What processor

[RobbieL]

Hi, I'm pretty new having just bought myself a nice A3 runaround.

On a totally off topic slant, what is the best processor to go for in a new laptop?

I've heard differring reports about pentium dual core and the AMD athlon variants but I'm inthe market for a good spec'd laptop with at least 120gb hard drive and 2gig memory. The only thing I'm stuck on is which processor is better. I'll be using it mainly for home but would like to run memory intensive programmes as well as gaming and movies.

Thanks
Rob

[Clinterous]

From my research (looking at the magzines whilst the other half fills the trolley), it seems that the Intel chips are better performers.

The AMD's can't quite keep up with the Intel, but are cheaper.

If you're not going to push your rig to the extreme, then I would imagine an AMD an would be better value for money.

AMD haven't progressed their technology on as much as Intel.

If you go with Intel, be careful of your purchase timing though, as I understand they're soon (if they already haven't) to be launching some new CPU's, which will knock down the price of their older gear overnight.

[mellie]

Hi, I'm pretty new having just bought myself a nice A3 runaround.

On a totally off topic slant, what is the best processor to go for in a new laptop?

I've heard differring reports about pentium dual core and the AMD athlon variants but I'm inthe market for a good spec'd laptop with at least 120gb hard drive and 2gig memory. The only thing I'm stuck on is which processor is better. I'll be using it mainly for home but would like to run memory intensive programmes as well as gaming and movies.

Thanks
Rob

I always used to go for AMD but bought an Intel dual core laptop about 14 months back. I paid £1500 and there still isn't many current games that won't run on it. I would definitely go for intel dual/quad core over AMD. I was looking at Rock laptops but got it from Evesham in the end as it was cheaper for a higher spec with the same case/screen

Phil.

[Desertfish]

If you want to run games and movies on your laptop (or a PC for that matter) than it's not just processor that is important. Also keep in mid the memory and the graphics card.

You stated that you wanted to go for 2gig of mem. That's a very good start. The more memory the better. As for the procesor, I have to agree with mellie. If you want to go on the cheaper side and AMD might be a good processor but in general I would stick with Intel Duo/Quad core as well. Whatever you do, please don't go for a Celeron. Stay away from it as far as you can.

If you want to run games on your laptop as well, make sure your graphics card has got it's own dedicated memory as opposed to using shared memory. No matter how fast the busspeed of your motherboard, a shared memory card will never perform as well as one with it's own dedicated mem.

I had a look in Comet and Curry's recently and they have some pretty decent laptops starting at around £1000. That will probably be the asolute minimum you'll be getting away with. Anything lower than that price, don't even look at it. It wonl't have the spec you're looking for.

[Clinterous]

Personally, I avoid the high street merchants (comet, currys, PC World), as usually expensive.

Have a look at www.aria.co.uk (http://www.aria.co.uk) and www.ebuyer.co.uk (http://www.ebuyer.co.uk) - you may find more machine for your money.

[Desertfish]

I usually buy all my stuff from www.ebuyer.co.uk (http://www.ebuyer.co.uk). Only, whe I wanted to buy a new TV, I wasn't sure to go for a 32" or a 37" so I walked into Comet to have a look and see how big (or small) they really were. That's whn I noticed that they had some decent laptops around for some really decent prices. Generally you're right abouth the high street shops though.

Anyway, If you're shopping around for parts, complete systems or laptops, you might want to have a look at www.scan.co.uk (http://www.scan.co.uk). They're usually a bit more expensive then ebuyer but it's always worth looking into their "Today Only" section. Picked up some real bargains from there in the past.

[hagis]

I wouldn't rule out PC World completely. They do have some good offers on, it's just a case of one being on when you're looking. I bought a laptop for my Mum last year and PC World turned out to be the cheapest.

On the down side, you'll have to deal with the PC World staff.

[Baron_Samedi]

Seconding Desertfish's remarks about the graphics. Choose a laptop with graphics that suit your needs cos you can't do much about it after your purchase.

[P0WERS160]

From my research (looking at the magzines whilst the other half fills the trolley), it seems that the Intel chips are better performers.

The AMD's can't quite keep up with the Intel, but are cheaper.

If you're not going to push your rig to the extreme, then I would imagine an AMD an would be better value for money.

AMD haven't progressed their technology on as much as Intel.

If you go with Intel, be careful of your purchase timing though, as I understand they're soon (if they already haven't) to be launching some new CPU's, which will knock down the price of their older gear overnight.

WHAT???!! I am not saying you are wrong, as you seem to know your stuff..but this shocks me as it is the complete opposite to what I've been told generally and have read etc... The impression I always got was that AMD's were better performers, especially for things like games..and that the Pentium's were the cheaper versions... How come I've been completely mislead (as I made sure I got AMD processors in both my computer + laptop)???

[Desertfish]

:cool:WHAT???!! I am not saying you are wrong, as you seem to know your stuff..but this shocks me as it is the complete opposite to what I've been told generally and have read etc... The impression I always got was that AMD's were better performers, especially for things like games..and that the Pentium's were the cheaper versions... How come I've been completely mislead (as I made sure I got AMD processors in both my computer + laptop)???

A few years ago, AMD were the better processor to have in your system. The reason was that they were running at a lower clock speed than a Pentium (and therefore cooler) but were returning the same amount of "oumf". An AMD 2000+ for instance only ran at 1668 Mhz.

As such the AMD's were great for overclocking and got the edge. In the mean time the tables have turned. Pentium has made some serious progress and their Dual/Quad core CPU's are now the thing to go for. From the reviews I read on ebuyer, they apeared to be the great overclockers

I used to be an AMD man to, but I recently got myself a Core2 Duo and I have to say, I'm really impressed. Just don't go with the standard fan that comes with the CPU. A £15 to £20 Arctic Freezer for instance will really help push the limit. My current 2.0Ghz Intel is clocked at 3.5Ghz with no problem at all...

[P0WERS160]

A few years ago, AMD were the better processor to have in your system. The reason was that they were running at a lower clock speed than a Pentium (and therefore cooler) but were returning the same amount of "oumf". An AMD 2000+ for instance only ran at 1668 Mhz.

As such the AMD's were great for overclocking and got the edge. In the mean time the tables have turned. Pentium has made some serious progress and their Dual/Quad core CPU's are now the thing to go for. From the reviews I read on ebuyer, they apeared to be the great overclockers

I used to be an AMD man to, but I recently got myself a Core2 Duo and I have to say, I'm really impressed. Just don't go with the standard fan that comes with the CPU. A £15 to £20 Arctic Freezer for instance will really help push the limit. My current 2.0Ghz Intel is clocked at 3.5Ghz with no problem at all...

Wooooooooooooooo...
On a slightly different note..(have not really looked..but is there a wide range of 'aftermarket' fans for laptops nowadays?

[Baron_Samedi]

Yep, but who wants to lug one of them around as well as the laptop?

[P0WERS160]

I actually meant sorry CPU coolers like heatsinks and stuff..

[Desertfish]

Not really. The only upgrade products they sell for laptops is memory. Haven't really seen any place yet where you can buy a lot of other upgrades that are going inside your laptop.

The best thing you can get is a notebook cooler which basically stits under your laptop. Ebuyer is selling these for about £28... Not sure ith they are any good though. Never used one.

[Baron_Samedi]

Also, the fan tends to be built into the inner case moulding and as a consequence very difficult to upgrade :(

[sooty]

Back in the days the TRUE gamers all went for the AMD's however now Intel has got the market.

You will get a better all round spec on a laptop with an AMD processor however its seen as the poor man's Intel.

I ALWAYS went for AMD in the past however I've now turned to Intel

[Desertfish]

The reason why true gamers went for an AMD was bacause AMD's were given a Pentium rating but were in fact clocked slower. My first AMD processor was an Athlon XP 2000+. My housemate had a 2Ghz Pentium processor at that time and when we benchmarked both using 3DMark the AMD was practicaly matching the performance of the Pentium. Then again, even though it was marketed as a 2Ghz processor, it was in fact clocked at just 1.663 Ghz which made it a great overclocker.

Once I put a £15 Thermaltake cooler on it and clocked it to 1.9Ghz it just rocked. Have been an AMD man ever since, until I tried to install Linux on my laptop which has an AMD processor and an ATI Xpress200M graphics card. 3D just wouldn't render in hardware. After some searching on the net , I found out that ATI (who now owns AMD btw) could not be bothered releasing proper Linux drivers for the Xpress200M, eventhough there were numerous people with this particular graphics card in their laptop who were screaming for Linux drivers. In the mean time, Nvidia were working their socks off (and still are) to provide proper driver support for Linux.

Because of ATI's arrogance, I decided to give AMD and ATI the finger. I'm building a new PC at the moment and I'm wacking a Pentium Core2Due in there. Also, since I used to be an employee of 3Dfx in the past, I recently did something I never thought I would do in my life; I got an ASUS motherboard with an Nvidia chipset on it and an Nvidia graphics card...(Hope none of my former 3Dfx chums are reading this otherwise I'll be banned from the reunions for life :D)

[sooty]

The reason why true gamers went for an AMD was bacause AMD's were given a Pentium rating but were in fact clocked slower. My first AMD processor was an Athlon XP 2000+. My housemate had a 2Ghz Pentium processor at that time and when we benchmarked both using 3DMark the AMD was practicaly matching the performance of the Pentium.


Yep your right the Athlon XP2000+ DID NOT have a clock speed for2Ghz where as the Intel Pentium did.

The way it beat (and killed may I add) Intel on the benchmark tests is becuase Intel CPU's used a single bus where as the AMD ran at a slower speed but used a dual bus. This meant that even before overclocking the AMD would easily overtake Intel's performance... Its a bit like this, say you are driving from one place to anoter and there is a constant flow of traffic, Intel had a single carage way where as AMD had a dual carage way. So even though the cars on the dual carage way were going slower they would get there faster (IE would deliver the data faster)

Anyways I think we have shown the forum what a bunch of geeks we are... I wish I had more time to play games these days, I dont even have a games system anymore!:aargh4:

[sooty]

Ohh yeah Desertfish,

good going on the ASUS Motherboard... There is not a lot like them and they aint too expensive for what you get

[Desertfish]

Sometimes I wish I was as much of a geek with cars as I am with computers :D.

[sooty]

Sometimes I wish I was as much of a geek with cars as I am with computers :D.

Mate same as...
I can rip servers out, re-assign netowrks, save banks for being hacked but I have no idea how to do an oil change!

[audipersempre]

Microsoft doesn't care which processor it is the blue screen of death works just as well on both. Buy an Apple Mac :D

[sooty]

Microsoft doesn't care which processor it is the blue screen of death works just as well on both. Buy an Apple Mac :D

LMFAO!:biglaugh:

[paul b]

Mate same as...
I can rip servers out, re-assign netowrks, save banks for being hacked but I have no idea how to do an oil change!
Completely opposite. I can virtually re-build a Rolls-Royce yet I am useless at networking. :o Got my bro to network my gaffe in the end.
Paul

[audipersempre]

Even worse. Jack of all trades but master of none!

Used to build and configure PC's, a bit of software trouble shooting, some basic networking.

Have fitted clutches, top end engine overhall, brakes, shocks.

Couldn't network a house though and have never even seen the bottom end of an engine / useless at car electrics.

I am sure it is better to know a lot about one thing!!

[sooty]

Completely opposite. I can virtually re-build a Rolls-Royce yet I am useless at networking. :o Got my bro to network my gaffe in the end.
Paul

Well you scratch my back Paul and I'll scratch yours!

[paul b]

Well you scratch my back Paul and I'll scratch yours!
:biglaugh: