Which has more longetivity, more RAM or a better processor?

[BizzyLeo]

When buying a computer you plan to keep for as long as possible, which computer will stand up best, one with a better processor (i7 over i5) or a computer with more RAM?

 

[Hellhammer]

RAM can always be upgraded whereas the CPU cannot.

 

[miles01110]

RAM can always be upgraded whereas the CPU cannot.

Depends on what kind of computer you're talking about, but in Apple portables this is the case.

 

[AdrianK]

It depends what you want to do now and what you intend to do in the future. CPU usage while you aren't running any tasks is negligible and that won't change soon, so it's only the applications you use that will dictate whether a CPU upgrade is essential or not. Bear in mind that a lot of mac users are still using the often dubbed 'extremely date' Core 2 Duo CPUs which serve most just fine.

 

[jamisonbaines]

at the point where your computer is sloooow new computers are often 100% faster (or more)

case in point a c2d geekbenching at 2500 and an i7 clocking 10k

at that point it doesn't matter if you got the 2.2 or the 2.4, they're both slow.

RAM is easy to upgrade so buy what suits you now, upgrade a few things when you feel left behind (ram/ssd) and then start saving for some new technology