Please recommend Processor for new laptop?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Subodh <Subodh500@hotmail.com> wrote:
: I am looking through the different available laptops and am confused my the
: Processors. Celeron, Centrino, Pentium 4 etc..
: I need a notebook on which I will run Windows XP Professional + MS SQL
: Server Personal Version and MS Visual Studio.

: What processor should I have?

There are two basic types of Intel processors of those you mentioned
above:

Pentium 4 - which is a desktop CPU, and from it are derived the
Celeron and Pentium 4M (4M will be slightly better on power than the
regular Pentium 4).

Pentium M - which was designed as a mobile CPU (there's also a Celeron
M derived from it). Centrino is *NOT* a processor but a mobile
package for laptops that includes the Pentium M CPU and an integrated
wireless card (and a chipset).

(And then they are the AMD and Transmeta chips, which I'll let someone
else fill you in on...)

Which is best for you? Question to you is, how will you most often
use your laptop? Will you be on the road a lot, in need of long
battery life? Then go for a Centrino (Pentium M) laptop, which will
have longer battery life than a Pentium 4-based laptop and run cooler
too (not so hot on your lap!). And Centrino laptops tend to be
lighter.

If you are looking a "desktop replacement" that you won't move around
much - but you would like to now and then - a Pentium 4-based laptop
still gives you more CPU power for your buck than you get from a
Centrino/Pentium M laptop (though this ratio is shrinking).

It's difficult to compare Pentium 4 performance to Pentium M because
the CPU clock is deceivingly slower on the Pentium M while delivering
greater performance per clock tick. So don't think a 3GHZ Pentium 4
is 2X faster than a 1.5GHZ Pentium M! Pentium M is much more
efficient at the lower clock rate - it's a very different design from
Pentium 4. The performance difference between P4 and PM varies by the
kind of software you run, too. I see slower-than-expected performance
with PM in certain types of imaging software, but in other software
Pentium M is blazingly fast. You might try to dig up performance
benchmarks on the various laptops you are considering, because CPU
frequency is not the only factor in performance.

How do you choose? If you don't care about performance much, get a
Pentium M. If you do care about performance and won't move your
laptop much ("desktop replacement"), I'd lean toward Pentium 4.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Subodh wrote:

> I am looking through the different available laptops and am confused
> my the Processors. Celeron, Centrino, Pentium 4 etc..
> I need a notebook on which I will run Windows XP Professional + MS SQL
> Server Personal Version and MS Visual Studio.
>
> What processor should I have?

All of the CPUs listed above can run XP Pro, SQL Server and VS. It's hard to
give a recommendation since You don't say anything about Your requirements
(i.e. long battery time, high CPU performance, etc)...

Benjamin

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

> I am looking through the different available laptops and am confused my
the
> Processors. Celeron, Centrino, Pentium 4 etc..
> I need a notebook on which I will run Windows XP Professional + MS SQL
> Server Personal Version and MS Visual Studio.

There is speed and energy usage.

Energy usage means short battery life and noise

P4 uses much energy
Celeron P4 based is very slow and uses also much energy

Pentium-M is ideal. Fast and low energy usage
Celeron-M is a Pentium-M with 0.5 MB cache.
Low Energy usage but still faster than a P4 based Celeron


--
Roland Mösl
http://www.pege.org Clear targets for a confused civilization
http://web-design-suite.com Web Design starts at the search engine

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Thanks a lot for the replies.
Based on Andrew's suggestion looks like I should go for a Pentium-4.

Here are some more details on my needs:
1. This will mainly be a desktop substitute. Traveling will be mostly
limited to within the house.
2. Performance is key. Storage Space and Memory will be important. Weight
and Style are no so much.
3. Cost is of course very very important.

On other thing: What do you think about Refurbished notebooks? Any other
purchase ideas, suggestions on finding something cheap?


Thanks.




"Subodh" <Subodh500@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:QnI_c.8145$w%6.2671@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I am looking through the different available laptops and am confused my
the
> Processors. Celeron, Centrino, Pentium 4 etc..
> I need a notebook on which I will run Windows XP Professional + MS SQL
> Server Personal Version and MS Visual Studio.
>
> What processor should I have?
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Subodh" <Subodh500@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:QnI_c.8145$w%6.2671@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
|I am looking through the different available laptops and am confused my the
| Processors. Celeron, Centrino, Pentium 4 etc..
| I need a notebook on which I will run Windows XP Professional + MS SQL
| Server Personal Version and MS Visual Studio.
|
| What processor should I have?
|

Best performance? A64. Best blend of performance and battery life? Pentium-M
Dothan.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

> Thanks a lot for the replies.
> Based on Andrew's suggestion looks like I should go for a Pentium-4.

Why do You want to bring this noise terror
about this inocent man?

Silence is the key for better human work performance
and comfort

Noise makes stupid


--
Roland Mösl
http://www.pege.org Clear targets for a confused civilization
http://web-design-suite.com Web Design starts at the search engine

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Roland Mösl" <founder@pege.org> wrote in message
news:413c79c5$0$31866$91cee783@newsreader02.highway.telekom.at...
> > Thanks a lot for the replies.
> > Based on Andrew's suggestion looks like I should go for a Pentium-4.
>
> Why do You want to bring this noise terror
> about this inocent man?
>
> Silence is the key for better human work performance
> and comfort
>
> Noise makes stupid
>
If that is true, you have stood next to too many loud things.... :-)

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Subodh" <Subodh500@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bqY_c.1710$ip2.1191@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
| Thanks a lot for the replies.
| Based on Andrew's suggestion looks like I should go for a Pentium-4.
|
| Here are some more details on my needs:
| 1. This will mainly be a desktop substitute. Traveling will be mostly
| limited to within the house.
| 2. Performance is key. Storage Space and Memory will be important. Weight
| and Style are no so much.
| 3. Cost is of course very very important.
|
| On other thing: What do you think about Refurbished notebooks? Any other
| purchase ideas, suggestions on finding something cheap?
|
|


Athlon 64 if performance is key.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Roland Mösl wrote:

> Why do You want to bring this noise terror
> about this inocent man?

I know Your are certainly the most learning-resistant existence on earth,
but not all P4 notebooks are noisy. In fact, my P-M based IBM T41p was much
noisier than my P4-based IBM A31...

> Silence is the key for better human work performance
> and comfort
>
> Noise makes stupid

Well, simply because noise obviously had that effect on You doesn't mean
other people will experience the same effect ;-)

Benjamin

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Subodh wrote:

> Here are some more details on my needs:
> 1. This will mainly be a desktop substitute. Traveling will be mostly
> limited to within the house.
> 2. Performance is key. Storage Space and Memory will be important.
> Weight and Style are no so much.
> 3. Cost is of course very very important.

Well, even with P4 notebooks being usually cheaper than comparable P-M
notebooks, high performance isn't cheap. The cheap notebooks are limited by
slow chipsets, insufficient cooling which results in a throtteling CPU due
to heat problems, and shared memory gfx.

I'd recommend to get a brand name system, like i.e. the Dell Inspiron 9100.

> On other thing: What do you think about Refurbished notebooks?

Depends on who did the refurbishing. If it was done by the manufacturer the
units are like new, they look like new and smell like new. If it was done by
a 3rd party company or by the dealer, then You could be sure they are just
used systems.

> Any
> other purchase ideas, suggestions on finding something cheap?

Maybe used, or one of the low cost units. But they certainly won't fullfil
Your wish for maximum performance...

Benjamin

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Benjamin Gawert <bgawert@gmx.de> wrote:
: Subodh wrote:

: > Here are some more details on my needs:
: > 1. This will mainly be a desktop substitute. Traveling will be mostly
: > limited to within the house.
: > 2. Performance is key. Storage Space and Memory will be important.
: > Weight and Style are no so much.
: > 3. Cost is of course very very important.

: Well, even with P4 notebooks being usually cheaper than comparable P-M
: notebooks, high performance isn't cheap. The cheap notebooks are limited by
: slow chipsets, insufficient cooling which results in a throtteling CPU due
: to heat problems, and shared memory gfx.

: I'd recommend to get a brand name system, like i.e. the Dell Inspiron 9100.

There are very few companies actually building laptop computers out
there. Dell and the others often second-source their laptops and just
put their names on them. A "cheap" laptop might well be from the same
manufacturer as a "name" laptop. Just because a laptop is "cheap"
doesn't mean it isn't of good quality.

But chipset manufacturer is important. If you're getting an Intel
CPU, make sure it has an Intel chipset also! Stay away from SiS and
VIA!

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Andrew wrote:

> There are very few companies actually building laptop computers out
> there. Dell and the others often second-source their laptops and just
> put their names on them. A "cheap" laptop might well be from the same
> manufacturer as a "name" laptop. Just because a laptop is "cheap"
> doesn't mean it isn't of good quality.

You forget that Kapok, Mitac and the other notebook manufacturer that
produce for Dell, HP, and others don't have a single model but produce after
the OEM partners' specification. That means the brand name laptop gets a
different chipset, better capacitors that don't die after two years and
other quality- and performance-related things. Even when being from the same
source, the differences are often much bigger than You might think at the
first look...

And not to forget that the brand names offer support and stand behind their
product including current drivers and BIOS updates.

> But chipset manufacturer is important. If you're getting an Intel
> CPU, make sure it has an Intel chipset also! Stay away from SiS and
> VIA!

Right...

Benjamin

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Subodh" <Subodh500@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bqY_c.1710$ip2.1191@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Thanks a lot for the replies.
> Based on Andrew's suggestion looks like I should go for a Pentium-4.
>
> Here are some more details on my needs:
> 1. This will mainly be a desktop substitute. Traveling will be mostly
> limited to within the house.
> 2. Performance is key. Storage Space and Memory will be important. Weight
> and Style are no so much.
> 3. Cost is of course very very important.
>
> On other thing: What do you think about Refurbished notebooks? Any other
> purchase ideas, suggestions on finding something cheap?

Technology changes and improves so rapidly that even buying new your computer becomes
dated in a couple of years. If you buy used it will become long on the tooth that
much sooner.

Adam

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

.........
> Technology changes and improves so rapidly that even buying new your
computer becomes
> dated in a couple of years. If you buy used it will become long on the
tooth that
> much sooner.
>
> Adam
>

You can get a re-furbed unit of current production models. Dell re-furbs
are typically units that get built to the wrong specs or returned during the
30-day "no questions asked" period. The discount is typically $200 to $300
over the same model new.