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Which laptop???

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:13 am
by carrolf2
I want to buy a mid-range/hi-spec laptop but dont know whether to go with Pentium M (Centrino) or a 2.8GHZ/3.0GHz Pentium 4 (from a desktop)?

The system I get will almost always be plugged in and on my desk but I want a laptop so that I can take it around easily if I have to.

If there are two laptops both plugged into power and same config (512 RAM etc..), which will perform better:

1.4GHz Pentium M

or

2.8GHz Pentium 4 (NOT P4-M!)

I am confused on this. Is there a table to compare Pentium M's against Pentium 4's for speed?

Thanks

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:34 pm
by Starfalcon
I would think the pentium M should do better as it is a vastly more efficient chip than the P4 is. Plus it runs much cooler and has a fraction of the power draw of the P4 for much longer battery life.

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:12 pm
by Alex
Moved to Mobile Tech forum.

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:16 pm
by LicketySplit
Check out the Sager line of laptops...if you're not gonna be luggin it around as they are a bit big and bulky...but darned nice units..they have the configurator on their site and you can build whatever your heart desires :wink:

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 3:02 pm
by ThelvynD
I have a laptop with a Pentium-M and it does run much cooler than a similar Pentium 4 laptop. Between the two choices you listed the 2.8 P4 would out perform the 1.4 P-M. My 1.6P-M performs about the same as a 2.4 P4 in my personal expirence

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 3:50 pm
by MikeyB
If you are looking for a desktop replacement laptop - then yeah, go for the Pentium 4 - it will perform better and be (a lot) cheaper than a Pentium M solution. The downside is that it will be bulkier due to the extra cooling needed for the desktop chip (it runs hotter than it's mobile brother) and it's battery life won't be worth a damm - but reading your post, it won't be running on battery all that often, so it should be sweet.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 3:57 pm
by maxxcool
my *emachine* m6805 has been very fun (heavy though). when plugged in it cranks away with the 1meg 1.8ghz amd64 quiet happily.

have been gaming on it quiet a bit, playing ut2004 demo, ut2003, splinter cell, diabloII, empire earth, age of mythology

the only game i had issues with was Halo, it has a odd pause and go habit.

the thing even overclocks, can bump the core to 2.0ghz and the ati9600 card to 330/230 stabily...

maxx