Laptop CPUs - I feel stupid

[BSer]

OK, I may sound stupid here but I really need some help.
It's been about 1.5 years since I last bought a laptop. Now I want to buy a new one but I am confused by what CPUs I am finding out there.

What I am on right now has a Mobile Intel P4 532 3.06GHz w/ 1MB L2 cache & 533MHz FSB, 1.5GB ram, 4200rpm hard drive, and ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP chipset.
Most of what I see around have the faster, 5400rpm, hard drives and the CPUs usually have 2MB L2 cache, but they still have 533MHz FSB and the clock speeds are slower, usually 1.5-2.0GHz.
The new laptop is not replacing but in addition to the one I am on right now. Still, I don't want something slower than this one.

What am I not understanding about the newer chips? I find it hard to believe that everyone is going backwards.

Thanks for any info.
BS

 

[luminaris]

They're going backwards but they're getting faster. Higher clocks speeds do not always yield better performance. The mobile arena has changed quite a bit and now, processors are much more efficient using less power, lower clock speeds and generating less heat but yet, they put out more performance.

As far as hard drives go, get a faster spinning 7200RPM drive (if budget allows) and get a pentium M with centrino technology. They generally yield better battery life and perform better than AMDs do as far as laptops go.

 

[chuckshissle]

It could be the intel duo with dual core cpus. They maybe slower in clock speed but the L2 cach and dual core would definitely more than make up for it.

 

[theboomboomcars]

Don't feel bad about feeling stupid, with the current model numbers it's hard to know what your getting with out lots of research. The Pentium M is a different chip from the Pentium 4. It runs at a lower clock speed but does more per clock, and it performs really well. Getting a Pentium M you will not notice a performance decrease, and more than likely an increase, But battery life will be better and the heat will be a lot less.

 

[Craigmandu]

Intel completely revamped its mobile processor line when it introduced the Pentium M processor.

It has a lower clock speed but delivers greater performance that its predecessor pentium 4 mobile processor.

This link will show you all of Intel's processor lines:

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/index.htm?iid=HMPAGE+Header_2_Product_Processors#laptop

Also to get a better picture read this article:

http://www.mobilityguru.com/2005/08/15/the_world/

It's a bit dated, but shows you the performance difference of a Dell inspiron XPS with Pentium 770 M vs. a traditional Mobile pentium 4 3.8Ghz HT.

Not all that relevant today, but good background info for you to get back up to speed.

Also, ensure you get a 7200rpm hard drive (NICE in a laptop) and also the graphic chips offered are MUCH higher than the radeon 9000 series.

 

[WINDSHEAR]

wow... it really goes (mind you, those are more graphical benchmarks)... I'd like to see the 3.8 benched against the PM 770... like Sisoft Sandra and regular CPU benches...