Notebook Processors (1 Viewer)

[Adam Sanchez]

Hey all.

I need some input and advice please. I know right where to come.

Within the next few months, I will probably be getting a new Laptop computer. I have a few questions about Intel's various processors and need to know the difference.

I get that the Mobile Pentium 4 is like a desktop with some differences, like it can slow down to save power etc. But there are other laptop processors I keep reading about lately.

What is a Pentium M? What happened to the Centrino's? I noticed that those 2 only goto like 1.60Ghz or so, where as a Mobile Pentium 4, can almost reach desktop speeds. Are the Pentium M/Centrio Procs measured differently?

My laptop which will be 4 years old in September is a Dell Inpsiron 8100, It's a Pentium III 1Ghz. 32 Meg Video card, and so on.

I'm looking for a good upgrade, one that will last me a goodm few years (I do not need or want top of the line but I would like it to do SOME things. I have a powerful desktop for gaming so I do not need a Laptop to match, but I would like it to have some power. For reference, having it being able to run World of Warcraft well would be perfect. That would be the only game I would play on the go.

I'm looking at $1500 most to spend. Brand does not matter much, but which of those processors would I want in the system I am looking for to be able to do what I want it to do?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Mike Fassler]

for gaming get the mobile pentium or an amd, and make sure it has one of the newer video cards in it.

 

[SethH]

Processor power and battery-life are almost a direct trade-off. The Pentium M's will run a little slower, but are very good processors and save lots of power (these are often bundled with the Centrino chipset).

You may also want to check out the AMD Sempron. I haven't read recent reviews, but it was supposed to be a pretty powerful chip that saves lots of power.

Another note: my biggest regret from buying my laptop is getting the crappy 4200 rpm hard drive that is pretty standard in laptops. Definitely try to find a laptop that offers a 5400rpm drive. You most likely won't get a 7200rpm drive unless you get a bulky "desktop replacement" laptop, which it doesn't sound like you want.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

So are the Pentium Ms measured differently? I just dont understand why they are only around 1.6 Ghz on average when a Pentium 4 mobile is a 3.2-4... comprable to a desktop. Heck my 4 year old laptop is a P3 1ghz... sounds like a new pentiun M isnt much faster...

I dont wanna a gaming laptop, just one to run World of Warcraft which itself does not take THAT much specs to run well. Its the one game I might want portable though.

I just want a nice laptop to last me 3-4 years.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

the one you want is the pentium M. dont compare GHz, unless you are comparing within product lines. for example, the 3.2 GHz pentium 4 mobile will be slower than pretty much any pentium M, even the 1.6 GHz. benchmarks should be available online. you cant really buy a cpu on just clock speed anymore.

to help clear up a little confusion...there is no such thing as a centrino cpu. centrino is an intel marketing idea. when you buy a laptop with a pentium M, intel chipset, and intel wireless adapter in it, that is what centrino is. nothing really worth basing your purchase upon, but the pentium M is a great processor. i'd look at the sager 4881-c notebook.

CJ

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Thank you for the information, Christ. That helped alot. I understand better now. I was really looking for a laptop that had a pentium 4. I couldnt find ANY dell line that has one, which I thought was a little odd. I was looking at Toshibas and they have some with a P4... but they are slower huh? The LAPTOP version is slower than a comparble desktop P4? Is that what you are saying?

Not to go on and on... but say I get a Mobile 1.6... what Pentium is that sort of equal to? Like when I am buying software, they would tell me in Pentium 4 speeds, not Mobile M speeds so I need to know.

By any chance would you know of a Pentium M benchmark site?

Thanks

 

[Tekara]

many laptops, like mine, can use desktop cpu's these pentium 4's are faster than the pentium m's in many ways but are severe battery hogs. There isn't anywhere that I am not near power (class, home, work, coffee shop, friends, etc.) so it's not something that bothers me much. But if you want good battery life, than you'll want to look more towards the pentium M's.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Below is the Laptop I have found so far that so far best matches what I am looking for with price range and speakers. The only thing is is that it is a Pentium 4 and from what you all have told me, I might like a Pentium M better. I will be almost always near a power supply, so perhaps this one would do.

The key features I liked were the price, Memory, and dedicated Video card memory. (Hate those shared video memory systems!)

http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...dateButton.y=3

 

[Christ Reynolds]

pentium Ms are now being used in desktop machines, and are faster than the pentium 4s by far. even the p4 EE in many tests. the pentium M is not only the best mobile cpu you can buy, but probably the best desktop cpu available, apart from xeons and opterons. i swear by amd, but the pentium M is a sweet chip. this benchmark shows the performance of the platform compared to the p4 EE, p4, athlon fx, and athlon 64. the numbers speak for themselves.

from the article's conclusion:
Conclusion: The Pentium 4 Must Go (alternatively: Kill The Pentium 4!)
our two year old platform [pentium M] was able to beat the processor heavyweights Athlon 64 FX and Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition in all 3D games!

CJ

 

[Scott L]

I remember reading that article, blew me away! So now we know Intel has the brians to make a great (not just good) chip nowadays, so when the &$#* are they going to get rid of these power-hogging, fire-breathing P4's!?