New laptop questions...

Post by **Buster** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:01 am

Looking for a new laptop and am wondering which CPU brand to go for. AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology or Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology featuring Intel® Core ™ 2 Duo processor T5200

Also curious on these 3 models, which is better?
( ignore the prices really as they are on offer all the time and keep changing )

http://shop4.outpost.com/%7Bom0B+tH28Tf ... IN_RSLT_PG

http://shop4.outpost.com/%7Bom0B+tH28Tf ... IN_RSLT_PG

http://staples.shoplocal.com/staples/De ... 7&offerid=

One main difference is the GFX cards - Intel machine has Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 while AMD has Nvidia GeForce Go 6150 (UMA)

** Links don't seem to be working on this PC for some reason **

Kristoff · Post by **Kristoff** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:11 am

what you planning on using it for gamez? or just everyday use?

Villa · Post by **Villa** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:31 am

The laptop I purchased over a year ago has Intel Centrino Duo processor(s). Also a dedicated graphics card.
Does the job fine.

Night · Post by **Night** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:22 pm

If you're going to be using it for 3D games then neither of those is really suitable as the Intel 950 is an integrated (not dedicated) graphics device and the nVidia card uses UMA which is basically stealing from your system memory and doesn't perform that well.

The shared memory (UMA type) cards will actually run 3D games (I play SW:G on one) but they won't perform anywhere near as well as a machine with dedicated graphics memory.

Here's an example of one with dedicated graphics memory:

http://www5.pc.ibm.com/uk/products.nsf/ ... enDocument

In terms of processor I personally prefer the Intel Core Duo machines as they've had more r&d dollars pumped into integration etc. You might get some performance advantages out of the AMD but you'd need to find the right chipset drivers for whatever laptop you end up buying, which aren't always available.

Post by **Buster** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:49 pm

It's going to be for every day use, internet browsing, watching films, the odd low spec game. Not intending to play anything like WoW on it.

Thats a nice machine night, but at almost 3 times the price isnt really an option.

Personally i'm drawn to the one i linked to from staples, i like the thinner style. Mate of mine has bought one already and it seems pretty sweet.

Off to get ready for work now.

Laters.

Night · Post by **Night** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:03 pm

Buster wrote:It's going to be for every day use, internet browsing, watching films, the odd low spec game. Not intending to play anything like WoW on it.

Pretty much any laptop will get the job done then

I wasn't proposing you buy that one..it was just an example showing the dedicated graphics memory ^^

zole · Post by **zole** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:20 pm

teh thinkpads are the rox.

i've used them a lot recently, and crest has used them even more. they're expensive, but it's for a reason. they are the dogs balls. they are real business machines. its not a laptop which is for watching films in bed, its an office for out of the office. ive ran wow on one NP.

also they have sexy motion sensing harddrives. theres a game for thinkpads which you control by moving the whole laptop. its to show off their safety thing, where if you drop the laptop, the stuff on your HD will be safe.

i forget technical explnations and things, but basically they're rox. expensive tho.

Night · Post by **Night** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:12 am

Dude .. it's still a total shocker that you are actually working for a living !

zole · Post by **zole** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:07 am

i'd like to say yes, i'm working, but then.. i'm on forums instead of doing actual work. in my defence, theres no work to do at the moment...

you quit your job yet? if so, haha. im working at worlds largest law firm, you're unemployed.

talk about a role reversal.