Laptop processor chips

S

sartay

Registered User
Messages
129
Hi all! I'm looking to buy a new laptop as my last one was stolen last month. Had a couple of laptops over the last few years and want to make sure I buy the right one this time, so I'm trying to learn the basics about processors and RAM etc etc so I know what I'm buying.

Are there massive differences between the processor chips? From what I've read up, I see that (for Intel) the Pentium is one of the older chips and the Core 2 Duo is one of the newest. But when I look up specs, a lot of the processors seem to have similar enough speeds. e.g. a Pentium Dual Core T4300 has 2.1 Ghz and a Core 2 Duo T6600 has 2.2 Ghz. Does this mean I wouldn't notice much difference between them performance wise? Or what else do I need to know about these chips?

Thanks
 
I would not be looking to see what processor chip I was buying. Most of the machines out today do not perform to the chipsets specs because the ROM and other parts of the computer cannot deliver at such a speed. Look at the memory before you buy anything !
 
sartay said:
Hi all! I'm looking to buy a new laptop as my last one was stolen last month. Had a couple of laptops over the last few years and want to make sure I buy the right one this time, so I'm trying to learn the basics about processors and RAM etc etc so I know what I'm buying.

Are there massive differences between the processor chips? From what I've read up, I see that (for Intel) the Pentium is one of the older chips and the Core 2 Duo is one of the newest. But when I look up specs, a lot of the processors seem to have similar enough speeds. e.g. a Pentium Dual Core T4300 has 2.1 Ghz and a Core 2 Duo T6600 has 2.2 Ghz. Does this mean I wouldn't notice much difference between them performance wise? Or what else do I need to know about these chips?

Thanks
Click to expand...

When I started getting into computers I read a lot about them in magazines:
[broken link removed]

As I became more knowledgeable I read more specialist sites such as Tom's Hardware;
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/

When I needed some gossipy nonsense to cheer me up I used to read:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/

Search all these sites for relevant info.

For aficionados the big question these days seems to be 32 -vs- 64 bit computing. Then you have to decide on whether you need a separate graphics card or not. Then you need ot decide on your form factor - portability -vs- features and screen size [affected by whether you work on the move of not]. Finally you need to consider your attachments - mouse, usb and firewire connections, external hard drive, camera, etc.

More RAM is always useful but for most daily tasks like WP or browsing, a 2.0Ghz computer should be enough. If you multi-task a lot, then dual core computing may be for you, but I strongly recommend you try a friends' laptop before you commit, with the full complement of applications running, before you commit. Articles and reviews can only give you so much.

;)

HTH

ONQ.
 
alexandra12 said:
I would not be looking to see what processor chip I was buying. Most of the machines out today do not perform to the chipsets specs because the ROM and other parts of the computer cannot deliver at such a speed. Look at the memory before you buy anything !
Click to expand...

Thanks, I've only been looking at laptops with 4GB RAM. So I'm just trying to figure out the processor bit next...
 
onq said:
When I started getting into computers I read a lot about them in magazines:
[broken link removed]

As I became more knowledgeable I read more specialist sites such as Tom's Hardware;
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/

When I needed some gossipy nonsense to cheer me up I used to read:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/

Search all these sites for relevant info.

For aficionados the big question these days seems to be 32 -vs- 64 bit computing. Then you have to decide on whether you need a separate graphics card or not. Then you need ot decide on your form factor - portability -vs- features and screen size [affected by whether you work on the move of not]. Finally you need to consider your attachments - mouse, usb and firewire connections, external hard drive, camera, etc.

More RAM is always useful but for most daily tasks like WP or browsing, a 2.0Ghz computer should be enough. If you multi-task a lot, then dual core computing may be for you, but I strongly recommend you try a friends' laptop before you commit, with the full complement of applications running, before you commit. Articles and reviews can only give you so much.

;)

HTH

ONQ.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links, I'll take a look through them. I don't know the difference between 32 and 64 bit computing so I should probably look into that then.

I already know what I need in terms of portability, screen size, number of USB ports etc. My last laptop had only 2GB RAM and I found it slow for what I was doing - that said, it was running Vista which takes up most of the 2GB anyway I believe, so I know I'll notice an improvement with a Windows 7 OS anyway. But I just want to make sure everything runs quickly - it's so frustrating waiting for stuff to open and load.
 
sartay said:
Thanks for the links, I'll take a look through them. I don't know the difference between 32 and 64 bit computing so I should probably look into that then.

I already know what I need in terms of portability, screen size, number of USB ports etc. My last laptop had only 2GB RAM and I found it slow for what I was doing - that said, it was running Vista which takes up most of the 2GB anyway I believe, so I know I'll notice an improvement with a Windows 7 OS anyway. But I just want to make sure everything runs quickly - it's so frustrating waiting for stuff to open and load.
Click to expand...

The word I heard on Vista was that it was RAM hungry - 3Gb min. 4Gb pref, and I think you had to enable something or other for it to make best use of the 4Gb.

Windows 7 may be less so, but I haven't seen one yet.

The issue of 32bit -vs- 64bit is that 4Gb or thereabouts is the maximum addressable memory a 32Gb OS can use.

I've seen an alleged 64bit Sony with 6Gb in PC world up in the Park in Carrickmines - not plugged in - but the 6Gb was why I asked the attendant about it, knowing the 32Bit 4Gb limit.

ONQ.
 
More is not Most, I read some where that 64 v 32 has its pros n cons, it's not like RAM where the more ya have da merrier:)
 
alexandra12 said:
I would not be looking to see what processor chip I was buying. Most of the machines out today do not perform to the chipsets specs because the ROM and other parts of the computer cannot deliver at such a speed. Look at the memory before you buy anything !
Click to expand...

I assume you mean RAM not ROM, and CPU not Chipset.
 
The motherboard and the OS have different RAM limits.

This link shows you the RAM limitations of the different Windows OS.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(VS.85).aspx

But if you put Windows 7 64bit on a laptop where the motherboard has a 2 or 3GB limit you won't be able to use more than that limit. So check the limit of the OS AND the motherboard.

If I was buying a new machine now, I'd go for 64bit Windows 7 and 4GB of RAM. You don't need 4GB now, but you might in the future. Something might not work with 64bit windows, but most things will, and everything will be 64bit eventually.

As for processors, generally the higher model number and the faster speed are well, faster. Its usually reflected in the price.

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=347&pgno=7
[broken link removed]

The faster the CPU the less battery life. But the faster things work. Its a compromise.
 
I agree with AlbacoreA's observations above, but also bear in mind that if the applications and driver software you wish to run cannot take advantage of the facilities offered by new hardware and a 64-bit OS then any gains are likely to be very small and invisible to the casual user.

I set up a couple of Windows 7 lap-tops for family members over Christmas and I must congratulate MicroSoft yet again for copying, admittedly several years later, innovations made by Apple.
 
mathepac said:
...I set up a couple of Windows 7 lap-tops for family members over Christmas and I must congratulate MicroSoft yet again for copying, admittedly several years later, innovations made by Apple.
Click to expand...

..and that people are buying windows machines?
 
Go for a 64 bit processor & OS definitely, 32 bit Windows can only address ~3.2g of RAM, and that will be total RAM used in the system, including any you may have on graphics cards etc.

So for eg if you have 4gb of RAM installed and a 1gb graphics card, there is in fact only 2.25g available to your OS for general use.

In the 64 bit version, it would have the full 4gb available as well as the graphics card RAM.
 
I suspect that the OP is not buying a laptop with a 1GB gfx card. But I know what you mean. Lots of things take up RAM, so you never have the full 3GB or 4GB available. Which is why you want more.
 
Just to comment on my previous post ! I was more so talking about L2 Cache but my last description was very poor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top