning to upgrade RAM to 8gb regardless, but would y'all exchange for the base model if you were in my shoes and just save the money (or put it toward an external HD, applecare, etc), or did I make the right choice?
 
Thanks! Do you think having the lesser processor will shorten the machine's life at all?
 
Processor performance is highly overrated in this day and age; I think many people still have residual memories of a time when EVERYTHING went through the CPU, and a faster CPU made a noticeable difference in day-to-day activities with typical software. That's no longer the case--and even so, the i7 isn't all that much faster than the i5 anyhow.

Definitely exchange it. That cash is far better spent on something like an SSD and/or extra RAM.
 
I may be in the minority when I say keep the i7. IMO it is slightly better for multitasking and if down the road you do heavier multitasking, there may be a noticeable difference. Benchmarks are kind of misleading given that one CPU that performs far better on paper than another may not give nearly as much of a world performance advantage. As of now, you probably won't see any real difference between the two, but given you already have the computer and it is a PITA to go back and redo everything, I would personally keep it.
 
I seriously doubt that an approximate 8% increase in CPU speed is going to make an appreciable difference now or in the future.
 
Wirelessly posted

Both the i5 and the i7 are just as good, and you arent missing out on Much either, keep in mind that both processors, (or all MBP CPUs in this case) have hyper threading. Which means that the CPU cores are duplicated by 2, so that means that processor has 2 physical cores and 2 virtual cores. So in total you have 4 cores. And the quad-core 15" and 17" MBPs have 8 cores - 4 virtual and 4 physical. Has this helped much OP?
 
The difference between i5 and i7 is negligible for most users, though some may need higher processor capability.

You'll be fine with the i5.
 
Mojo1 said:
I seriously doubt that an approximate 8% increase in CPU speed is going to make an appreciable difference now or in the future.
Click to expand...

While you say 8%, that i5 to i7 difference comes out to over 1000 points in average Geekbench scores if you research it.

Now that said, unless the OP is crunching DB queries when working with SAP which can be a total pig, the i5 should suffice for the needs he listed. the Geekbench scores though are pretty indicative of raw processing power at the CPU level, and there is a pretty major difference in the two procs at that level. I do suspect that a lot of the people betting on the i5 have little experience with the nightmare that is named SAP.
 
I get more useful info from real-world usage scenarios at Web sites such as Barefeats than raw Geekbench scores.
 
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