Yet another check my specs :) Optimus V

[Zenzic]

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)

Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-4700MQ (2.40GHz) 6MB

Memory (RAM)
8GB SAMSUNG 1333MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (is 1x8gb > 2x4gb ? )

Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 765M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11 (is this "much" better than the gtx 660m which the optimus iv has?)

Memory - Hard Disk
500GB SEAGATE HYBRID SSHD Drive, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (5400 rpm) (would you advise this over a normal 5400/7200 hdd? ssd too expensive) (also i already have a wd scorpio black 500gb hdd)

Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)

Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack (there's complaints of the audio from this but is this still ok?)

Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N135 802.11N (150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH (worth getting any different?)

Operating System
NO OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIRED

Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5) (why wouldn't you for £5)

£787.00 inc VAT and Delivery.

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What would you improve from this without buying a SSD and is more than 8gb really necessary? Also another laptop perhaps no more than 800 excluding OS.

 

[Yamikotai]

(is 1x8gb > 2x4gb ? )

Since you're doing MATLAB, 2x4GB is better for you since it'll be in dual-channel and you can make use of the doubled memory bandwidth that way.

(is this "much" better than the gtx 660m which the optimus iv has?)

For gaming, yeah.

(would you advise this over a normal 5400/7200 hdd? ssd too expensive) (also i already have a wd scorpio black 500gb hdd)

It's a reasonable compromise if you can't afford an SSD.

GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® N135 802.11N (150Mbps) + BLUETOOTH (worth getting any different?)

Only if you think you'll make use of a faster wireless connection; for example if you transfer lots of data between two computers often.

 

[Zenzic]

Could anyone else find fault/improvement with this selection? Or even a different laptop? I'd prefer not to pay more but I'm all ears.

 

[keynes]

Could anyone else find fault/improvement with this selection? Or even a different laptop? I'd prefer not to pay more but I'm all ears.

Same as Yamikotai. The only way to improve it is to spend more like the killer 1202 wireless card or an SSD + scorpio black.

 

[Zenzic]

What benefit does the wireless card give? Once connected to the internet isn't that it?
And yeah SSD would be great but too dear

 

[keynes]

What benefit does the wireless card give? Once connected to the internet isn't that it?
And yeah SSD would be great but too dear

A few forum members have found problems with the intel wireless card, I have the killer wireless and it offers pretty fast connection without any issues.