BleepingComputer.com: Getting new laptop

Usually I would figure out by myself, but I want to see what Bleeping Computer members think :D

So basically, I use the computer thusly:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate
• Sony Vegas Pro
• Photoshop CS5
• Illustrator CS5
• Zune
• Chrome
• Microsoft Office 2010
• Gaming (Want to play Oblivion, Call of Duty, Skyrim) <-- This I can give up for the other ones, PS3 is more than enough if it will increase price cap of the laptop.
• LOTS of multitasking between Visual Studio, Music, Microsoft Office, and Internet, sometimes more.

My price cap is $400.

These are the computers I'm choosing between:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i3+Processor+/+14%26%2334%3B+Display+/+4GB+Memory+-+Black/3672031.p?skuId=3672031&id=1218425883601
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+-+Black/4602746.p?skuId=4602746&id=1218493899803

And two custom builds as follows:

First Custom Build

• Toshiba L740-BT4N22 (Base)
• Intel® Core™ i3-2350M Processor, 2.3 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache (64-bit)
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM (2048MBx2)
• 320GB HDD
• $399.00

Second Custom Build

• Toshiba L750D-BT5N22
• AMD Quad-Core A6-3420M Accelerated Processor 1.5GHz base (2.4 GHz with AMD Turbo Core Technology), 4MB Cache (or AMD Dual-Core A4-3305M Accelerated Processor 1.9GHz base (2.5 GHz with AMD Turbo Core Technology), 2MB Cache, not sure)
• 3GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM (2048MB+1024MB)
• 320GB HDD
• $399.00

What is the best of the 4, or do you recommend a different one? And for the second custom build, would the first CPU (Quad core, 1.5Ghz or 2.4 with Turbo Core) or the Second CPU (Dual Core, 1.9GHz or 2.5GHz with Turbo Core) be the better choice?

Thanks in Advance!

-Cody

P.S. The space on the hard drive really isn't a problem to me since I use online streaming for music, and have Bitcasa for unlimited online storage.

This post has been edited by pivotraze: 23 January 2012 - 07:49 PM

All of the laptops has either onboard or integrated graphics which is not suitable for gaming. But if you are not going to do some gaming on it, then the second custom Toshiba model would be able to handle the other tasks mentioned. For that model, would get the A6 because it is a quad core and it has much more better integrated graphics then the other ones.

Really? My mind was saying the Asus. It has a higher set speed than the others (because if I understand right, TurboCore only comes in when the utilization of the CPU is 20-50%ish?)

ha, a bit more research on the particular processor (A6-3240M) would have made me choose that! Way better than i3, it seems.

Huh, I'll take a deeper look at the two! Thanks for providing the viewpoint! I understand it wasn't great for gaming, but my Intel GMA 950 card ran Oblivion at very very very low settings around 20, so I was hoping an Intel HD 3000 would run it better! haha

This post has been edited by pivotraze: 23 January 2012 - 08:31 PM

I determined it by the amount of cores. The Intel HD 3000 graphics can possibly run the games but it wouldn't be to smooth, so the integrated graphics for the A6 is much more better.

I ended up getting a Toshiba Satellite L775-S7105:
4GB RAM
Intel i3-2350M
Intel HD 3000 graphics

It was perfect in my budget