CPU / Processor

Trillionaire

How can you tell what your CPU is - i.e i3, i5, B960? The reason I ask is, someone is selling a laptop on eBay that I'm interested in. The Seller assures me that It says on the box that the cpu is Intel Core i3 but I KNOW FOR A FACT that that particular model was either an i5 or B960. The product came from PC World by the way.

Someone else is also selling the same laptop and in their description they have put the following:

Processor brand: Intel Core i5
Processor Series : Pentium
Processor number: B950

Something is wrong somewhere:eek:.

So I want both Sellers to check their laptops and need to tell them how to do it.

Basically, could someone tell me how to do it please so that I can pass the instructions on?

RobTang

open device manager, processors for a quick glance, properties on my computer should show it as well.

or http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
for more detail.

Lum

The i3 and i5 are pin compatible, you can pull one out of the socket on a laptop and slot in the other fairly easily*. Is it possible that this model was sold in a variety of different configurations at various points in the past?

* Putting the rest of the laptop back together may be less easy.

Trillionaire

I'm going to ask them now. I'm going to say -

Could you confirm if your cpu/processor is i5 or B950 please? How you do this is by clicking 'open device manager' on your laptop and click processors for a quick glance. Properties on 'my computer' should show it as well.

Is that right?

Lum

depending on how much they know about windows they may not know how to get to device manager.

Tell them to click the start button, right click on My Computer and choose Properties and tell you what the processor is listed as there.

Trillionaire

Thanks Lum. I've messaged them via eBay so I'll wait and see what they come back with then report back here.

Trillionaire

Lum wrote: »

depending on how much they know about windows they may not know how to get to device manager.

Tell them to click the start button, right click on My Computer and choose Properties and tell you what the processor is listed as there.

One's definately i5. Now just waiting for the other Seller to respond - the one who says it's i3.

epninety

Not unusual for places like PC World to have 'odd' builds of some devices, sometimes with downgraded parts, sometimes upgraded. It allows them to offer 'unbeatable!' pricing (because no-one else has the same device to sell, so no danger of needing to price match).

Last time I saw it was one of the popular netbooks (probably Acer). Loads of places advertising it, every one with a marginally different spec (processor, screen, memory etc.) , so very hard to figure out the best deals.

Ectophile

There's a quicker way to find the basic machine configuration in Windows.

Just hold down the "Windows" key, while pressing the "Pause/Break" key.

Trillionaire

:cool:What can I say? Yep, the other one is an i3:o PC World must have been the only place that offered the particular laptop as an i3 (then again, maybe it's just me being daft - which is not unknow).

So do I bid for the i3 one or the i5 one (both Sellers have their receipts for their laptops)? I know, I know, it's all in the spec but the i3 one is lovely and cheap:).

OR

Do I go for a totally different one that's in my Amz. wish list?

OR

Do I wait for Amzon's Black Friday and HOPE that there's one from my wishlist on offer?

Decisions, decisions, decisions:(