Configurator for possible Linux laptop: Cosmos VII-17 (17.3")

OldLady

Member
I have some idea about what I've chosen but it's a very basic level of understanding - will you look at the configuration please? I'd love to hear any comments or observations.

My usage is fairly simple but it is deliberately over-specififed after experiencing four years with a slow (slooow) laptop; for instance copying (or backing up) large files is like watching paint dry.

No games (except simple card games).
Some image tweaking.
Heavy user of VirtualBox (including ancient AutoCAD 2000 and Office 97 on WinXP which is my smallest Virtual Machine).
Always dual boot several versions of my Linux OS, sometimes boot Win10 in a VHD - but not at the moment 'cos I recently wiped the drive (again) recently and it's just Linux.

I've read on this forum that upgrading to Intel I7 is not always worth the money, so have left it at the default I5 - is that wise for someone looking for the best possible speed (within my budget around £800)?

I have lots of questions, for instance: have I chosen the best RAM, SSD or HD etc!!

But the BIG question is: I've been advised to stick with CPU graphics with no other/extra graphics so have tried to NOT choose anything else - have I succeeded in that?


Chassis & Display: Cosmos Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD IPS 60Hz 72% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU): Intel® Core™ i5 Quad Core Processor 8300H (2.3GHz, 4.0GHz Turbo)
FREE PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Battlefield 1 & More! w/ select Intel CPUs!
Memory (RAM): 16GB Corsair 2666MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card: INTEL® HD GRAPHICS 630 - 1.7GB Max DDR4 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
1st Hard Disk: 1TB SEAGATE 7mm SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
1st M.2 SSD Drive: 250GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3400MB/R, 1500MB/W)
Memory Card Reader: Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor: 1 x 90W AC Adaptor
Battery: Cosmos VII Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Power Cable: 1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Thermal Paste: COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
Sound Card: 2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema 3
Bluetooth & Wireless: GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-9260 M.2 (1.73Gbps, 802.11AC) +BT 5.0
USB Options: 1 x USB 3.1 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Keyboard Language: SINGLE COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System: NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED
Webcam: INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty: 3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

Thank for any help.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
But the BIG question is: I've been advised to stick with CPU graphics with no other/extra graphics so have tried to NOT choose anything else - have I succeeded in that?
That seems like sound advice for the uses youve; described, and yes that spec just has the CPU's onboard graphics.

The spec seems sound for your uses and budget. How many VMs would you run at a time?
 

OldLady

Member
That seems like sound advice for the uses youve; described, and yes that spec just has the CPU's onboard graphics.

The spec seems sound for your uses and budget. How many VMs would you run at a time?

Thank you for your response Oussebon, AND for confirming the graphics question - I appreciate you picking out my biggest concern!

Usually just one VM, but sometimes two - never more though. I have 12Gb RAM on my existing laptop and happily give 4Gb to some VMs so I figured 16GB is plenty - do you have different advice?
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
That sounds sensible to me - but that said, I don't really use VMs. I was asking more to get that info out there so more experienced users can comment on that if they feel you're off the mark.

16gb RAM and a 6-core / 6 thread CPU does sound appropriate for those uses to my inexpert ears though :)
 

OldLady

Member
That sounds sensible to me - but that said, I don't really use VMs. I was asking more to get that info out there so more experienced users can comment on that if they feel you're off the mark.

16gb RAM and a 6-core / 6 thread CPU does sound appropriate for those uses to my inexpert ears though :)

Ahah - I understand.

I don't know if it is helpful, but perhaps I should also say that I do not use hibernate.
 

OldLady

Member
Yesterday I read about the difference between Intel i5 and i7 here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?60083-Linux-Mint-19-Ultranote-and-M-2SSD

I had already thought/guessed i5 would be fine for my usage, but years ago I'd decided I was never going to risk buying another poor laptop by choosing entry level or a low specification. Today I decided to try and understand more about the choice and what they mean for me. I'm a little wiser, meaning i5 truly does seem the sensible choice, but...

To help me understand, can you read on while I describe a recent activity and tell my why you think i5 or i7 would be the better choice in that instance?

My linux OS will be on the SSD (but it might be a lower spec than listed above) and the data will be on the 1TB SEAGATE 7mm SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (7,200rpm).

My husband's Win7 laptop died recently and he ordered a new Win10 laptop (not from PC Specialist). He's not a computer geek and was concerned whether or not he'd be able to install his Quicken software dating from 2000 without trashing the new Win10 OS. I offered to try it in a Virtual Machine. The first obvious chore was a new Win10 VM and back it up. A huge file.

I learnt that Quicken does install and work on the latest 1803 Win10, or at least as well as on Win7, but during that process I had deleted the working VM and copied a fresh VM from backup several times - at least eight times. Each time took AGES.

Would copying that huge file be faster on an i7 machine or not much difference? is it a sensible question for you to answer?

If you've read this far, then thank you.

PS: the good news for my husband is that he's happily using his 18 year old Quicken on Win10 for several weeks now!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
That post talks about different i5s and i7s. The differences between those i5s and i7s are different to the differences between an i5 8300H and an i7 8750H ... :) i5 and i7 are pretty meaningless marketing terms at this point.

Would copying that huge file be faster on an i7 machine or not much difference?
No. Storage speed will matter more.

And if you need a copy a file from one drive / system to another drive / system, the connection will matter too.

I'd suggest not cheaping-out on the SSD, since a fast NVMe SSD like the WD Black or 970 Evo will have much higher transfer speeds and IOPS. Given the uses you describe that sounds pretty important to your needs.

In terms of copying files between 2 PCs (I'm not sure if that's what you meant above..?) even if you were copying a file between two super fast SSDs in different computers (e.g. from one 970 Evo to another 970 Evo) via the network with gigabit ethernet, you're still going to be limited to ~120 or so MBps transfer speed due to the connection - even if the drives themselves can happily read or write data at well over 1000MB per second.

An i7 would matter more for encoding data e.g. making .7z files, or video rendering, compiling code... I believe Storage matters more for decompression or plain copying of files.

So it doesn't sound like you'd get much out of an i7, but you should get a fast SSD (especially given the relatively modest price differences).
 
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Tony1044

Prolific Poster
I'd also add that as, at most, you will only run a couple of VM's that the higher spec processor would still be of no benefit.

There was a long'ish thread on here recently where a member was asking about quite a powerful rig for running lots of VM's - my advice then, as now, is you will run out of memory way before you run out of virtual CPU.

The other key advice I give is always to get an SSD for the storage that your most common VM's will boot from. Even the slowest SSD* will be vastly, vastly superior - especially when booting multiple VM's simultaneously - than the fastest SATA HDD.

Honestly, as with Oussebon, I see no real reason to get the i7 for your uses.

Even if you were to possibly double the VM count in the next few years...RAM will still get eaten faster than CPU :)

*Not that I'm advocating the slowest SSD - get the fastest you can afford.
 

OldLady

Member
Thank you Oussebon and Tony1044 for your detailed replies. I'm sorry for the confusion in my question but I believe you understood the gist very well.

May I ask you another question about the following please?

That sounds sensible to me - but that said, I don't really use VMs. I was asking more to get that info out there so more experienced users can comment on that if they feel you're off the mark.

16gb RAM and a 6-core / 6 thread CPU does sound appropriate for those uses to my inexpert ears though :)

For the Processor (CPU) in the configurator, I chose: Intel Core i5 Quad Core Processor 8300H (2.3GHz, 4.0GHz Turbo) but Oussebon states "6-core".

Can you clarify that for me?
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
For the Processor (CPU) in the configurator, I chose: Intel Core i5 Quad Core Processor 8300H (2.3GHz, 4.0GHz Turbo) but Oussebon states "6-core".

Can you clarify that for me?
Sorry, my mistake. Somehow I was under the impression it was a 6-core CPU. It is in fact a quad core with hyperthreading (4 core / 8 thread). Which is what laptop i7 CPUs were until 8th Gen launched in October 2017.
 

OldLady

Member
Sorry, my mistake. Somehow I was under the impression it was a 6-core CPU. It is in fact a quad core with hyperthreading (4 core / 8 thread). Which is what laptop i7 CPUs were until 8th Gen launched in October 2017.

Gosh, please don't apologise. :)

All clear now!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
This kind of makes my point about i5 and i7 (and i3 and i9, lol) being meaningless and downright confusing.

For -U series CPUs (ULVs found in ultra thin laptops) i3, i5, and i7 were all dual core with (hyperthreading, HT) (2 Core, 4 Thread) before 8th gen, and many 7th gen -U series CPUs are still on sale.
But 8th Gen ULVs are 2C/4T for i3, 4C/8T for i5 and i7.
8th Gen Mobile CPUs (H series) are 4C/4T for i3, 4C/8T for i5 (not 6C/6T as I mistakenly believed) and 6C/12T for i7.
8th GenDesktop (-S series) are 4C/4T for i3, 6C/6T (really this time) for i5, and 6C/12T for i7.
But that's about to change with 9th series launch which will see i7 -S series be 8C/8T.

And ofc there are HEDT i7 CPUs with 8 cores and 16 threads. Which is what the forthcoming i9 CPU will be on the consumer platform.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

7th Gen and older H and S series were 2C/4T i3, 4C/4T i5, 4C/8T i7. So it used to kind of make sense, except for -U series and HEDT being different.

Intel basically lost the plot after AMD released Ryzen.
 
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Tony1044

Prolific Poster
This kind of makes my point about i5 and i7 (and i3 and i9, lol) being meaningless and downright confusing.

For -U series CPUs (ULVs found in ultra thin laptops) i3, i5, and i7 were all dual core with (hyperthreading, HT) (2 Core, 4 Thread) before 8th gen, and many 7th gen -U series CPUs are still on sale.
But 8th Gen ULVs are 2C/4T for i3, 4C/8T for i5 and i7.
8th Gen Mobile CPUs (H series) are 4C/4T for i3, 4C/8T for i5 (not 6C/6T as I mistakenly believed) and 6C/12T for i7.
8th GenDesktop (-S series) are 4C/4T for i3, 6C/6T (really this time) for i5, and 6C/12T for i7.
But that's about to change with 9th series launch which will see i7 -S series be 8C/8T.

And ofc there are HEDT i7 CPUs with 8 cores and 16 threads. Which is what the forthcoming i9 CPU will be on the consumer platform.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

7th Gen and older H and S series were 2C/4T i3, 4C/4T i5, 4C/8T i7. So it used to kind of make sense, except for -U series and HEDT being different.

Intel basically lost the plot after AMD released Ryzen.

Did Intel poach Microsoft's licensing team to come up with all of those confusing options?? :)
 

OldLady

Member
A quick note to say I placed an order a couple of days ago (Sat 15 Sep) for the laptop spec in my first post.

Thank you VERY much to all who responded - I'm really grateful for your patience and help.

Regards
OldLady
 
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