I'm planning on buying a laptop.. but i don't truly understand the difference betwen laptop's proccesors...

Meaning: I don't know how to choose one!!!!!!

So, please, if you know the difference, explain it to me, and if you know a good HP or Dell model (cehap one! ) please advice also..

Thanks!

This post has been edited by microscopic^earthling: Aug 27 2005, 05:46 PM

If you go for cheap then you probably would end up with an Intel cpu. Because AMD cpu's in laptops are very rare. When going mobile, there are pentium m's and celeron m's, where pentium m's are the top of the line. If don't know what you want to do with a laptop. But if you are just using it for internet/email/chat stuff. A celeron m will do just fine.

If you need somesort of portable media center like thing you might better go for a pentium m.

Anyway, I've seen reasonably cheap laptops for around 800 euros that have a celeron. If you are not planning to do games or movie encoding or something, they are the best choice

Hey.

What you are going to want depends on what you'll do with your laptop.

Example: I'm a college student and freelance writer. I play video games very, very seldomly, but spend plenty of time with MS Word and other "low-rent" type apps (i.e. they don't consume RAM like high-end video cards and such do).

Therefore, I didn't need a really, really, really expensive laptop. I ended up buying a Compaq M2105US last week, and it's really working out so far. You can visit the Compaq Web site and check this one out - I didn't have anything customized or upgraded, so WYSISYG for this one at least.

Anyway ... to the processor, which is actually the point of all this:

I'm running an AMD Mobile Sempron (2800+), which just means that A) it's AMD, which usually get a little bit better performance than Intel and I didn't get the very best AMD processor available. (If you want a REALLY good one, go with their Athlon series - more expensive but they're worth it depending on what you want them to do).

Now ... because I personally don't do much high-speed type stuff (like gaming), I don't really care that this processor is of lesser quality than the Athlon line. You on the other hand might want to invest in the higher quality version. Either way, my personal recommendation is to stick with AMD. They're comparable in price to Intel in most cases but you're getting a little bit more out of them more often than not .. at least in my experience.

That and I hate Intel's chimes. Maybe it's a Pavlovian sort of conditioning or something. I don't know.

One more thing before I shut up: if you do lots of typing (and who doesn't?) invest in a separate keyboard. One of my geek friends swears by them for his laptop and wouldn't shut up until I ordered one. He says it's far cheaper to replace those than to have the laptop's keyboard done when you wear it out. and yes. Some of us are *very* hard on our keyboards. Poor things. I would feel for them if they didn't annoy me so much sometimes.

Unless your going for Apple products for a reason, the mobile processor to get is Centrino from Intel. AMD really doesn't invest much into their mobile R&D and 64-bit processing for the basic needs of a laptop is really non-existant. The other problem AMD chips have had in the past is the fact that AMD runs hot. Heat is the number one problem with laptops with battery life being second. Because of those two factors, 64-bit chips at this point in time aren't worth it in a mobile platform. Your going to get better overall performance with the 32-bit Centrino chips.

The 12-inch iBook G4 is a good choice, if you're willing to shell out $999 (Apple should really introduce a $799 laptop). If you want processing power, go with an AMD Athlon. If you just want something cheap and reliable, go with an AMD Sempron.

Please, for everyone's sake, don't go with an Intel!

My laptop runs on a Pentium 4 Hyper Threading Processor, although I don't reccommend this type of processor for travel, my computer is also heavy, runs really hot, is massive, and has a 45 min. battery life (and 256 MB video card)

If you travel, you should probally get the centrino processor, the laptops wiht centrino tend to be lighter, and have longer battery lives.

If you are just looking for a cheap laptop, and you don't travel too much, or need too much power, celerom should be enough, just try to go for a decent amount of RAM.

i actually dont like laptop coz it is slow even u got the most powerful processor. mine is as below

Intel Centrino 2.13 GHz processor, 2 MB L2 Cache
512 MB DDR SDRAM memory
15.4-inch wide WUXGA display
ATI Mobility Fire GL 5000
Integrated sound
80 GB hard drive, 5400 RPM
4x DVD+/-RW drive
Integrated 802.11a/b/g wireless network card
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card
Integrated 56k modem
1394 Firewire
Accidental Damage Protection

i dont know its price cos it is given for free as a part of my study plan.. mayb 1500-1800 usd... even so, it still cant be used to play games as good as midrange desktop... but what to do, at least it is free

it is best to buy laptops with AMD proccesors.

My opinion on this: AMD

I have sworn by AMD ever since the Thunderbird series and will probably be a diehard AMD advocate for the rest of my life. As for the Heat issue...that hasn't been a major problem with AMD processors for awhile....old news....

That is not so true... In my country there is same amount of laptops with intel cpu as with amd. And ones with amd are cheaper.

Anyway, depending on user's decision, if you like cheap then go for amd, but If you look for performance go with intel - but no celeron - take intel pentium mobile's. Laptops usually have lower performances than desktop editions, so going for higher price would probably get you decent laptop.